Best Car and Driving Apps

Thanks to the technology now packed into almost all mobile phones; ordering a meal, booking a holiday, learning a language or finding a house are only a matter of clicks away.

Smartphones are ubiquitous in today’s world and so too are mobile apps. There are thousands of applications to be discovered and downloaded, but unearthing the best cars apps in such a crowded marketplace is no easy task.

Do not worry, we have done the hard work for you, from next generation navigation tools to guaranteed car parking spaces and price beating petrol stations.

Here are five of the best driving apps:

Radarbot

Radarbot is your self-described ‘ally on the road’, however given its multiple offerings and smooth functionality, it is more like having three friends than one. 

The big selling point to Radarbot is its advanced speed camera detection system. Using GPS technology, the app helps you stay within the speed limit by alerting you when fixed speed cameras, tunnel cameras and user-reported mobile cameras are coming up. 

This is indeed impressive but Radarbot goes even further. The app, which is free and available on both Android and iPhone, also offers detailed real-time traffic alerts and a speedometer.

The app is 100% legal and with its speed camera database updated daily, Radarbot could be a crucial new addition to your journey!

JustPark

We’ve all been there, you’re driving into town or entering a new city and as luck would have it every single parking space seems to have vanished. Before you know it, you’ve spent thirty minutes with your eyes peeled squinting down side streets and leaving car parks the way you arrived. 

JustPark makes such worries a thing of the past. From alerting you to on-street parking meters and free zones to designated car parks and private space, JustPark offers the lot.

With millions of spaces to choose from and more than 20,000 ‘reservable locations’ across the UK, the app’s real-time availability information aims to ensure you arrive without being left disappointed.   

Free to download and with a built-in payment platform to reserve paid for spaces, JustPark, which has won a slew of awards in recent years, could be the perfect driving app for the daily commute or long family journeys. 

PetrolPrices.com

This car app does exactly what the name describes. PetrolPrices.com, free and available on both Android and iPhones, compares petrol, diesel and premium fuel prices from 98% of UK forecourts.

PetrolPrices.com allows you to narrow your search to a five mile radius from any UK postcode to find the best value fuel close by or up to 30 miles away if you’re on a long motorway journey.  

And if you don’t want to be directed to a huge supermarket forecourt you can filter those results too. Simple, effective and money saving!

It is claimed that members save more than £200 a year from using the app and with such savings available, who wouldn’t want to do that? 

Waze

Taking on the Sat Nav industry is no easy challenge, but Waze and its array of services and timely updates is doing just that.

Waze does offer a detailed route-planning service but it is all the add-ons that make it stand out from the crowd as one of the best driving apps. Utilising updates from millions of members, Waze provides drivers with real-time accident updates and traffic alerts from those who know - fellow road users! 

So instead of being stuck in slow-moving traffic or delayed because of road works, Waze offers you  ‘a personal heads-up from a few million of your friends on the road’.

This community-led, crowdsourcing aspect has made it a must-have app and seen it accelerate past traditional route planning apps thanks to its traffic updates, speed camera alerts and weather warnings. And what’s more, all of this is free!

MileIQ

Being on the road for work or away on business trips can take its toll and keeping track of your mileage for expenses or tax returns is not always a number one priority.

This is where MileIQ comes in. With its easy-to-use interface and simple design, MileIQ automatically tracks, logs and stores your journeys with just a few simple clicks.

It may not be the most glamorous or ground-breaking driving app but MileIQ could well be an essential addition to your smartphone and ensure all your miles on the road are covered.  

You can also make your commute more bearable by arranging motor insurance.