If your car doesn’t belong to those nearly 200 smart models supporting CarPlay, it doesn’t mean it’s hopelessly outdated. You can still enjoy a “smart” ride by using mobile apps developed especially for drivers. From navigation to parking to fuel saving, it seems that there is nothing those apps cannot do, and their assortment really overwhelms. Giga-tyres.co.uk, Britain’s leading dealer of tyres (btw, check out winter tyres before winter catches you off guard) and car accessories, will narrow down the best-rated apps for you.
Navigation
Google Maps is so far the most comprehensive, accurate, and reliable navigation software that guides you door to door and gives valuable prompts on possible issues along the route, the cheapest gas in the neighbourhood, restaurants and other amenities actually gathering information from different apps in one. This app’s accuracy is really unbeatable thanks to satellites capturing high-resolution images and people around the world providing their updates. The app is quite robust and requires a reliable internet connection. Google Maps work together with Waze, another free mobile application acquired by Google, which provides real-time alerts about accidents or construction helping you to take the best bypass.
TomTom. If you are ready to pay £14.99 ($21.99) for a subscription, you get a clutter-free, reliable app that easily beats free applications when it comes to speed camera warnings. TomTom will alert you about speed traps down the road to avoid any hassles. The app is available for both Android and iOS, and you can use it for free for the first 50 miles every month.
Fuel saving
Fuel-saving habits are a good thing, but it’s always better to have an app bother about it.
GasBuddy is a free app providing up-to-the-minute gas prices at over 140 thousand gas stations in both North America and Australia. The app (works on Android, iOS, and Windows devices) lets you always get the best deal using reports of drivers like you across the country.
Fuelly will calculate your fuel economy and help you track how much your car consumes based on your individual inputs (you enter your make and model) such as the size of your tank, price per gallon, number of miles etc. So you always know when you need to fill up.
Automatic. With a special car adapter, this $99-worth app is able to beat even CarPlay in “connectedness” offering the fuel level and parking prompts and teaching you good fuel-saving manners. The app will interpret your engine lights, analyze your braking habits and even inform how much every road trip cost you.
Smart parking
ParkMe app advises on the closest and the cheapest parking in your area and helps get your parking paid through the app. The options of a parking timer and advance reservation are available as well.
Charging points for EVs
Have a hard time finding charging points for your Tesla or Nissan Leaf? You won’t have any issues with recharging your electric vehicle with PlugShare. The app, which works on both Android devices and iPhones, will prompt you on the nearest Supercharger or CHAdeMO point.
