[anon(5579515)]

Now Driving Mode in GDR3 is definitely a completely underrated feature, and has a lot of potential in terms of functionality. What I'm wondering though, is why you can't operate and toggle it manually without a Bluetooth device having to be connected. This would expand the experience allowing people to use it similarly to iOS 'Do Not Disturb' feature, but with more functionality such as the auto-reply feature. Has anyone found a way to activate it without using Bluetooth? Would it be a good idea to have a manual switch?

[luk3ja]

I thought the exact same thing! Maybe they're just holding some things back to make 8.1 as HUGE as possible!

[tweedie]

maybe tell microsoft about its potential, and if there is enough feedback about it, they might implement it on final release?

[anon(5579515)]

That's a good idea... Maybe drop a note in the Windows Phone feature forums they've got going... See how many people agree with it...

[MikeSo]

I was just leaving for my commute and thought I'd try this out. I had no idea it was a Bluetooth ONLY function. That is freaking asinine! Who was the ***** that decided to make it that? Probably the same moron that decided that the universal Guest Mode was best marketed as the niche Kids Corner...
I'm pretty pissed about this actually, since there's literally no reason for this limitation. Gah.

[tangerine27]

When you are using the phone in car you will always be using bluetooth so isn't that a good trigger for the app?
If you are not using bluetooth it might be seen as likely that you are contravening a law. Maybe this, and the 'automation', are the reasons for the bluetooth requirement.

[MikeSo]

When you are using the phone in car you will always be using bluetooth so isn't that a good trigger for the app?
If you are not using bluetooth it might be seen as likely that you are contravening a law. Maybe this, and the 'automation', are the reasons for the bluetooth requirement.

Your reason is sound, except the conclusion should be the opposite - if you have BT, you have handsfree, so you DON'T break any laws in most places if you DON"T use Driving Mode. If you DON'T have BT, it would be more essential for you to be able to easily turn on Driving Mode, so you wouldn't have to talk.

But I seriously doubt this is the reasoning for this. I understand the automation part, but it should be an option, not a requirement.

[OldMillXxX]

I thought this exact thing. Great that they simplify it by enabling it when connected to Bluetooth, but what if I am using Bluetooth headphones at home? Does it switch to car mode when I don't need it? As stated, this should be an option to enable by Bluetooth connected to SPECIFIED DEVICES and option to enable when I am in a car that DOES NOT have Bluetooth. Just because I have a car that does not have Bluetooth built in, does not mean I do not want to be as safe as the rich guy that does...

[TruPlaya187]

I thought this exact thing. Great that they simplify it by enabling it when connected to Bluetooth, but what if I am using Bluetooth headphones at home? Does it switch to car mode when I don't need it? As stated, this should be an option to enable by Bluetooth connected to SPECIFIED DEVICES and option to enable when I am in a car that DOES NOT have Bluetooth. Just because I have a car that does not have Bluetooth built in, does not mean I do not want to be as safe as the rich guy that does...

I havve multiple bluetooth devices that are registered in my phone. In driver mode, you can select which bluetooth you want driver mode to be enabled. So the bluetooth that I use in my car will activate the driver mode but my bluetooth headset that I listen to music in the bus, doesn't activate the driver mode.

[jleebiker]

^^^This. Just specify which BT device to pair with.

[jleebiker]

I'm actually kinda the opposite. I DONT text in the car, but it is VERY helpful to hear a text come in and let me decide for myself how urgent it is to reply. I find the feature a bit kinda like "That's it?"
What would be really nice is that once I pair it with the BT in my car, it would automatically start something like Nokia Drive and display my commute and let me know what they traffic is like and then give me audible alerts as I get close to any slow downs. (I have an hour commute each way.)

[antiochian2010]

Used it today - seems effective - does exactly what it says.

[nsa74]

I agree to this. I use bluetooth headset in the car in order to receive calls, to have text messages read to me, reply to them if necessary and make calls using voice commands. So why would I activate the option to ignore calls politely by sending a text message that I'm driving since I've put the headset in order to receive calls not to reject them?
The good option would be indeed to be able to activate driving mode without a Bluetooth device connected. Let's hope it's just a bug that will get fixed in final release.

[unstoppablekem]

Would be nice if they could make it so it also works with regular headsets. My dad doesn't use Bluetooth and wants this feature.

[TruPlaya187]

Since I don't have a built-in Bluetooth system in my car but have the Nokia Luna Bluetooth and the text reply doesn't always work especially on the highway since of the noise, I've tried the driver mode and it worked really well!!! Good thing that I had that because I've received at least 15 texts while driving and most of them called me after receiving the auto reply text from driver mode. THANK YOU NOKIA for making my drive safer!!!

[MikeSo]

Well I caved (yeah, it was a HUGE sacrifice ;)) and bought this: Amazon.com: Kinivo BTC450 Bluetooth Hands-Free Car Kit for Cars with Aux Input Jack (3.5 mm) - supports aptX: MP3 Players & Accessories
I've been meaning to get a BT adapter for the car for a long time, and this was as good a reason as ever. Great product! Hands free sounds great and BT worked right away with my Lumia 521. Music audio sounds great too.

