The smartphone has become an integral part of life for many Americans, and that extends to the driving experience, as well. Nearly every car manufacturer incorporates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into their infotainment setups (and thankfully, they do it without making it part of a subscription plan). Meanwhile, an array of apps on offer have rendered road trip staples like the map, the guidebook, and decades of accrued local knowledge outmoded, if not obsolete.
Still, some apps are better than others. Here are seven essential driving apps you should download right away to improve your drive.
Waze
Courtesy
The Apple Maps vs. Google Maps navigation war can be tough to follow. Instead, try Waze. It delivers turn-by-turn navigation as the others do, but its strength is user-submitted data, which permits real-time rerouting to avoid traffic. Other so-called “Wazers” can flag good-to-know hazards like hidden police cars and potholes — as well as less-helpful things, like every single dead animal on the Canadian stretch of your drive home from Nantucket (true story).
Navigation apps help you get where you need to go. But when you get there, where do you park? Search for spots and rates easily with Parkopedia’s database of more than 70 million parking spots in 15,000 cities.
Roadtrippers streamlines the road trip planning process. You can plan and save itineraries, collaborate with other users, find off-beat destinations and get reviews for millions of destinations along your route.
Every penny you save counts. The GasBuddy app allows users to find and share the best gas prices in their area. You can also join the app’s Pay with GasBuddy and Pay with GasBuddy Premium plans to save five cents (or more) per gallon, as well as get services like roadside assistance.
Perhaps you need to plug in your car, instead of fill up a gas tank. Plugshare provides comprehensive data for more than 300,000 charging points from every major charging network worldwide. Users can also get station ratings and real-time availability.
New cars interact with your smartphone — which means you’re leaving a personal data trail in every vehicle you use. The Privacy4Cars app saves you time (and frantic Googling) by providing simple, step-by-step instructions for deleting your personally-identifiable information from any car.
The best apps are simple, perform a cumbersome task automatically — and save you a boatload of time. Microsoft’s MileIQ lets you easily track and report your work driving and travel expenses to make it easier when it comes time to file your taxes.
Dyson makes some of the smartest home appliances around, including its exceptional fans and air purifiers. This one has both — a combo that will come in handy for allergy season and as temperatures warm this spring and summer.
Missing the gym? The Tempo Studio comes with all the weights you need and gives you instant feedback with AI-powered guidance that adapts to you and your fitness needs from the comfort of your home.
Since many of us are going to be spending our days away from the comfortable chairs and desks of our office for a while longer, it may be time to actually invest in a nice chair for the home office.
The Killshot OG SP offers all the low-key design appeal of its better-known counterpart, with some serious throwback flair added in for good measure. And right now, they're only 65 bucks.
The internet's favorite pan features a modular design that includes a detachable wooden spatula, domed lid and a nesting steamer tray. This thing can cook anything you want, from sauces to omelets.
The time for using cheap towels has long since passed. Once you switch to towels that feel good after dozens of washes, you'll never go back. Onsen knows exactly how to make the perfect towel.
Engineered for homes with pets, the Dyson V8 Animal captures dust, animal hair and allergens, and deep cleans carpets. Keep your house in order and pet hair at bay.
One of the most important things when packing is efficiency and organization. These packing cubes from Eagle Creek are one of our picks for the best packing cubes you can buy.
Weighted blankets have been proven to reduce stress and anxiety and help you sleep better. Now, you don't need to worry about overheating because this one is optimized for a cool night's sleep.
The Spot from Black Diamond is our pick for the best headlamp you can buy. It is simple, extremely effective and has all of the small features that make a headlamp worth having.
AirPods Pro have been hovering around $200 for a while now, which is a great deal. Competition is now fierce in this headphone category, but the quick pairing and native integration with Apple devices still make the AirPods Pro tough to beat.
Nike is revolutionizing running and running shoe tech with its NEXT% series — these are the ultimate runners for daily training. These rarely go on sale, so pick some up while you can.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
