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".

[ha299]

I have noticed that Charge 3 counts steps while driving and after reading about this issue on the web and discussing it with Fitbit support. I realized that there are some solutions but in fect they are wasting time as well and are not solving the problem permanently.

So I'm suggesting to add "Driving Tracking" or "Driving Mode" or whatever you call it. But this feature can be selected manually by user on the Fitbit tracker. In this case I can tell my tracker what I'm really doing indad instead of my tracker telling me what I'm doing wrongfully and record it as an inaccurate data.

Additionally, we need this feature to be included in the next system update.

I have seen many people facing the same problem with Charge 3 and some of other devices as well so please vote for this feature as will make our data more accurate 

 Moderator edit: Topic for clarification

[aanddmom]

ALSO, my Charge 3 seems to believe that I'm taking more steps than I'm actually taking (which I'm calibrating by pedometer apps on my phone). Why do I have a $150 tracker that does a worse job of tracking than my free apps?????

[MarcelBK]

Hey @ha299! Nice suggestion, thanks for sharing. We look forward to hearing what other community members think about having a driving mode on the Charge 3.

[sandykwalsh]

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@ha299 wrote:

.......

So I'm suggesting to add "Driving Tracking" or "Driving Mode".........

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GREAT suggestion!!!

This could also work if you take the metro, plane etc.

Thanks

[vp26]

The developers need to add "Driving Mode" feature to fitibit charge 3. I face the issue of steps miscalculation every time I drive. It's really annoying and logging in driving time manually is long. 

[vp26]

I agree with ha299, the developers need to add "Driving Mode" feature to fitibit charge 3. I face the issue of steps miscalculation every time I drive. It's really annoying and logging in driving time manually is long. 

[SunsetRunner]

I had no idea that it registers when driving, how ridiculous is that!  Can’t believe it.  Come on Fitbit this needs to be corrected.

[OmuGuy]

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@ha299 wrote:

I have noticed that Charge 3 counts steps while driving ... I'm suggesting to add "Driving Tracking" or "Driving Mode"

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Some kind of ignore mode is required both for steps and for stairs. I haven't tried it yet, but going up 50 floors in an elevator would probably get registered as stair climbing...

[SunsetRunner]

I totally agree mine is saying I have done 2.244 kms, interesting that I was in a meeting, then fell ill and spent the rest of the day in hospital! I have not noticed such a discrepancy in my Charge 2! So very unimpressed.

Fizz12

Sent from my iPad

[Andrea1126]

4 years and still no drive mode! Very dissapointing that Fitbit has not done anything to fix this issue. 

[Synchro2003]

I have spoken to fitbit again today via Facebook messenger as I have now realised using DriveBit may get rid if those extra steps on the home page but not in challenges rendering all my challenges absolutely pointless. They just fobbed me off with a rubbish respond as usual!

[leannadkins77]

I completely agree. When we pull our bumper pull camper behind our truck I get thousands of steps. I've said for a long time it needs a place to turn functioning on and off. It would be even better if it would detect how fast you are traveling and not count them if you are going fast enough that they can tell you are in a car. I have another fitness app that can do that....

[OmuGuy]

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@leannadkins77 wrote:
It would be even better if it would detect how fast you are traveling and not count them

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Yes! That should be easy to implement: a simple data filter.
Such a thing would also be useful for not counting stairs when using an elevator.

[sagar13]

I've tweeted to them. Let's see what they say: https://twitter.com/isagar13/status/1070266871721549824

[MIM1949]

A simple step on/step off control would be great Not only could it be used when sitting in a car (passenger or driving) or any other moving vehicle. It could also be used to turn steps off prior to sleep to stop the high count of false steps accumulated by restless sleepers.

[SetxSpyder]

That would mean they would have to actually DO something to address the problem that is inherent in this model.  Evidently that is NOT going to happen.

[Mtiffen]

The step count and floors don't count on Alta hr which my partner uses so this is specific to this device

[Michael.BNE]

This is a good idea. Bouncing around in the back seat of a Russian toaster in the Mongolian steppe broke my stats by setting crazy high floors climbed and steps taken on days when I was just holding onto the seat.

[RosieWilla]

Really need the driving mode. I was at 1000 steps from the time I woke up and arrived at work (within 1 hour). Throws it all off. 

[KymbaKhan]

I was getting 900 steps for each 25 minute drive on flat ground.  That's just INEXCUSABLE.

Other trackers don't do this.  The moderators here keep posting nonsense and their best answer is - take it off, plug it into a charger so it won't recognize steps.  Inexcusable stupidity and nonsense.

[leannadkins77]

i didn't even know that would work.  i may try it.  lol i agree it's crazy!


Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S8, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone

[leannadkins77]

well i may try that next time we pull the camper at least...i didn't realize that would stop it.  

but i agree... it needs fixed

[ABfit]

Currently the fitbit versa calculates steps even though when we commute through our vehicle. We can have a mode in the fitbit app called as Commute mode that would stop the calculation of the steps until the mode is disabled. This would give a little more accuracy.

[AnoWorkingMom]

I agree that a driving mode is better than having to take the fitbit off to charge - which was the ridiculous suggestion I got when I complained about this problem two years ago.  Why can't my fitbit figure out that if I'm moving at more than 25 mph, I'm probably not under my own power!?!  I just get frustrated that a device that is supposed to track my steps, that I adore in concept, has to be told when I'm driving.  I've got too much on my mind to remember to always turn a Driving Mode on and off when I get in and out of a car.  Come on fitbit programmers - You can do better!!!

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @ABfit, thanks for explaining why you would like to have this option. I've moved it into a similar suggestion which has a lot of votes. As the more votes and comments an idea has the more visibility and momentum it gains. You can learn more about how Fitbit decides what suggestions get released in our FAQs.