Safe driving apps for a smooth trip back home during Tet

In addition to the familiar Google Maps, users can choose from many other map applications that integrate helpful features for driving.

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Nowadays, map apps seem to be an indispensable tool for driving, especially when traveling to new cities. In addition to the navigation feature, map apps also integrate many utilities to help users reduce stress while operating their vehicles.

Here are some popular map apps in Vietnam, all of which can be used on car screens via Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connection.

Most map apps can be displayed on car screens via Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

Google Maps

This is a familiar map app for most users in the country, from motorbikes to cars, and is currently the top-ranked map app on the App Store. The advantage of Google Maps is its comprehensive data and large user base, allowing for more accurate display of traffic density-related information than many other apps.

This app can be used offline, users only need to pre-download the map of the desired area. If traveling a short distance, users can simply turn on the navigation in advance, and the app will still locate even without an internet connection.

The real-life experience, calculation accuracy, and estimated travel time on Google Maps are quite accurate. Users can choose the mode of transportation, which helps change the route to avoid encountering situations where motorcycles go onto highways or cars go into restricted roads.

The drawback of Google Maps is that it does not have many driving support features such as speed display (for iOS operating system), display of road signs, speed limit alerts, etc.

HERE WeGo

This app is currently ranked 29th on the map ranking board of the App Store and can be considered as a worthy alternative to Google Maps. This app is currently free and has received a rating of 4/5 stars, with most users rating the navigation ability of HERE WeGo highly, although information about speed limit alerts and no turn signs is still not accurate in many locations.

In addition to familiar features similar to Google Maps, HERE WeGo also includes additional utilities such as speed display and exceeding speed limit alerts, choice of fuel type to search for gas stations/charging stations, etc.

HERE WeGo can be used offline by pre-downloading the map by country, and in Vietnam, it can be downloaded by regions. The online map data size is not too large, the entire map of Vietnam takes up 577 MB.

Vietmap Live

Vietmap Live is a map app dedicated to the Vietnamese market. Vietmap’s map app focuses only on the car driving group, without a mode for motorbike riders.

Compared to Google Maps, Vietmap Live has more driving support features such as speed limit alerts, display of road signs, access to traffic cameras, etc. In addition, users can proactively send notifications to the system about congested locations or incorrect sign information. Vietmap stated that the map data will be updated weekly, allowing users to continuously receive the latest changes in traffic.

The biggest drawback of Vietmap Live compared to other map apps is that it requires users to pay to use it, and the price of this app is 590,000 VND/year. In addition, the prediction of travel time and traffic density situation of Vietmap Live still has a considerable amount of errors.

Waze

Although not very popular in Vietnam, Waze is still known as one of the map apps worth considering. Waze is free like Google Maps but also includes additional features that allow users to contribute information related to traffic density on the road or accident alerts.

Similar to most other map apps, Waze users can customize the route as desired, for example, avoiding highways, toll plazas, or crossing by ferry. Users can also choose the desired arrival time in advance, and Waze will calculate and provide suitable departure time notifications. In real-life experience, the calculation accuracy of Waze is still not completely accurate.

Great books to read while driving

In the Cars section, we send readers great books with many interesting topics. On long journeys with cars, it is not uncommon for us to have moments of rest and relaxation, and books are the fascinating companions.