Option to turn off step count (or add "Driving Mode") to avoid erroneous steps/floors

[MacWade]

I just got home yesterday from a driving 6 hours in my car and I checked my Fitbit. I was really suprised to see it had given me almost 8,000 steps, 3.24 miles, 134 floors, & way more calories thank I burned while I was sitting in my car.  I looked on the forum to see how to easily delete the steps, miles, floors, and calories so my data would be accurate.  The only way people are fixing it is by manually logging the activity "Automobile or light truck (not a semi) driving" and entering in the duration.  I think that is a cumbersome way to fix the issue everytime I drive because I have to make sure I write down what time I get into and out of my car so I know the start time and duration.  And how does it automatically know the calories burned when everyone burns calories when they are sedentary at different rates.

I think they should add a "Drive Mode" feature that when turned on it won't add steps, distance, floors, & will only add calories burned equal to you sitting in a chair.

You could access the "Drive Mode" either on your Fitbit One or on your phone app to turn it on/off.  If you have a Fitbit One you could press the button till the "Drive Mode" icon appears then hold the button down for 2 seconds to turn it on or off.

On the phone apps you would just go to your device under "Account" and there you could turn it on or off.

You could also have the option to give you an alert when you unlock the phone that reminds you that it is in "Drive Mode" so you don't forget to turn it off when you get to your destination.  It would also be cool if you could use Siri to turn it on by saying "Turn on Fitbit Drive Mode" or "Turn off Fitbit Drive Mode".

[SunsetRunner]

Definitely agree there should be a way to remove accidental activity. Setting the activity to driving is only a quick fix and not truly removing the data. Mine came out of box that I had burned 705 calories this was upon turning it on and plugging it in to charge 🙂 too bad it is not really that easy to burn calories. 

Even if not the exact way the OP posted to remove the accidental activity def a great idea 🙂

[MHDell]

Yes, please. If this problem can't be corrected with the technology, then there FitBit should add an easy-to-use way to edit the data.

[hankdmoose]

@SunsetRunner, the calories burned start at midnight, whether you're wearing the fitbit or not. If you go back on the dashboard and look at days before you even got the device, there will be calories burned data... as far back as you care to look.

Any time there is no activity data, it assumes you're burning calories at your base metabolic rate, which is determined by your weight, height, and gender. That way, it shows at least some data for the times you take it off to charge, shower, etc. and doesn't mess up your calorie tracking too much.

[PaddyFlood]

this is needed big time

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@DuncanRamsden wrote:
Could you put an inactive button on the app so you can press it when you are sat about or driving so no steps or distance are added whilst you are inactive then when you get up you hit the button and it reactivates. Mine continuously counts hand movements as steps when I am sat down doing nothing and there seems no fix is available. I have a charge.

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[SimonK]

Hi Fitbit,

I am spending more time deleting my steps data generated by driving, that actually excercising now. Negating this incorrect data  becomes incredibly tedious over time, to the point where I've considered returning my device.

Taking device off while driving is not a feasable option and unfortunately the DriveBit app is not compatible with my iPhone.

Many solutions and options were proposed and I can not see why you can not create a simple Driving Mode feature?

[CaptainCrunk559]

Please update the Fitbit app with a "driving" button that stops all tracking of steps. I drive for a living and sometimes have over 5000 steps recorded incorrectly. The button would make things less complicated than using the dashboard to go in and change my activity. Thank you.

[eicherz2]

I agree. I would even be willing to turn it off while driving if this were an option.

I just got my FB HR for Christmas and as a truck driver... my life is driving. I was so bummed, my first day of wearing it to see I had logged 8000+ steps and 38 floors when I knew I hadn't. I was really hoping this would help me out here on the road keep motivated and active but it looks like I'll have to just use it at home for the majority of my year. 😞 Not what I expected from a $125+ tool.

 Also, I have gone through and tried to do the "driving" activity that FB Help site walks you through to negate the steps and this didn't work for me either. I haven't found anything that will erase the eroneous steps/stairs. If someone has a better/different way then FB's help page, I'd be willing to try.

[Finnjamm]

for such a great product/concept  that I assumed was working fine, I am bitterly dissapointed that this is an issue. It renders the device useless and I can guess way more accurate than this thing is telling me. Would be nice to be able to get the thing to sync as well... leaves a lot to be desired. Charge HR is being returned.

