How Navigation Apps Are Helpful while Driving?
Harnessing the power of modern information technology and smartphone technology has many applications in business and life, and can even be utilized fruitfully while driving. Finding one’s way to a remote location, particularly a place never visited before, is challenging even for experienced drivers. Android navigation applications, or apps, are designed specifically to ease this process, enabling a driver to reach their destination with a minimum of wasted time and petrol.
App designers offer a number of different navigation apps for the Android platform, which is used on popular smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy series. Each app provides different features, which drivers should compare carefully to their individual needs.
The Most Popular App, Google Maps for Android
Google Maps is the most popular navigation app for driving, thanks to its extensive, accurate mapping coverage, numerous useful features, and the fact that it is free. The app includes voice-guided turn by turn navigation, enabling the driver to use the app safely and effectively without taking their eyes off the road or hands off the wheel.
Google Maps also supports voice search, so that the user can enter new destination instructions with voice commands rather than attempting dangerous manual input while the vehicle is in motion. An automated function saves destinations that the driver often goes to, and additionally allows the user to bookmark locations for future reference. Other features of the app include real-time traffic reports, along with updated time to destination based on an assessment of vehicle traffic conditions on the remaining route, alternate route generation based on traffic or navigational errors on the part of the driver, provides the option to avoid toll booths where possible, and other features.
Choosing Alternative Android Driving Apps
Other apps may offer features absent in the highly popular Google Maps, which, naturally enough, cannot cover every contingency. Those drivers with specialized needs, or who are on the road constantly, may choose apps that offer more detailed navigation data in certain regards.
Apps such as Waze provide crowd-sourced information on current road conditions, such as police presence, construction, or adverse weather conditions. Apps that permit crowd-sourcing also enable the driver to report hazards and local conditions to benefit other motorists, which may appeal to the public spirit of some drivers. Some paid navigation apps download entire mapping and GPS data sets to the driver’s Android device, enabling use of the navigation functions even when a communication link is not available. This can be extremely useful to those who frequently travel to remote locations where data connections may be patchy or absent. Drivers should be careful to pick apps which provide full map coverage for the areas they are planning on entering. This should include regions adjacent to these areas, to guard against the possibility of unexpected detours or a major driving error on the user’s part.
Many Android apps are available which provide an accurate simulation of the maneuvers expected during the driving practical test. These navigational apps can be invaluable as practice for the test, building confidence and knowledge and giving a learning driver a much higher chance of success when the real examination is conducted.
Author bio:
Katherine lives in UK and is an avid reader and blogger. She writes on travel, technology, fashion, lifestyle and health. She works as a guest blogger on her chosen areas of interest and currently writes on behalf of driving practical test.