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RTA Smart Drive app is better than Google Maps and Sygic in UAE

Based on thorough test by many users we officially confirms that RTA Smart Drive navigation app is much better, intuitive and user friendly than Google maps and Sygic (offline maps) in the UAE.

Launched by Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in late 2014, RTA Smart Drive app gained tremendous initial response and then consistent growth in number of users due to it's local intelligence.  RTA Smart Drive app tries to help motorists drive faster by selecting the shortest route that have less congestion based on real-time traffic information. Although this app works in whole UAE, but it works the best in Dubai due to it's aggressive real-time feed from below various sources:

  1. Traffic congestion reported by the flow of 8,000 taxis
  2. People reporting traffic obstructions through app
  3. Surveillance cameras on intersections
  4. Accidents reported by Dubai Police
  5. Planned traffic diversions by RTA

RTA Smart Drive app notable features that making it better than Google Maps:

  1. Intuitive Speed Limit Display: Very intelligent and intuitively placed on top left corner and will only display when you exceed limit and then disappear when you are with in speed limit. It also flashes the red circle when you exceed speed limit beyond the 20 kms grace limit on most of the Dubai roads.
  2. Closest Fuel Station Display: Very thoughtful of RTA to add one or two nearest fuel station displayed all the time on top right corner so that drivers can plan their fill-up and breaks on the route.
  3. Accurate Live Traffic System: Highly accurate and most updated live traffic has been used within Dubai for the success of this great free app for the motorists. RTA combines the feed from Dubai police, Dubai Taxi's, Surveillance Cameras etc to keep this live feed reporting the most latest congestion and accidents on the Dubai roads. Although this app works in whole UAE, but without live traffic layer for outside Dubai area. By planning the fastest and shortest route with no congestion you can save fuel cost by hypermile.
  4. Extensive Local Support: Dubai RTA is providing amazing local support via email and plenty of YouTube videos to educate motorists to use this app more efficiently and benefit everyone by reducing the traffic congestion on the Dubai roads.
  5. Display Latest Detour and Under Construction Areas: With plenty of development here in Dubai, road maps are always evolving and updating on daily basis. This RTA Smart Drive app shows all the planned traffic diversions, detour and even factor them while planning routes and offer the various choices based on drive time and distance. This way you can also avoid plenty of RTA Fines and Traffic Fines in the UAE.
  6. Routes with multiple destinations: This rarely used but great feature that has been missed out from almost all navigation apps, makes it way in RTA Smart Drive. Now you can plan your route from Bur Dubai to JLT and add stop-over at Karama and Al Quoz to pick your friends on the way.
  7. Offline Maps: Using mobile data is not always desirable by many users, hence RTA Smart Drive answers this need very nicely that once installed and updated over wifi connection, it works absolutely great without internet connection except the live traffic layer that needs tiny bit of mobile data to fetch the latest congested routes.
  8. Breadcrumb trail: Small feature but very useful to see the purple breadcrumb trail of the road behind you while driving. This will definitely help the user when in new area, so that they don't circle same area more than once.
  9. Stopwatch timer: Last but not least, RTA Smart Drive features the stopwatch timer to record the distance, time, top speed and average speed from point A to B. Now you can record your best lap to office daily. :-)

 

RTA Smart Drive.jpg

 

Download, Install and Initial Setup

 

Explore Settings

 

Live Traffic and Map Control

 

Working with Places

 

Searching Places

 

Working with Routes

 

Using Navigation Features

 

Sharing Places and Routes

 

7 Comments


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Thanks for nice info on app, I briefly used it long ago and uninstalled. Tried again and started loving it's features esp the below one. lol.

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This indeed seems to be a nice app, and I am surprise I have never heard it before from anyone around me.

People are really lazy and dependent on the Google Maps. lol.

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Tried it's offline function last night and I absolutely loved it. Thanks RTA for the amazing app and thanks Carnity for the review.

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After reading such an awesome and descriptive review I finally decided to download the app.

Unfortunately it does not show the traffic in Sharjah and thus indicating a very wrong time to reach the destination. Once you enter Dubai roads it shows all the traffic and accident alerts. In this respect I find Google Maps to give a better time frame as it updates all traffic conditions in all Emirates from an app called Waze.

I was also disappointed as it did not show St Mary's school or church on Oud Mehta in Dubai.

I believe the RTA app has all the ingredients for success, however its just in its infant stages and will need time to row and learn. 

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On 10/11/2016 at 1:46 PM, Rahimdad said:

After reading such an awesome and descriptive review I finally decided to download the app.

Unfortunately it does not show the traffic in Sharjah and thus indicating a very wrong time to reach the destination. Once you enter Dubai roads it shows all the traffic and accident alerts. In this respect I find Google Maps to give a better time frame as it updates all traffic conditions in all Emirates from an app called Waze.

I was also disappointed as it did not show St Mary's school or church on Oud Mehta in Dubai.

I believe the RTA app has all the ingredients for success, however its just in its infant stages and will need time to row and learn. 

Yes off course it covers Dubai only as a live feed with so many sources, which is better than Google maps and Waze.

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If you are travelling between different Emirates than it is better to use Google Maps, Next time I am travelling within Dubai I will give it another go, but disappointing not to find certain points in Dubai.

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