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".

[MLerchigan]

This is a wonderful idea!  It also would be nice just to have an option to delete steps from start time-> end time when you may have forgotten to put it in drive mode.  I’m not a fan of logging this time as driving as it currently counts this as a daily exercise on my dashboard.

[MLerchigan]

I came to this forum to request a way to a)turn off tracker while driving or b) have a way to delete steps other than logging as driving which then gives you credit for exercise for the day.  It’s very frustrating to see this issue has been going on since 2014!!!! And still not resolved. It can’t be that hard to add a turn off/on even into the app if currently can’t add it directly to the device.

[Anfa]

I agree with the idea of a delete steps feature within a time frame. I hate that Driving shows as an activity. Come on FitBit we pay a lot of money for these devices for them to be substandard.

[amcmc]

Interestingly, it only happens when I drive my truck, not my little car.
Husband thinks it may
be the vibration. If I take my Fitbit off and put it in my purse while
driving truck it helps.
But really, like everyone says this issue has been ongoing since 2014. My
next Fitness Watch
may not be a FitBit, although I love them.

--
~Ard

[Vegaramadhan]

I ride the bus every day. fitbit charge 3, often read steps and miles when I get on the bus. it may be difficult to know whether I am walking or sitting on the bus. if it is difficult, can you give me the “driving mode” in fitbit charge 3? it will help me make sure Fitbit doesn't count my steps when I'm on the bus.

[Sandishmily]

I got a Garmin Vivoactiv 3 for Christmas and I can pause activity tracking while I drive bus so NO MORE EXTRA STEPS! my stats are actually correct! Garmin FTW! 

[Hunterc600]

Got rid of Fitbit charge 3. Fitbits are useless really, wasted my money on them. Never again. 

Gone back and upgraded to an Apple Watch.  I’m a truck driver and it doesn’t track any steps whilst driving my truck and I don’t even need to click a button. 

Apple Watch Activity is good, HR is pretty accurate too.

wont be wasting my money on **ahem**bits again lol 

[MartinJar]

I’ve drove about 300 miles today at work and according to my Fitbit I’ve took 27,411 steps. With my deliveries I’ve actually probably took around 8,000. This is ridiculous that Fitbit doesn’t care to fix this. Apparently it’s time to find another company to purchase from. 

[NeilO91]

I am perfectly happy with my Fitbit. I use the drive it app to fix what is
not a huge problem. It is annoying but overall I am happy with my Fitbit.

[AnoWorkingMom]

Though I don’t love the look of the Apple Watch, I’m about to make the switch. So tired of inaccurate Fitbit data - heart rate, step count, stairs, exercise tracking. Was going to try the upgrade from Charge 2 to Charge 3, but probably going to return the Charge 3 I got for my daughter for Christmas, as it’s just as inaccurate as my Charge 2.
Why can’t the Fitbit techs get it right?

[Synchro2003]

But the drive bit app may delete the steps but doesn't from challenges... So my challenges with friends are all incorrect to the point there's no use me either joining it. Plus the DriveBit app counts the steps as an activity so my goal set for that is hit just by driving to work at back.

[Hunterc600]

Exactly... 

Also shouldn’t have to switch a app on and off every time I want to go in and out my cab 

[SetxSpyder]

Yeah I was going to add that... the Drive Bit app that Fitbit promotes as the 'cure' is useless because of prior mentioned problems with it.Fitbit just needs to fix the stupid thing.  WE just had a firmware update... why was this not addressed????

[LeahLiv]

I wish I didnt waste 200plus. Or else I'd get a garmin too.

[MLerchigan]

Does the drive it App include driving as exercise??

Sent from my iPhone

[SunsetRunner]

I live in a mountainous area with many variations in elevation on our area roads. I have to drive places and this driving reflects as stairs climbed. Ridiculous to have to negate stairs by entering every bit of driving. Let me just delete or disable stairs!

[Synchro2003]

Yup, i hit my daily goal by just driving to work. It also doesn't delete steps from challenges with friends so it renders them pointless

[MarcelBK]

Hi @LeahLiv, thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us, this feature suggestion already exists so I’ve moved your post here.

[Synchro2003]

You would think fitbit would get the hint after moving so many of the same suggestions to this post.....it's obviously a massive problem that thousands of people have an issue with.

[leannadkins77]

mlechergen, i downloaded the travelbit app. i haven't even used it yet because it adds the time driving to exercise.  so when you see how long you have exercised in aweek, it includes driving time. oh and the first time i tried to use it,  i left it running for 8 hours after i got home! 😕

[RRMartian]

Overcounting steps is a huge problem for the charge 3.  It's so bad I'm considering returning the device.  I was in my car for 6 hours yesterday and clocked 26 floors and over 5000 steps.  I got several Fitbit medals.  Did you guys only test these things when people were moving?  It counts well when I'm moving.....but it doesn't stop when I'm sitting.   Did it not occur to developers to test it when people were sitting, as many of us do all day?  This is a BIG design flaw.  And the advice I've been given is to take off the watch when sitting.  That is pretty bad....And honestly, not necessary.  This is really easy to fix

The solution is simple and needs only a minor software update: Stop step counting. Automatically and by choice.

Obviously, This is It should be done automatically during sleep, during bike rides and during any other non step activities (yoga, rowing, etc)

There should also be a time to turn it off.  A "sitting" setting.  If I get in my car I can double tap the button or screen or something and it knows I'm sitting.  Instead of little feet, there is a sitting person.  I can double tap, the little footprints return and it starts counting again.  It's just an idea.   There's no reason for all this over counting.

[RRMartian]

The Fitbit should have an on off setting for step counting.   A screen option for "sitting".  I get thousands of steps when I'm at my desk or in my car.  I have been advised to take it off when sitting.  That does make it pretty useless as an activity tracker.

[Stormrayge]

The whole reason I bought my Fitbit Charge 3, is that 13 years of driving a truck has left me in horrible physical shape. I can assure you that sitting behind the steering wheel all day is no exercise at all. My charge three is crediting me with the steps miles and calories burned while I drive and this is ridiculous. If my Charge 3 can have another blasted weather app, it can certainly have an on/off, don't track, or driving button. truck drivers like myself have highly irregular, chaotic schedules. We need exercise tracking. However, a tracker that is thwarted by driving is of no use whatsoever to drivers.

P.S. Drive bit has been replaced with Travelbit, but its still a clumsy workaround that defeats much of the purpose of tracking, as it updates poorly and still records as an exercise.

[Ton]

I have been following this thread for years. Now that the the 5th anniversary since its inception is approaching, I have noticed the number of complaints, for some reason, has been increasing lately, perhaps because the number of buyers has been increasing as well thanks to the massive advertising campaign they have been performing? Yet the lack of communication (except some moderator's pathetic intervention who moves the posts back and forth now and again) regarding this problem still remains appalling to say the least. Scary...

[himanshus1924]

Yeah, I think this should be done with priority because many people are facing it. I ride motorcycle to work and daily I have to remember time to log it into driving mode otherwise it is adding around 40 floor and 4k-5k steps for 40 minutes ride.