Driving mode is a really nice little feature. :)

[nocial]

Does it need to be connected to a bt device all the time to work ?

[TruPlaya187]

Well I caved (yeah, it was a HUGE sacrifice ;)) and bought this: Amazon.com: Kinivo BTC450 Bluetooth Hands-Free Car Kit for Cars with Aux Input Jack (3.5 mm) - supports aptX: MP3 Players & Accessories
I've been meaning to get a BT adapter for the car for a long time, and this was as good a reason as ever. Great product! Hands free sounds great and BT worked right away with my Lumia 521. Music audio sounds great too.

Driving mode is a really nice little feature. :)

I was wondering since it looks like it really works well is the other person on the call do they hear you correctly and also, with the Kinivo, can you press somewhere to bring the Windows phone TellMe menu?

Thanks in advance for the info!!! and I might buy it too ;)

[Joel S79]

Does it need to be connected to a bt device all the time to work ?

It turns on when it detects the connection.

It also politely informs you that it turned on Driving Mode for you. I typically say "thank you."

Considering there's an on/off switch in the settings, here's hoping they enable it to be manually toggled, or even better, triggered by NFC.

[MikeSo]

I was wondering since it looks like it really works well is the other person on the call do they hear you correctly and also, with the Kinivo, can you press somewhere to bring the Windows phone TellMe menu?

Thanks in advance for the info!!! and I might buy it too ;)

Yes, the big button on the mic unit brings up the "TellMe" menu for voice commands, which work just as well as speaking directly into the phone. I'm really happy with this thing so far.

[Bob Hoil]

I am considering buying a bluetooth dongle for my car just so I can have it auto pair. Not sure yet if I could really use the functionality or not though.

[Kyorin]

I agree to this. I use bluetooth headset in the car in order to receive calls, to have text messages read to me, reply to them if necessary and make calls using voice commands. So why would I activate the option to ignore calls politely by sending a text message that I'm driving since I've put the headset in order to receive calls not to reject them?
The good option would be indeed to be able to activate driving mode without a Bluetooth device connected. Let's hope it's just a bug that will get fixed in final release.

The way it works is perfect for my needs. I still allow the calls when I'm driving with this mode enabled, but I automatically send a text response to messages, but it still reads the text to me as it always has done, it just alerts the sender that I may not get back to them straight away because I'm driving... Whats not to like here? I get my messages and calls as normal (though you can choose not to receive either or both if you prefer).

It's a fairly simplistic app, but it does its job very well, and it has enough options for most people if they take the 5 seconds they need to understand what the options mean. That's not directed at anyone in particular, it just seems that some people either haven't used the app before commenting or haven't properly understood the options. I also realize that it doesn't suit everyone and everyone has their own needs, so I'm not saying as it suits me it must therefore suit everyone else.

[TruPlaya187]

The way it works is perfect for my needs. I still allow the calls when I'm driving with this mode enabled, but I automatically send a text response to messages, but it still reads the text to me as it always has done, it just alerts the sender that I may not get back to them straight away because I'm driving... Whats not to like here? I get my messages and calls as normal (though you can choose not to receive either or both if you prefer).

It's a fairly simplistic app, but it does its job very well, and it has enough options for most people if they take the 5 seconds they need to understand what the options mean. That's not directed at anyone in particular, it just seems that some people either haven't used the app before commenting or haven't properly understood the options. I also realize that it doesn't suit everyone and everyone has their own needs, so I'm not saying as it suits me it must therefore suit everyone else.

So quick question, how do you still hear your text message coming in?

[nsa74]

The way it works is perfect for my needs. I still allow the calls when I'm driving with this mode enabled, but I automatically send a text response to messages, but it still reads the text to me as it always has done, it just alerts the sender that I may not get back to them straight away because I'm driving... Whats not to like here? I get my messages and calls as normal (though you can choose not to receive either or both if you prefer).

It's a fairly simplistic app, but it does its job very well, and it has enough options for most people if they take the 5 seconds they need to understand what the options mean. That's not directed at anyone in particular, it just seems that some people either haven't used the app before commenting or haven't properly understood the options. I also realize that it doesn't suit everyone and everyone has their own needs, so I'm not saying as it suits me it must therefore suit everyone else.

Nobody said it's not something to like. We understood the options and surely used driving mode before talking about it here.
The hole point of the discussion was to add the possibility to turn it on without having a Bluetooth headset connected. And that because it's a nice way to inform the caller, hey I'm driving, I don't have a headset on so that's the reason I can't answer the call right now.

[Kyorin]

So quick question, how do you still hear your text message coming in?

My Sony bluetooth head unit reads them to me. It interupts whatever is playing at the time and reads it out over the speakers. After that I just say "Reply", "Call" or "I'm done", and it acts accordingly.

Just to make this a little clearer, you don't have to enable the "ignore texts" feature to use the auto reply.