The Best App for Drivers

We live in a world where almost everything can be done on your smartphone. And while it’s illegal to text while driving, there are some really interesting applications for drivers out there.

To find your way around, is it better to use a portable GPS or a mobile app? After running several tests using different applications, we concluded that the best tool remains the good old-fashioned map. Seriously, the Google Maps app is the best. Portable GPS units are okay, but they don’t offer the same features. They make more sense for drivers who don’t have a smartphone.

Several applications are available both for Android or iPhone telephones. I said that Google Maps is the best because it is both very accurate and free. In many cases, it suggests two different routes. And there’s another important benefit: even if the phone’s screen turns off, the app continues to tell you which route to follow, without you having to look at the screen.

Other GPS applications worth mentioning include TomTom Go and Sygic. The first is free, but if you want to use it often, you have to subscribe for $27.99 for a year or $62.99 for three years. The maps on TomTom Go are really cool, with important monuments shown in 3D! Sygic is also free, but once again, you have to pay for a license, which ranges from $27.99 to $54.99.

At $1.39, iOnRoad is a paid, but very affordable, application. It films the road in front of you and calculates the distance between it and the preceding vehicle.

If you’re the type who’s constantly battling traffic, use Waze. It helps you avoid congested areas.

Share on Facebook

More on the subject

Technology/Autonomous VehiclesCadillac’s Rear Camera Mirror
Cars and trucks used to be square, with large windows and thin pillars, and outward visibility wasn’t a problem. However, as today’s car buyer is looking for style, safety and efficiency, automakers are designing vehicles that are not only more aerodynamic, but more resistant to impacts and rollovers with wider, …
Technology/Autonomous VehiclesUrban Cruise Control
According to statistics, every day, big city dwellers waste a minimum of one hour at the wheel because of slow traffic or traffic jams. In addition to lost time, the stress of stop-and-go driving is to blame for increased fatigue and numerous fender benders. In an effort to combat this …
BlogA Big iPad in Your Face
I was on the long, boring 500 kilometre trip back from Toronto driving my Jeep Grand Cherokee , trying to find a radio station that would come in. In the void, I was searching the radio for entertainment. Then I realized that I had to take my eyes off the …
BlogMultimedia Headaches
With big screens having made their way into cars, manufacturers are now facing a new challenge. These companies, many of which have been building cars for a very long time, now have to move outside of their mechanical comfort zone and try their hand at computers. As trivial as it …
Technology/Autonomous VehiclesThe Problem With Waze
You have undoubtedly heard of Waze, but if you haven’t, here’s the skinny. It’s an application for smartphones that’s like a social network for people sharing the road. When you sign in, you’ll see your avatar moving along a road map in real time. You can let your fellow Wazers …
BlogVoice Recognition: Problem or Solution?
Everyone knows that using your cell phone while driving is dangerous. Having your phone in your hand dramatically increases the risk of an accident, and driver distraction is also a factor in accidents. Bluetooth lets you chat while keeping both hands on the wheel but talking on the phone remains …
BlogGadgets We Can No Longer Live Without
When the automobile was in its infancy, occupants had to sit on a wooden bench and were at the mercy of the elements. Over time, certain luxuries became indispensable: Cadillac’s electric starter rapidly became the norm, just like central heating, windshields and side doors. New technologies arrived on the scene …