Smartphone apps offer useful driver resources
Now that smartphones have become ubiquitous appliances for daily living, software vendors have developed a wealth of phone applications for drivers.
But with so many options out there, how do you choose? Some industry leaders offered their suggestions on choosing the right applications for driving.
Gas Station Locator App
A gas station locator app will allow you to quickly find local gas stations based on your current location and also provide directions to get there. Many of them will tell you the current price of fuel at a location as well.
“Some gas station apps allow you to sort by price or distance so that you can first check for the lowest local price,” said Todd Ramsey, of the Ramsey Consulting Group, which specializes in mobile audio trends. “The one I use sorts again by distance to see if it’s worth driving across town if the difference is only a few pennies from a closer alternative.”
Restaurant and Rest Stop Locators
A restaurant or rest stop locator will allow users to find the closet location, provide directions and also show you customer reviews to make your decision about quality a little easier.
“For restaurants and many other things that are categorized by your physical location,” Ramsey said. “It is so useful when I travel to see where things are that it’s saved me from sitting blindly in a hotel room after room service has shut down for the night with restaurants or pubs open in an area. “
Restaurant apps typically offer a variety of location categories, which is convenient for road trips.
Mileage Trackers
A mileage tracker is generally used for two different purposes. For those who are tracking mileage for tax and reimbursement purposes and others to track fuel economy.
Apps for tax purposes allow drivers to input odometer readings at the beginning and end of a trip, which then gets stored on the phone. Once you are ready to put in your mileage claim, all the information is stored and totaled for you.
As for those apps for tracking fuel economy, the app allows drivers to input the odometer readings, price per gallon of gas and the number of gallons purchased into the phone.
Music
Next to knowing where you need to go and how to get there, drivers typically bring their music catalog along for the ride. Many music apps allow you to search and play (or download) specific songs or select a genre from which a random collection of songs will be played through.
Some applications require a direct wire connection from the phone to the vehicle sound system. Other apps such as Pandora allow drivers to connect wirelessly.
How does it work?
If the smartphone and vehicle support Bluetooth audio streaming, Pandora can become a wireless radio station transmitting sound seamlessly through the sound system.
Other Nifty Apps
Smartphone apps that allow you to remote start your vehicle and its climate control system—convenient for drivers who live in hot or cold environments. The downside: Distance often is limited to close proximity and a direct “line-of-sight” to the vehicle.
But there’s a solution. A variety of “smart-start” remote apps allow drivers to sync with their vehicle starter system. Not only do these devices allow you to start your car, but you can also lock or unlock and release the trunk or hatch from anywhere that you have cell phone service.
“It’s a wonderful alternative to the limited range of the key fob remotes,” Ramsey said. “And if you should lock yourself out of the car, no problem—just use your phone to unlock it.”
Typically, vehicle starter apps are designed specifically for the hardware unit attached to the vehicle starter system.
Finding the right apps
David Barnard, founder of App Cubby software for smart phones, offered his suggestions for choosing the right applications for drivers.
- Download a free trial app: Many app companies allow you to try a version of their apps for free. This is a great way to test it yourself, before committing to it.
- Look at various websites and app guides: One Google search can go a long way in showing you app reviews.
- Get Social: Ask a friend, family member, co-worker or send a tweet asking for app feedback.
- “Looks” are important. If the designer has put in the effort to make the application easy to understand and graphically pleasing, chances are the developers took the time to make a quality application as well.
- Many apps use GPS connection to relay information and this tends to drain battery life quickly. Switch on or off the application to save power.
- Carry a car charger if you intend to use driving apps frequently.