I love a good road trip — the fresh air, the aesthetic backdrops, the experience of reaching all-new locations — it all comes together for me in ways words alone can’t describe. Supplementing the experience for me is Android Auto, which is Google’s phone-based infotainment system that works in a similar manner to Apple CarPlay.
Android Auto is an indispensable tool for me, not just for basic navigational purposes, but for the flexible experience it provides thanks to the plethora of Android applications that are compatible with the feature. As an Android user, here are seven apps in particular that I rely on each and every time I embark on a road trip of any length.
SpotHero
Find parking easily
SpotHero makes it easy to locate and pre-book parking spots at airports, garages, valets, parkades, and more. The free service is available across many major cities within the United States and Canada, and the app’s flow is streamlined and well-implemented. Reserving a spot is a simple process, and there are options to compare fees and rates as to help you get the best parking deal possible. With native support for paying with Google Pay, SpotHero is an excellent tool to have at the disposal, particularly for anyone living in a dense urban environment.
Waze
Navigate with live traffic updates
- OS
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ios, Android
- Price
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Free
Waze is a popular navigation app available on iOS and Android devices. You can get real-time traffic updates and road alerts to help make your commute as smooth as possible.
Waze is a free, Google-owned GPS navigation application that has made a name for itself in recent years. It allows you to stay up-to-date on road closures, construction sites, detours, crashes, police sightings, and more, all in real-time while driving. Users are able to contribute to the app’s information database to provide updates across the network, making for a handy on-the-road tool that keeps you prepared for anything. Waze also offers instant routing changes, integrated support for music and podcast playback, plenty of voice guide options, and even sidekick characters to add a bit of personality into the mix.
Fuelio
Log your fuel consumption
Fuelio is an all-encompassing gas logging and consumption application for Android Auto that helps you stay in the know when it comes to gas prices and other statistics. The app includes such features as a currency conversion tool, crowdsourced gas prices, a trip log, a mileage log, a variety of charts and graphs, and much, much more. Some of the app’s features are available for free right from the get-go, while others require a paid Pro license to unlock. It’s super simple to glance at an overview of gas costs and consumption needs for any modern vehicle, making Fuelio a must-have for road trips and the like.
Pocket Casts
Listen to podcasts in style
Pocket Casts is one of, if not the very best podcasting applications available for the Android operating system. Thankfully, the app is also compatible with Android Auto, which is a major perk of using it. The free version of Pocket Casts is rather full-featured, with all the podcasting essentials present and accounted for, all laid out in an organized, aesthetically pleasing manner. The app features offline playback, auto download and cloud sync options, a sleep timer, smart playlists, curated recommendations, and a variety of other additions that make for a well-rounded experience that I recommend to any and every podcast lover.
MyRadar
High definition radar visuals
MyRadar is a powerful weather map application that provides an up-to-date and animated radar view of your local area. This gives you a highly glanceable look at upcoming weather events and conditions, with radar loop lengths of up to two hours at a time. There are a variety of data layers that can be added to the experience, including a winds layer, a jetstream layer, and a high and low pressure system layer. The app, which offers a free version, can also be used to send environmental alerts directly to you, which is particularly useful if you live in a region that’s prone to dynamically changing weather conditions.
PlugShare
Map out EV charging station locations
PlugShare offers a massive map database of electric vehicle charging stations in your local area. The free-to-start app is community-driven, meaning that other users can contribute photos, reviews, and more to help round out EV station details. It’s easy to filter the map by plug time, charging speed, charging provider, and more, making for a powerful setup on the whole. Within the context of Android Auto, PlugShare is the ideal tool for browsing local charging stations, bookmarking favorite locations, staying up-to-date as new EV chargers are installed nearby, and ensuring that a charging station is compatible with your particular EV make and model.
TuneIn Radio
Tune into international radio shows
TuneIn Radio unlocks the ability to hop onto AM and FM radio stations from across the globe, all via Wi-Fi or cellular data. If you’ve ever been curious to hear radio programs from other jurisdictions, TuneIn is the ideal tool for the job. Android Auto streaming is as seamless as can be, making it simple to tune into live sports events, news broadcasts, music playback, and more. The app is free to start with, though it requires a paid subscription to unlock its full breadth of functionality. Paid subscribers are able to access commercial-free news and music stations, which, during a road trip, can certainly elevate the driving experience.
