So, how much does something cost?

An average speed bump burns one of these truckloads of fuel every year

When we estimate how much something costs, we should not only look on the initial cost, but we should weight the long term effects. That is why, for example, more people are buying electric cars, which are much more expensive initially, but later have significantly lower expenses.

While old speed bumps have very low initial cost, if we estimate their TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) over longer time, we will come to a totally different conclusion. 

Our Smart Bumps pay for themselves in less than a year, and here is the explanation:

First, below is the list of main negative effects of the old speed bumps that are avoided by our Smart Bumps. 

      • Old speed bumps annoy all the drivers (and their passengers) and going over them is uncomfortable.
      • Old speed bumps increase the pollution in their surroundings.
      • Old speed bumps increase the fuel consumption.
      • Old speed bumps slow down the emergency vehicles.
      • Old speed bumps are noisy.
      • Old speed bumps slow everybody and cause congestion.
      • Old speed bumps cost as much as 10,000 EUR per year.

You can find more detailed info here.

Below is a calculation of real cost for an average old speed bump over 10 years.

Initial installation cost (speed bump, construction, signs…):1000 EUR
Cost of wasted fuel:10 * 9600 = 96000 EUR*
CO2 put into atmosphere:20,000 * 10 = 200 tons
Time wasted:10*1500 – 15,000 Hours**
Discomfort:17.3 million times a car is unnecessary ‘punished’**
Noise:medium impact***
Pollution (CO, NO, PM…):big impact***
Slowing emergency vehicles:medium impact****
Total/10 years: 97,000 EUR + 15,000 hours lost
*estimated fuel waste, typical speed bump 8000 liters, price 1.2 EUR/lit.
** 5000 cars/day on average, 95% driving below the limit, 1.5 people/car avg.
*** We do not have specific numbers for noise and pollution impact, but they are significant (pollution is decreased by at least 40% )
**** as the speed bumps are not put on emergency routes, the impact is minimized, but there is no safety on the streets

Our Smart bumps avoid all these negative effects. By avoiding the stop-start behavior, we provide constant speed of the vehicles, that minimizes the fuel consumption and pollution, and avoids the delay and congestion. As the majority of vehicles would go over flat smart bump, there will also be less noise.

By avoiding the negative effects, we are not only improving drivers’ experience and decreasing the pollution, but the great thing is that our smart bumps practically pay for themselves in few months, only from the fuel savings.

 

So hence, our motto: We save lives, we save the environment and we save money