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Best Automotive Apps For Commuters
Millions of commuters take to the streets every day to go to and from work. They complain about the pain of sitting in gridlock traffic, not being able to find a parking spot, and the price of gas. They seem to think the only way to make the hours they spend in traffic more enjoyable is a luxury vehicle or a personal driver, or possibly both. None of them seem to realize the answer to their commuting woes is in the palm of their hand (at least, when they are not driving.) The answer to their woes is their cell phone. Plenty of apps are available to help turn a commute from a necessity to an enjoyable part of the day. These five apps make understanding your car and its route simple.
Please do not interact with your mobile device while driving. You can save plenty of time and money by using these apps, but if you end up in a crash, the driver of your ambulance may not.
1. GasBuddy
Everybody likes finding cheap gas. GasBuddy helps commuters find the gas they need at the prices they want. Pricing information is crowd-sourced, so the prices are accurate, and users can find gas in multiple ways. This app is free, but even if it were not, it would pay for itself.
When a commuter wants to find gas, they can search a state, province, city, ZIP or postal code. They can also use their GPS to find gas stations by proximity. The user is presented with a list of gas stations, which they can search by location or price. Once they choose a station, the app provides them with directions. Trends charts and “last updated” listings are available to help users determine if a gas price is accurate or not.
Commuters are also encouraged to submit prices at local gas stations. Every time they do, they earn points. Users with the most points are featured on the GasBuddy leaderboard. These points can be turned into entries to win a $100 gas card, which a user wins every day. Commuters can also win awards if they complete certain tasks, including posting a certain number of prices in a day, for extra points.
GasBuddy is available in Canada and the United States for Apple, Android, Windows Phone, and Blackberry Phone.
GasBuddy Video Review
2. Rover Parking
Have you ever been circling the block, trying to find a place to park on a crowded street? Rover describes itself as “the airBNB of parking”. People who have parking spaces they are not using can add them to the Rover app. When a commuter is looking for a space to park, they can search their location and Rover will show them the parking spaces in their area. Using the Rover app is free.
After commuters search for an area, Rover shows them the location and price of each available space on a map. When they select a space, they decide how many hours they need the parking space for, with a maximum of 13 hours. They get directions to the location, park there, and go on their day. The app tracks how much time is remaining. If commuters find they need more time, they can extend it.
Other Rover users host the spaces. Hosts can control the dates and times their spots are available for, and they get to set their own rate. They can also choose to opt into the Rover T’ill You’re Sober program, a service that lets commuters park overnight in a secure spot so they do not drink and drive. With this program, commuters do not pay, but the developers pay the hosts directly.
Currently, Rover is available in Canada on Android and Apple devices. They plan to expand to other areas in the near future.
3. Automatic
What if you could find out information about your gas usage and engine health without having to think about it? Automatic turns your car’s adapter into a record keeper. Cars have kept diagnostic information for centuries, but it is hidden from users under a standard diagnostic port. This port, known as an “OBD-II” port, is normally only used by mechanics, but the Automatic adapter and a Bluetooth connection makes everybody aware of the tools mechanics have used for years.
The Automatic adapter, priced at $99.55 USD, is the main feature of the app. Its small, sleek aluminum and polymer design collects data from commuters’ OBD-II port and sends it to the cell phone via Bluetooth. The wireless connection is encrypted with a 120-bit AES encryption key to make sure nefarious hackers cannot steal your car’s information. An accelerometer can contact emergency crews and loved ones if a commuter is involved in a crash, and tones are used to inform drivers of their car’s performance. The adapter can be updated through the phone app. Security flaws and new features can be added as soon as the app is open.
The app itself tracks information with Bluetooth and GPS data. If the “Check Engine” light turns on, the app can inform them of the problems the car is having, from an air intake issue to a broken “Check Engine” light. It tracks their mileage and gas usage to prompt commuters to drive more efficiently. Data can be compared between weeks. Commuters can use the app to locate their parked car from their phone or smartwatch, and if they are not sure where to go, the app gives them walking directions. Android users can even set their phone to “Do Not Disturb” when their car’s engine is turned on, so they do not feel the need to respond to every text they receive.
Automatic is available for Apple and Android phones, and the Automatic adapter is available in the United States. Preorders are available for other nations. Other apps, including RescueTime and Unmooch, can integrate with the app, and data collected with the app can be transferred to a computer or smartwatch.
4. Bikemap
If you enjoy commuting to work using the power of your own legs instead of the power of gasoline, Bikemap is for you. This app contains thousands of bike routes, created by official bike route companies and by Bike Map’s users. It is used by mountain bike enthusiasts and commuters alike.
Bikemap allows users to search for routes near their location, or create a route of their own. Each route contains distance and elevation information, as well as a description and rating. The app can also show users their location on a route if they get lost. Routes can be shared with other users and created as you ride.
Since the app’s creation in the late 2000s, thousands of routes have been created. The official Bikmap blog states over one thousand routes are created every day. These maps are created using the Route Editor, a tool that makes creating your own route quick and easy. Routes can snap onto existing roads or be drawn freehand. Even small details such as pictures or points of interest can be added to routes to increase a commuter’s route’s utility.
Bikemap is available for Apple, Android, and Windows Phones. The app also connects to personal computers.
5. Waze
You might have driven your commute for years, or it might be your first week, but you don’t know everything about the route you are taking. Waze is an attempt to crowd source the best possible route to the workplace. Users can alert each other to problems on the road and earn points for it to make everyone’s commute more enjoyable and efficient.
The moment users type in their destination, the app searches for the best route. It picks up more information as the user drives, and can alert them to changes including crashes, faster routes, and road construction. When it is safe, users can add information to the app’s database and give back to the Waze community.
When users add information to Waze’s database, they can earn points. Points are also earned when users edit a map, add new street names, or post photos of problems on their routes. These points can be compared to users in your area to see how you rank against them. If you have a high rank, you can make more route changes.
Waze is available for Apple, Android, and Windows Phone. Some features are accessible by personal computer.
The daily commute does not have to be a chore. It can be something to treasure. These apps let you know what dangers are on your chosen route, what is going on inside your car, where the best place to park is, and where to find the cheapest gas. Peadalheads can even bike to work safely. No matter what combination of these five apps you use, your driving experience will be less frustrating, so you can worry about other things. Things such as the long meeting you’ll have to attend once your commute is over.