Tell Your Car to Google it: Upload these Free Android Apps to Your Car
In an effort to accelerate social media, convenience for drivers and advertising, Ford Sync and General Motors (GM) are teaming up with companies like Clear Channel, iHeartRadio, Facebook and Apple to provide car apps that can be uploaded directly to your car’s dashboard console, says AdWeek.com’s Tim Peterson. Beyond being able to listen to music streaming from Sirius and iHeartRadio, Pioneer Electronics has also presented AppRadio car stereo that allows drivers to stream car-compatible mobile apps from their smartphone to their in-car dashboard and audio system. This technological advancement in the auto and social networking industry will make using apps more easy and safe for drivers because it’s hands-free communication and you can access information without needing a console for your phone. Meanwhile, DigitalTrends.com reports that Android has released a bunch of free apps that are made for drivers and their android car stereos. We listed some of our favorites from DigitalTrend’s top picks, and one of our own personal favorites, below.
Best Deals on Wheels
Smart shoppers looking for the best deals on the highest-rated used cars can now upload the Edmunds.com app. Just like on the car reviewers site, shoppers can type in their location, the model, make and year of the car they’re looking for and this app will spit out options that best fit what you’re looking for. So if you’re in Arizona and you’re looking for a great price on a foreign-made compact car, Edmunds.com might direct you to a Fiat dealership in Tucson or a Hyundai Scottsdale dealership. This app is also really handy for finding the true market value for used cars, in case you’re looking to trade in your used car for a different vehicle of lesser or equal value.
Fill ‘er Up!
Gas Buddy locates the best deals on gas prices. This crowdsourced app offers an updated map that will show you the distance to the nearest gas station and all of the surrounding stations and their gas prices, within a 15-mile radius. You can view the stations via map mode or as a list. Since the data on this app relies on the information that is provided by users, it’s important to update any information, regarding the price and location of the stations.
Sharing is Caring
Another crowdsourced app, PlugShare is a helpful app for people who drive an electric or hybrid car. This app allows users to access the data for over 13,000 plugin stations in North America. PlugShare also gives users information on how much each station will cost for charging and whether the station is currently occupied. Update any changes in price or location of the charging station if you see any discrepancies.
With tech advancements in the auto industry, using driver apps is more convenient, user-friendly and will actually help you to save money and time.
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Co-Authored With
Aaron Feller went to school for communication and instead of going on to be a news reporter, he became a programmer for communication-based software. He writes tech news and he loves it.