People only just realising what car on/off button really does to your vehicle

Motorists are just discovering that a common feature located on most modern petrol and diesel vehicles is not just installed to save fuel. Stop/start technology automatically turns off the car engine when a vehicle is temporarily halted. The system is then programmed to automatically restart the engine when owners press their foot on the accelerator.

The tool is fitted to many new cars with motorists usually aware that the tool is designed to reduce fuel use. However, some individuals may not know the system has various uses with another major benefit to having the technology installed. According to experts at CarBase , a stop/start system is one of the most important systems to cut down on vehicle emissions in built-up areas.



They said: “An idle car still produces harmful carbon emissions, which is completely pointless when your vehicle is stationary. “Although you may only be stationary for a few minutes, every reduction in pollution helps. “If all vehicles used this technology, it would contribute to a significant reduction in carbon emissions, something that's becoming a major issue in many towns and cities.

” A previous study from the Polytechnic University of Madrid found that CO2 emissions were down more than 20 percent in the model fitted with a stop/start system. Car insurance experts and breakdown specialists at the RAC have also warned cars fitted with the tool would “give off fewer emissions”. They explained: “Regardless of how somebody drives there will always be moments when their car is stationary.

As a result, a journey using a stop-start engine will give off fewer emissions than the same journey without one.” Although the system comes with several benefits, road users are generally still not fans of the technology . Haynes commented: “But the main downside is a lot of people simply don't like the sensation of their car automatically turning off, and manufacturers have identified that many owners just turn off the feature when they get in the car.

“It's something they're not used to, and don't really understand, or fully trust. But our advice has to be to always leave Stop-Start engaged if your car is equipped with it.”.