Experts from Mio Technology, a leading international developer and manufacturer of in-car electronics, compare combo devices and free smartphone apps to see if you should buy a separate gadget to insure against traffic cameras, or if you can save?
Driving from point A to point B without being seen by a traffic camera is next to impossible. Even the most disciplined drivers sometimes accelerate a little faster than the maximum permitted, or just do not notice the speed limit sign hidden in the bushes, and get a penalty from the camera. The minimum size is 500 Dollars, and to avoid it, you need to know where this very camera is, so you can reset your speed in advance.
Smartphone apps and specialized gadgets, such as Mio combo devices, are ready to warn the driver about an ambush. Many drivers prefer the first option – apps are free and can be installed in a couple of minutes. But the lightness is deceptive: after a closer look it becomes clear that with combo units the probability of getting a fine is much less.
1.Design. The combo unit is designed specifically for camera detection. Both hardware and software are selected, tested and fine-tuned to work flawlessly in all conditions. The app is just software code, and can malfunction.
2. Accuracy of databases . Most applications use custom data about the location of cameras, which are not always up to date. Combo-devices regularly receive official updates with all new road objects. Dismounted cameras are also promptly excluded from the databases.
3. Signature-based detection. Apps can “see” only fixed cameras, but private mobile “ambushes” with mobile radars on tripods become an unpleasant surprise for drivers. Combo device uses not only GPS-positioning but also good old detection of radar emission. In the memory of devices Mio entered so-called signatures – their own set of characteristics frequency of radiation, wavelength, number of pulses, etc. , and so on. , each of the speed cameras. Radio module of the device can detect the speed camera signature at the distance of up to 1000 meters – just enough to smoothly slow down.
4. Early Warning. Applications, as a rule, warn about the camera at a certain, fixed distance. If your speed is high enough, you might need to brake sharply, and that is not safe, especially in winter or in heavy traffic. Mio combo-devices use proprietary technology SmartAlert, which correlates the distance to the camera and the speed of the car: the higher it is, the earlier the warning signal.
5. One device – one task. In terms of ergonomics, a separate device for detecting traffic cameras is much more convenient and reliable than a multitasking smartphone. The smartphone battery does not run out, and if you connect the combo device directly to the network, it will not occupy a car socket. And there is a video recording of everything that happens on the road. Thus, the applications are left with only one advantage – the possibility of free installation. But, taking into account all of the above, we can conclude that the application is not a panacea against fines, and you will still have to pay. But a combo device pays for itself very quickly: in some cases, literally in one “long” trip, for example, to the sea.
When it comes to choosing between combo devices and free apps, it’s often a matter of preference and convenience. But I’m curious, who really wins in this battle? Are combo devices with their all-in-one functionality superior, or do free apps provide enough features to make them unbeatable? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences on this.