Ooono Co-Driver No2 assessment: a distraction-free path to safer driving

I’ve received a clear driving license and want to maintain it that approach. Yet even probably the most attentive drivers can unintentionally creep over the pace restrict on the unsuitable time and find yourself with the dreaded factors and tremendous double-whammy. Ooono’s puck-like Co-Driver No2 goals to maintain you throughout the regulation whereas letting you retain your eyes on the highway forward – and doesn’t cost a subscription price within the course of.

After driving with one in my automotive for the previous few weeks, I’m satisfied it’s the perfect accent for these shorter journeys and journeys on UK and European roads you realize just like the again of your hand. But it gained’t be for everybody.

The Co-Driver No2 is an up to date tackle the unique Co-Driver, which is properly established throughout Europe; the pair now rely over 5 million lively customers. The agency has but to department out to the USA. This new model ditches the OG’s coin cell battery for one which recharges over USB-C. It additionally provides Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, together with navigation by way of its smartphone companion app. It’s grown barely in consequence, however the styling is basically unchanged.

How simple is the Co-Driver No2 to arrange?

You’re nonetheless a compact disc with a large button in its centre, surrounded by a hoop of LEDs that illuminate completely different colors relying on the alert. You can both stick it in your dashboard utilizing the offered 3M sticky pads, or snap it onto your solar visor utilizing the aluminium mount that got here bundled with my Co-Driver No2 Plus assessment unit. As somebody with a number of vehicles on the drive I went for the latter, however the hooked up magnets make it simple to drag the unit off for charging even in the event you go for the extra everlasting possibility.

The Plus mannequin has a metallic building that appears suitably premium; to my eyes it’s price the additional £15 over the common Co-Driver No2, particularly if it’ll dwell in your dashboard 24/7.

Once I’d charged it and adopted the easy setup course of by way of the companion app, the Co-driver No2 powered on robotically when it recognised my telephone and that my automotive had began driving. From there it makes use of your telephone’s GPS and Ooono’s community-driven database to warn you to mounted, cellular and semi-fixed pace cameras, together with visitors jams, Broken-down autos, objects within the highway and accident black spots. This isn’t a scanner – it doesn’t intercept indicators – so doesn’t break any visitors legal guidelines.

If you see a highway hazard or pace digital camera, you merely prod the central button to mark it in Ooono’s database, alerting different customers once they subsequent drive on that stretch of highway. If you strategy a hazard that others have reported, the Co-Driver will flash and make an audible beep. Pressing the central button confirms the report; pushing the second button on the high dismisses them if the hazard/digital camera is not there.

What’s the Co-Driver No2 like to make use of?

The unique Co-Driver wasn’t the clearest at indicating which type of hazard it’s alerting you to, however right here the completely different chimes and brighter LEDs make it apparent. Notifications despatched to your telephone higher clarify the alert – that you just’re now coming into a cellular pace digital camera zone, for instance – and might present up in your infotainment display by way of Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. The chimes are loud, simply making themselves heard over a automotive stereo at smart quantity.

I had no points with it disconnecting from my telephone mid-journey.

For me, the opposite huge plus level was the pace restrict warning. You can set the edge at which it’ll remind you in both miles per hour or as a proportion of the present highway’s restrict. As I drive a automotive with out built-in visitors signal recognition, it’s a really helpful reminder when on roads with no apparent signage.

Throughout testing the Ooono database has been on the cash for each mounted pace cameras and native roads that I do know usually see cellular digital camera patrols. This has been glorious for journeys the place I didn’t begin a navigation route first; Waze and Google Maps are nice for digital camera alerts, however solely whereas utilizing navigation. You additionally don’t have to have a look at a display, so is much less distracting. It can completely assist cease drivers ‘zoning out’ on acquainted roads. That mentioned, if it’s already power of behavior to plug in a route for even the smallest of journeys, you won’t discover numerous added worth right here. I additionally discovered a couple of hazards that Ooono wasn’t conscious of however Waze was, highlighting how the neighborhood database is smaller.

After the preliminary cost I’ve gone two weeks without having to plug the Co-Driver No2 in once more, that means Ooono’s claimed one month of typical use feels on the cash. There’s a USB-C to USB-A cable included within the field for hooking it as much as your automotive’s USB ports, in case you need to assure it gained’t conk out mid-journey, however I favor to not have cables trailing across the cabin.

Is the Co-Driver No 2 proper for each driver?

The companion app is nearly as simple because the machine itself, letting you customise alerts and sounds in addition to plan routes. Stretches of highway the place cellular cameras can usually be discovered are highlighted blue, which is a pleasant contact. Live visitors knowledge is a step behind Waze and Google Maps, although. Those apps had been fast to recommend alternate routes on one longer, congested drive, and located addresses extra simply too.

Anyone that already makes use of navigation apps daily and depends on them for hazard alerts would possibly surprise why they’d hassle with the Co-Driver No2. It made numerous sense for me, although: on common commutes and weekend pootles the place I didn’t program a navigation route first, it was ever-present with out me having to carry a finger. For peace of thoughts that doesn’t require a month-to-month price or including an unpleasant display to your dashboard, it’s a canny purchase.