10 Essential Travel Apps And Gadgets For Surviving A Summer Road Trip
It's that time of year again.
Don your sunglasses, let the top down, allow your friend to put on her poorly constructed Spotify playlist and hit the road. But before you buckle up, are you sure you didn't forget something?
At Automatic, we know a thing or two about road trips, so sit back and let us drop some knowledge on you.
Here are 10 essential travel apps and gadgets needed to survive summer road trips.
Keep track of important belongings with Tile.
Always losing your keys or wallet? Well, stop it.
Tile is a tiny Bluetooth tracker that helps find your lost stuff in seconds. Attach, stick or place Tiles inside everyday items and keep track of them in an easy-to-use app. You only want good vibes this summer!
Make sure you keep a life-saving emergency kit handy.
AAA 76-piece Emergency Kit, $55, Amazon
From jumper cables to an emergency whistle, this kit has everything you could ever possibly need if you get stranded on the side of the road.
Pro tip: Pack a pen and a booklet of high-difficulty Sudoku puzzles. Who knows how long you'll be there? It's going to be a long summer.
Stay on-course with this nifty route-planning app.
Roadtrippers app, Free, iTunes
This free mobile app and website is designed to help travelers plan road trips to the most interesting places along a route.
With curated trip itineraries and info on millions of locations like the best diners, parks, photo ops, hotels and more, the travel platform streamlines discovery, booking and navigation into one intuitive process.
Capture your road trip in style with the new GoPro.
GoPro HERO 4, $325, Amazon
With the ability to film in 1080p or 720p, your friends who missed the trip will feel like they were right there. But they totally weren't and you can now remind them frequently with the GoPro HERO 4.
“Couldn't find someone to cover your shift.” C'mon, Angela!
Book hotels with just the push of a button.
Hotel Tonight app, Free, iTunes
Great hotels. Amazing last-minute deals -- even during summer's prime.
Book wherever, whenever on your mobile device for tonight, tomorrow and next week. And hey, look, if you want to sleep in your car — you know, do you. It's all about the Hotel Tonight app.
Coordinate a car repair from your phone.
YourMechanic app, Free, iTunes
YourMechanic delivers car repair and maintenance at the convenience of your home or office.
Their expert mobile mechanics offer oil changes, brake replacements, diagnostics and over 150 other services. Get a diagnostic, request a quote and book an appointment in their iPhone app or online.
Never let a flat tire ruin your day (or road trip) again.
Free Air Pump app, Free, iTunes and Google Play
So you've got a flat tire?
Simply enter your location and you'll be given an ever-growing list of places that provide free air for tires. That's right, we're helping you because we found out you were paying for air. This app is a life-saver.
Keep a close eye on your car with this diagnostics-reading adapter.
Automatic Pro, $110, Amazon
Good news! Most of the apps and products on this list work seamlessly with the Automatic adapter.
Thought we'd forget about our own product? Think again! We don't think any road trip is complete without an Automatic.
Split gas costs between your friends like a boss.
UnMooch app, Free, iTunes and Google Play
Friends don't let friends buy all the gas for the road trip on their own. Help your friends be good friends by getting UnMooch, an app that allows you to easily split up gas costs.
Parking tickets don't stand a chance against the SpotAngels app.
Spot Angels app, Free, iTunes
Parking your car in SF or NYC?
Spot Angels is a free app that saves you from parking tickets. It sends you parking alerts when you have to move your car. It covers street cleaning, tow away, meters and residential regulations.
Let this summer be drama-free starting with your road trip stories!
