6 Android Auto apps I wish I discovered sooner, because they make driving much easier

6 Android Auto apps I wish I discovered sooner, because they make driving much easier">

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If you use Android Auto to navigate or control your in-car media, you'll know it's an incredibly useful app. But if that's all you use the software for, you're missing out on a ton of functionality.

Hundreds of apps are Android Auto-compatible. While these apps don't necessarily do anything different on your car's screen than they do on your phone , using the car-enabled version is significantly less distracting. These apps will also make your life significantly easier. You don't need to do anything special to use these apps on Android Auto. Just download them onto your phone and connect.

Also: My 4 favorite Android Auto settings are seriously useful - but hidden by default

Here's a look at six Android Auto apps you should have if you don't already.

This is probably the Android Auto app I use most often. Fuelio shows you all nearby gas stations and current prices. That capability alone is worth using the app, because you can find the closest spot in an emergency or save a little money here and there by heading to a different station down the road. There's rarely a huge difference from one station to the next, but I can usually save about 10 cents a gallon by taking a quick look, and those savings add up.

Fuelio also lets you log your mileage and cost so you can see how well your car is operating and how much you're paying, and log any service and repair costs so you have that information easily at hand if you ever need it. This feature has come in handy several times when my oil change sticker fell off, and I needed a quick reference for when I last had the oil changed.

I tend to listen to podcasts more than music while I'm driving, and I always have multiple episodes of several podcasts on deck. I've tried a few podcast apps, but Pocket Casts is the best.

Also: I've used Android Auto for years, and these 5 changes solved my biggest issues

The app handles several platforms, has silence-trimming features that make each episode go by faster, and the queue feature works flawlessly. In addition, the interface is much less cluttered than any other media app.

If you've ever parked in a crowded city for a concert or sporting event, you know the struggle of simply finding a spot and wondering if you overpaid. SpotHero helps you find available parking spots in both decks and surface lots, purchase a spot in advance, and see different options around where you need to go.