This new tool will track down the lowest gas prices near you.

      Mario Tama/Getty Images

      The most significant updates and reviews in the automotive world, no nonsense.

      Subscribe to our free daily newsletter to receive the important stories directly in your inbox every weekday.

      I wouldn’t describe myself as wasteful with my finances, but I generally don’t pay much attention to gas prices. When my fuel level is low and I need to travel a good distance, I usually fill up at the nearest gas station. However, when the average price of regular gas exceeds $4 a gallon, even those of us who typically don’t strategize about where to refuel start to reconsider. Fortunately, two engineers have developed an AI-driven system that combines user-generated data and smooth-talking automated callers to track gas prices nationwide, helping us find the best prices at the pump.

      Named "The Gas Index," this project initially began as a tool to monitor the price of a pint of beer in Ireland (originally called the "Guinndex"). Interestingly, the price of beer, like many other products, is partially linked to oil prices. Consequently, engineers Matt Cortland and Jon Fleming expanded their focus to include gas prices in the U.S., and what they have created is arguably the most advanced tool of its kind.

      The Gas Index enables users to input their vehicles and location into an account, so when it presents the lowest gas prices, it automatically considers the distance required to drive, the fuel efficiency of your vehicle, and the octane rating needed. According to its calculations, it costs me $6.14 less to drive 25 minutes to a Sheetz than to fill up at the station just around the corner from my home. It also quantifies the economic impact of current wartime conditions, comparing today’s average tank price to rates before February 28 and illustrating that difference using relatable items like milk, toilet paper, Dunkin iced coffees, or Bud Light cans.

      Screenshot: The Gas Index

      There’s another reason why this particular database is worthwhile. Google Maps only tracks prices at just under half of the nation's gas stations; smaller or independently-owned stations are often overlooked. The Gas Index uses Google data for major chains, but to find out the prices at these lesser-known locations, you need to visit them in person. Fortunately, the site allows users to take a photo of a station’s pricing board with their phone, upload it, and their AI will process the image and update the data.

      Additionally, there's a more traditional method to gather prices from these mostly off-the-beaten-path stations: good old-fashioned phone calls. Perhaps "old-fashioned" isn’t quite right since The Gas Index utilizes conversational AI agents (named Hank, Peggy, and Bobby, who don’t sound like the Hills you might know) to inquire about prices over the phone and return that data to the system.

      According to Cortland and Fleming, the hardest state for this task is New Jersey, particularly because Wawa has a firm rule against disclosing prices over the phone. (As an Eastern Pennsylvanian, I think Wawa needs to refocus. They've strayed too far with a flood of unrequested menu items; they should return to serving the community better. But I digress.)

      As of the beginning of this month, The Gas Index has surveyed over 170,000 gas stations across the country, with 19,000 of those contacted by Hank, Peggy, and Bobby. The developers report that only 1 in 700 station employees told the AI agents “to go away” rather than answering their questions. Come to think of it, that might be another hurdle in the Garden State. Check it out at gasindex.ai.

      Have a tip? Contact tips@thedrive.com.