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".

[Rich_Laue]

@Justin I can't find the app called Drive? 

[Survey]

If only fitbit would do what users ask. Arrogance ignoring usersDavid

[Rich_Laue]

Sorry @Survey but Fitbit never said that they will implement every suggestion.

Feature Suggestion FAQs

Feature Suggestions Policy

How does Feature Suggestions work?

There are many suggestions that simply could not be implemented because of hardware or software limitations. 

Some suggestions of added will have negative affects on other aspects. 

Then we also have plenty of user suggestions that where added and within 24 hours are now being requested to be removed. One example. I hate that the display no turns on when the message comes in. This gives me only seconds to look at my arm. If I can't or don't want to look at my arm, the message is now lost and I have to take out the phone, which may be up to 50 feet away. 

@GrumpyCyclist. and @Karen0901 when and if Google ever purchases Fitbit. The US still has some questions that need to be answered. Canada, France, and Germany are also very concerned. Currently Fitbit is not a part of Google 

[Survey]

But this suggestion has been mentioned so many times for years and just ignored by fitbit. David

[Fit79]

This is a real big problem.  I drive during the day, and usually by 2-3 pm my Fitbit Ionic tells me that I’ve reached 12,000 steps when in actuality my steps are around 1,500.  This issue makes the tracker practically useless.  My Ionic is essentially reduced to a $15 Casio watch for which I paid $250.

 I cannot recommend Fitbit to anyone due to this issue.  I know it’s been mentioned for years, but no real fixes.  I’ll be buying another brand next time.  If anyone knows of a tracker that does not have this problem or that has addressed this issue of driving causing a lot of steps to be counted, I’d love to know.

[Zatara]

I’m in the same boat. I’m done with Fitbit.

[Survey]

Quite agree! Fitbit  not interested despite this being demanded for years.  I'm now looking for another device.David

[Littleunicorn]

I do find it ridiculous as my phone (iPhone) can manage to distinguish between driving and walking as can the app Pokemon go!
So really how hard can it be for a ‘watch’ to do the same.
A simple on/off or drive option would work and would be no more difficult than switching between different exercises which is already a feature.

[PureEvil]

@Littleunicorn,

Your phone, by virtue of being a phone and connected to cell towers, has access to location information; your Fitbit does not.  Imagine this, sit in a car as a passenger, close your eyes, and have someone drive you around for 10 minutes.  How far have you traveled?  Knowing how far you have traveled over the a certain span of time, can advise the tracker whether you're is walking/running or driving.

Your Fitbit is that passenger that is blindfolded (doesn't know where it is); its job is much tougher.  Again, any app on your phone (including Pokemon Go!) will have access to the location.

While I don't deny that it's plausible, I don't think it's as easy as you're making it out to be.

[LesterM]

Garmin, Samsung, and Iwatch all has the option to pause activity tracking, which pauses the step count. I know, because I owned a Garmin Vivofit and a Samsung sport. My wife has an Iwatch. Was given a Charge 3 as a present, and it is by far the worst one of the bunch. I really don’t see why Fitbit can’t have this feature. Specially when this has been requested for over 4 years now. Fitbit doesn’t care, they are releasing the Charge 4 and will never fix this issue with the older models. So save your money and invest in other products instead.

[KeithSloan]

PureEvil 5K Racer

But does not the new charge4 have GPS?

[Littleunicorn]

It may not be easy, I’m not a developer or maker of these things so I don’t know how it works.
I was just making a point that it may be possible, most likely in newer models where they can add gps or whatever is needed.

It may be easier for older models to add into the software the ability to switch off tracking instead, but again I’m not a software developer so I don’t know if that is possible or not. I think it may be feasible though.

I’m guessing that like most companies Fitbit want us to spend money so won’t change things in the old models to try and get us to buy new models with the feature that we want already installed.

To be honest I don’t use mine anymore at all.

[PavlinaM]

I would like to suggest that it is possible to turn off step counting. While I'm at work. I like to fulfill the goals of the steps. But a lot of steps are counted by moving your hands.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @PavlinaM, thanks for explaining why you would like to have the option to turn off steps to avoid erroneous stats. Thanks for sharing your feedback. I've moved it into a similar request.  A lot of users are asking for this option, I hope we receive updates soon.

[jachubby]

An option to let the tracker know you’re driving so it doesn’t count against your 250 steps per hour

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @jachubby, thanks for explaining why you would like to have the option to see a Driving mode on Fitbit devices. Thanks for sharing your feedback. I've moved it into a similar request.  A lot of users are asking for this option, I hope we receive updates soon.

[Survey]

You will never see an update from fitbit. This ongoing demand for years is totally ignored by fitbit. They just don't care. It's the ability to delete steps that is necessary. David

[Littleunicorn]

Yes that would also be good, personally I’m too lazy to bother with that and honestly I don’t use my Fitbit anymore because of how inaccurate it is, I may try switching off auto detect exercise and see if that helps. Otherwise it’s just a very expensive watch

[divac63]

I have a similar problem at work.  I'm an elementary music teacher, and I'm at the piano off and on all day.  I sit at the piano because it's better for my back and posture (I want to demonstrate good practices).  It's been known to add up to 11,000 erroneous steps per day, depending on how much I'm playing!  It's absolutely impossible to separate steps from piano playing for me.  PLEASE MAKE THIS WORK, FITBIT!  I can't always wear clothes with pockets to put my device in.  At this point, I no longer use a step counter. ;(

[Survey]

Fitbit will NOT do this! They have been asked so many times.David

[Littleunicorn]

I know that and I don’t use my Fitbit anymore

[Survey]

I'm also looking to change. It smacks of arrogance that so many requests for this are just ignored. Get rid of some of the 'exercise tips' and concentrate on what customers want!.

[DaddyJam]

Please implement this for gods sake. 
I’m a key worker in and out the vehicle all day and this would be appreciated so much by me and many others. 

Listen to the community!

[Survey]

I'm afraid fitbit just don't help with deleting steps. I've just done 11 miles on the bike setting and my fitbit recorded 2350 steps as well as the bike ride distance etc. Really annoying and stupid.David

[Katyland]

This post is from 2014 and exactly explains what functionality needs to be added into Fitbits to prevent erroneous step counts from vehicular vibration.  I have an Alta HR and have seen my fit bit count over 1000 steps in an hour car ride. I talked with support today in 2020 and there is still only the solution to log your driving in the app as an activity which is inconvenient. A on/off drive mode should be simple to add. It is very disappointing to see Fitbit has not addressed this and added functionality 6 years later especially for the price of your product.  I will be looking elsewhere for a solution since Fitbit is not addressing this issue after being brought up by numerous users over the years.