Thanks to digitalisation, smart phones have also broken into the world of driving. Nowadays, almost every person uses some kind of application while driving. These applications have brought many innovations to everyday life. The use of traditional maps has been replaced, fewer and fewer people can be seen tossing coins into parking meters, and you no longer have to stop at a petrol station to buy a motorway sticker, as it can be done over the phone.
Below, we collected different apps that we think can help drivers a lot.
Navigation
One of the most popular car app is Google Maps, which makes it easy to plan a route to your current destination. To determine the fastest option, the application takes into account traffic jams, closures, accidents. The application can be used not only in Hungary, but also abroad. It can even be used as an offline map without an internet connection. In addition to planning a route, it also provides additional information about the destination (restaurants, attractions, shops,…).
Nowadays it’s divisive who chooses which GPS navigation app. Some people are familiar with Google Maps and stick to it, while others insist on Waze. The basic concept of this is the same as the one mentioned earlier (the goal is to calculate the fastest route). Waze, on the other hand, offers extra features that Google doesn’t. One of these, is that drivers are able to report police checks, speedometers which can be very useful is for the other users.
Parking
One of the great difficulties of driving in the city is parking, it is hard to find a place on the street and in most cases they are very narrow. Parkl helps with this, it offers the nearest closed parking spaces (parking garages), the use of which can be arranged through the application (opening a barrier, paying a parking ticket,…). But if you prefer to park on the street, the app can help in this case as well. After the car is parked, the application determines the parking zone based on the situation, which also shows the parking fee, the payment period and the maximum parking time.
It is not necessary to use the parking meter either, as the application can replace this as well (and also notify you when the parking ticket has expired).
Mobile Shopping
There are various mobile shopping apps through which not only parking, but also the purchase of a motorway sticker can be arranged. These applications are connected to a service provider (bank or mobile service provider). Based on these, you may want to choose which one you are "related to" (have a contract).
Such applications are:
- the Simple, belonging to OTP Bank,
- the Telekom Mobilvásárlás,
- the Telenor Wallet,
- and the Vodafone Easy Rider.
Tracking Expenses
Maintaining a car comes with a lot of expenses, it is very difficult to keep track of when and how much you need to spend. The solution to this is Drivvo, where you can manage your car-related expenses, such as refueling, service and maintenance costs, or even your car’s monthly rent. The application generates various statements from this data to help you optimize the cost of your vehicle.
Refueling Loyalty Card
In connection with refueling, point collection applications can also be useful. Such applications are OMW & Supershop and Shell. These can replace traditional loyalty cards and it is also possible to manage points over the phone (whether it’s a top-up or a buy-in).
Problem Reporting
This "Car Guard" app is a license plate based messaging application. Through the app, people can notify each other when they notice something wrong with another person’s car. Whether it’s a standing or a moving car, the owner may not notice exactly what others do. So with this messaging option, even bigger troubles can be prevented. The cause of an alarm can be a window that has been pulled down, lights that have been left on or even parking in the wrong place.
E-Demage Report (E-kárbejelentő)
This app can be a huge help in case you don’t have an accident report form at the time of an accident. All the information that would be on the sheet and even more can be entered into the application (GPS data, uploading pictures from the accident,…). A topography can be created manually or even using specified icons. The signed sheet can be saved as a PDF, and after saving, the form will be automatically forwarded to the relevant insurer.
Electric Charging Stations
The following applications may be useful for electric car drivers. These show you exactly where the charging stations are, making it easier for you to plan your route by calculating with the stops. Three applications out of many: Chargemap, Mobiliti (MVM charging station), Plugshare.
Car Related Applications
Most brands already have their own app that makes it easier to access various information about your car. You can track driving data, get notified of any technical intervention you may need, and you can more easily contact your dealer. In addition to the apps we have selected (MyPeugeot, Volvo cars, MyT), there are other applications for other brands, it is worth checking to see if your car has a similar service.