When it comes to driving, it's best to put distractions aside. That is why we teach you to automatically activate Do Not Disturb mode while driving Configure it thoroughly on both Android and iPhone, so that the phone works for you and not the other way around.
If you drive, pay attention to the road and put your phone aside
There are things that may seem obvious but, seeing the usual behavior of people, it is necessary to remember them from time to time. One of them is the following one: If you're driving, pay attention to the road. And put your phone aside. Our smartphones offer us too many distractions. A message, a tweet, a news article, an email, a call… You name it. A noise and a vibration make us look away from where we should be, and that can lead to… major accidents and disastrous consequences.
Using a mobile phone while driving is one of the main causes of distractions while drivingSeveral studies indicate that texting while driving greatly increases the risk of an accident, and traffic authorities insist that Looking at the screen for a few seconds is like walking dozens or hundreds of meters blindfolded.Besides the real danger to yourself and others, fines and points deductions are increasingly common for these types of offenses.
So first things first: Put your phone aside while drivingBe proactive and put your phone on silent, let someone know you're driving if they're waiting for you, and if you really need to answer calls, use a hands-free device. To make sure you don't forget this, there are tools on Android and iOS that allow you to... block notifications, calls and alerts as soon as they detect that you are in the car, minimizing the temptation to look at the screen.
In this article we explain How to automatically activate Do Not Disturb mode when you're drivingWhat are the differences between Android and iPhone, and how to customize in detail which people or apps can interrupt you, as well as the automatic reply message that your contacts will receive.
How to automatically activate Do Not Disturb when driving on Android
Google had already granted this option on their phones Pixel 2, and opened the possibility for other developers to imitate this behavior thanks to a new activity detection API (Transition API). Said and done: driving detective is a free application that will allow you to automatically activate Do Not Disturb mode when you go driving. Plus, it will work on any phone, whether it's a Pixel or not.
Once the app is downloaded, all you have to do is open it and try to activate the switch at the top right. When you do it, You will be asked to grant the app permission to access Do Not Disturb modeGive it to him, go back to the app, and you'll be able to activate it without any problems. It will let you choose which of the Do Not Disturb modes use and control a little the priority notifications to decide what can and cannot be played while you are driving.
From there, driving detective It will have been added as a Do Not Disturb mode. When you activate the mode, you'll need to select it, and notifications and sounds will be blocked while you're driving, while the rest of the time it will work as usual. By doing this, you will be a more responsible driver and aware of what is on the road. Your eyes should be looking straight ahead, not at a screen, and this is just one more way to make sure of that.
Download Driving Detective from the Play Store.
Although Android hasn't always had a dedicated Do Not Disturb mode for driving, it does offer great flexibility for program automatic rules or use tools like Android Auto. From the sound settings you can choose modes like Total silence, Alarms only o Priority notifications onlyallowing only important calls, alarms, or reminders to pass through while blocking the rest of the notifications that only serve to distract you.
If you use Android Auto on your car's screen, you can also link your phone's connection to the vehicle with the Activating Do Not Disturb modeThis way, every time the infotainment system starts, notifications and alerts from messaging apps, calls, or social networks will be automatically silenced, keeping the interface clean and preventing navigation or the voice assistant from being overwhelmed by constant messages.
How Driving Mode and Do Not Disturb work on iPhone
On iPhone, Apple integrates this feature within the Concentration modes. The call driving mode The "Do Not Disturb While Driving" feature is specifically designed to block distractions when your phone detects you're in a vehicle. The system can be activated in several different ways and is very flexible in deciding which notifications are blocked, who you can still receive calls from, and what message is automatically sent to those who try to contact you.
From the settings section, you can create or edit the driving mode as an additional concentration mode. You can also complete a setup wizard where you choose who are allowed to call or write to you and which apps can show notifications, so that only what's truly important gets through. Furthermore, the iPhone can Show your contacts that you have muted notificationswithout revealing which specific mode you use, which reduces the pressure to respond immediately.
Driving mode can be activated from the Control center Press and hold Do Not Disturb and tap the "While Driving" option. If you prefer not to remember manually, you can select activation in the driving mode settings. automatic by motion, connect to the car's Bluetootheither completely manually or when the iPhone connects to CThis way you adapt the behavior to your way of using the vehicle, whether or not you usually use the car's hands-free system.
Another very useful function is the auto answerWhen someone messages you while driving mode is active, they may receive a text indicating that you're driving and will reply later. You decide whether it's sent to no one, recent contacts, your favorites, or your entire address book, and you can customize the message So the person knows not to worry. If it's truly urgent, they can force a notification by sending the word "urgent," at which point the iPhone will alert you.
When driving mode is active, the iPhone stays in silence and with the screen off so as not to draw your attention, but critical functions like alarms, timers and emergency alerts They're still working. In addition, the app of Maps And the voice assistant remain operational so you can follow the route, receive navigation instructions, and use voice commands without needing to touch your phone.
In all cases, if you are a co-pilot or passenger and not driving, you can quickly indicate to the system that you are not the driver so you can use your phone normally. This way, the function adapts to the reality of each journey without forcing you to give up using your phone when you're not driving.
Making good use of Do Not Disturb mode while driving, on both Android and iPhone, allows you to minimize distractionsAutomatically notify your contacts that you're driving and filter out only essential calls and alerts. Setting it up just once and letting it activate automatically every time you get in the car is a simple way to increase safety, avoid fines, and, above all, focus all your attention where it really matters: on the road.