[biggjerryc]

To add to the driving mode, I think most of it can be handled on the phone. If I am at resting heart rate and moving at 10 mph or above... the phones gps can sense that and log it as driving time. I'd say 95% of the time, anyone with a fitbit has their phone with them. I drive tractor trailer in the city every day, and I am in and out constantly. If My phone's gps detects that it is not moving, then it could assume that I am not driving. It could record normal data from that point. Once my phone detects that it is moving over a certain speed without a consistent step count, it could pause the dashboard for everything but HR. If a feature like this isn't implemented, the fitbit isn't going to work for me. I know it wouldn't be that hard to do, but having to start and stop driving time at every stop would be pretty annoying. And the inaccuracy of the step count is insane for me. I've been at work since 9am, it is now 5pm and I have almost 8000 steps logged. Realistically, I should be around 3000.

[Sparqui]

Something very simple to make it stop recording would be great. I am a School Bus Driver and it puts me up around 12000 steps on work days. Taking it off my wrist and putting it in my side compartment doesn't work either. It still records steps, floors, and mileage that never happened. Plugging in the charger is not an option. My bus doesn't have any power taps...

[Alcrpntr]

I'll add my "me too" Riding to work and home on a motorcycle bought me 16,000 steps. The only thing I have seen offered are kludgey work arounds. There needs to be a way to disable or turn off the tracker.

[pxd]

My Charge HR mistakes my motorcycle riding for bicycle riding, and credits me with false exercise. Anything that adds false data devalues the real data recorded by FitBit. I strongly recommend the implementation of a Drive/Ride mode, selectable from the Charge HR. In this mode, no exercise data should be recorded, although other recording, such as HR and sleep, should continue. Thanks. pxd

[schoolbuslady]

LOVE this idea.  I am a school bus driver and my bumpy route adds over 20,000 steps per day and hundreds of floors.  Frustrating.

[Suj1981]

Same here driving gives and bad step count of approx 3k for me daiy and using drivebit app to reverse the false counts each time is inconvinient.. I upvote the drive mode / pause mode idea..

[gatorgrabber]

If you're not ever going to fix the stair count issue, at least let us edit out the bad data on Dashboard. I have no idea why this even needs to be a request...

[gatorgrabber]

If the stair count issue is not going to be resolved, please least let us manually edit/correct the bad data on Dashboard. I have no idea why this even needs to be a request...

[gatorgrabber]

If the stair count issue is not going to be resolved, please least let us manually edit/correct the bad data on Dashboard. I have no idea why this even needs to be a request...

[PerfectBlue]

I'd definetly like this features. I walked along a straight path for 10 minutes in a strong headwind, and the pressure change caused my Fitbit Charge HR to record about 15 flights of stairs.

[jpablo879]

Fitbit Surge please add a Driving Mode feature...thank you

[ShaunG]

So I lost my fitbit one and decided to upgrade to the charge hr. After 2 weeks I've noticed a big difference in step and floor count from regular. I drive a truck for work and while I'm driving I'm getting a lot of steps and floors. On Tuesday while driving I racked up 20k extra steps and over 250 extra floors. I have it on my Non dominant hand but it's marked as dominant and it's still way off.

I have reset the charge hr and contacted support. Their only suggestion is to manually delete the information. It defeats the purpose of having a tracker if I have to log my driving time all day to delete inaccurate data.

[Swilko104]

I like to discover and measure new running routes by driving them first. But i have to use the vehicles distance which isnt great.

Fitbit surge doesnt show distances when in a vehicle, i would like this as an option.

Thank you

[Netpro55]

This is a flawed product I am thinking my charge HR back. This product is Junk if the hardware and software aren't compatible with fitness activities and daily activity monitoring. 200 floors while driving is BS

[saurabh9]

Sorry that i did not get time yet to  go through all the comments on this post, but if I am repeating somebodies comment, my apologies.

This is a nice idea. To add to the possibile solutions, can't the fitbit,  together with phone sensors make an educated guess that the speed of movement is too fast to be walking, and hence suggest if the user is not walking?

This is assuming that the user does have his phone with him, which has the fitbit app installed.

[Essjay]

I drive on dirt roads and the bumping is constantly putting my fitbit flex to sleep. A driving option may help with this as well.

[craigpd]

The first post in this thread is from 2 years ago. I keep getting emails saying that "Rest assured that our specialists are working hard to provide the solution you need". If they can't solve this simple fix (i.e. a "don't track" mode) then maybe you need new specialists? It has got to the point where I drive so regularly that I can't trust the readings any more so my Fitbit is sadly going back to the shop. Maybe if more people did the same they would be quicker to fix it....

[Netpro55]

As long as people keep buying these trackers fitbit will not fix the problem. I am taking my charge HR **ahem**. Back to the store. Total waste of money if I can't wear 24/7.