Tashkent Names the World’s Smartest Driver — a Win for Practical, Low-Carbon Driving

A global contest in Tashkent that proved small choices add up

The FIA Smart Driving Challenge wrapped up in Tashkent this week with a final that felt less like a race and more like a workshop on better habits. Drivers from dozens of countries came together to show how much fuel and carbon a person can save by changing the way they drive. The winner was crowned after a live final that mixed real road runs with telematics data and driving simulations.

Organizers framed the event as practical, not flashy. The aim wasn’t to push cars faster, but to prove real-world savings are possible with simple techniques—gentle acceleration, steady speeds, fewer sudden brakes, and smarter route choices. The final drew attention because the savings were large enough to matter for families, taxi drivers and fleet managers. In short: the contest turned driving skill into measurable climate impact, and showed that what one driver can do on a single day can scale up when fleets and cities pay attention.

How the Smart Driving contest actually works and who gets judged

The Smart Driving Challenge is a step-by-step competition that starts at local levels and moves to a global final. Drivers qualify in national rounds or through fleet programmes, then they face a mix of practical tests at the final. Judges use on-board telematics and standardized test routes so every competitor is measured the same way.

Scoring looks at a few simple things: energy used versus a baseline, how smoothly the driver handled speed and braking, and adherence to safety. Modern telematics devices track fuel or energy use, miles driven, and driving patterns. Organizers compare a driver’s performance against either the same vehicle on a baseline drive or against a standard efficiency target. The final is part demonstration, part exam — drivers must show they can repeat efficient techniques in different conditions, and the data proves it.

The entrants range from everyday commuters to professional drivers and students. That mix matters: the techniques that win at the contest are ones anyone can use, from private car owners to large delivery fleets that want to cut costs and emissions.

What the champion did differently — practical moves that deliver real savings

The driver who won in Tashkent relied on a handful of basic, repeatable habits rather than any secret gadget. Smooth acceleration, letting momentum do the work, avoiding hard stops, and planning routes to dodge heavy traffic were all front and center. Where the car allowed, the winner used predictive features like adaptive cruise set to conserve energy and made steady use of lower gears when appropriate.

Tire care and vehicle readiness also mattered. The champion made sure tire pressures and vehicle maintenance were spot on before runs, because a well-prepared car drags less and burns less fuel. Idling was kept to a minimum, and where traffic forced long waits the driver turned the engine off when safe to do so. In electric or hybrid vehicles, regenerative braking was used strategically to recover energy without compromising safety.

On the scoring side, the judges rewarded consistency. One efficient burst doesn’t win a round; it’s the ability to repeat efficient choices across different routes and conditions. The final runs included real-world surprises — small detours, stop-and-go sections and urban climbs — and the champion’s steady technique kept performance high even when the road changed.

Why those savings matter beyond the podium

The heart of the story is simple: cutting fuel or energy use by a noticeable percentage in everyday driving has outsized benefits when multiplied across many cars. For a single driver, better habits mean lower fuel bills. For entire fleets, the same techniques can reduce operating costs and shrink a company’s carbon footprint in a measurable way.

Policy makers and fleet managers should take note because these are low-cost changes. Unlike buying new vehicles or installing expensive gear, most of the winning tactics are training and attention. That makes them quick to scale and attractive in places where budget and time matter. The contest also helps build a language for measuring gains — if telematics show consistent reductions, companies can convert that into targets and incentives.

Where this goes next: spreading the lessons from Tashkent

The FIA says the event will return next season with broader participation and more partner fleets. Expect more training programmes that borrow the contest’s scoring method, and increased interest from city officials who want to cut transport emissions without big spending. If fleets take these lessons seriously, drivers everywhere may find efficient driving becoming part of routine training — and that would be a win for wallets and the climate alike.

Sources

• prnewswire.com