MyDrive Excessive Mobile Phone Battery usage

[agesofman]

I have a Rider 550 (and a Rider 400)
To get Rider to talk to my helmet headset and to my phone (Google Pixel7a) I understand I had to install MyDrive to my phone.

I have a HUGE issue with behaviour of the MyDrive App on my phone - namely that it drains my phone battery really quickly - 1 have approx. 100 apps on my phone but one app, MyDrive, accounts for 60% of my battery usage (to rub salt in the wound, I rarely use MyDrive atm, it being winter and not my prime bike riding season)! I am not sure but I believe this problem may have been since my phone updated to android 14.

I have tried running app under 'Optimised' and 'Restricted' battery setting but MyDrive still sucks all the life out of my phone quicktime.

TomTom please advise how I can fix this problem and still continue to use my Rider including traffic notification.

I make the observation that until recently I did not need MyDrive at all to get this functionality.

 

[Willy875]

You are not on an official Tomtom forum please contact Tomtom https://help.tomtom.com/hc/en-gb

 

[agesofman]

Ha ha I would if it existed!

Only help offered now is AI chat that is useless

 

[Willy875]

Via chat during office hours you can speak to a Tomtom support agent or send an email.

 

[canderson]

I have a Rider 550 (and a Rider 400)
To get Rider to talk to my helmet headset and to my phone (Google Pixel7a) I understand I had to install MyDrive to my phone.

Several points:
It is not necessary to use MyDrive on your phone to receive instructions from your Rider 550 to your headset. The 550 will talk directly to your headset using A2DP protocol if you pair them together.

If you wish to get TomTom traffic or POI data from TomTom (using MyDrive web) to your 550, it is also not necessary to use MyDrive. You can set up a BT or WiFi (my preference is WiFi) hotspot on your phone to provide the data to your 550 from TomTom.

The only reason one might use MyDrive is because
a) No tethering plan or expensive tethering plan from the phone service provider (MyDrive works in 'stealth mode' to get the data without officially 'tethering')
b) You need to create routes on your phone to send to your 550.

 

[agesofman]

Via chat during office hours you can speak to a Tomtom support agent or send an email.

i have tried twice in business hours - chat is a bot and no other option is offered

 

[agesofman]

Several points:
It is not necessary to use MyDrive on your phone to receive instructions from your Rider 550 to your headset. The 550 will talk directly to your headset using A2DP protocol if you pair them together.

If you wish to get TomTom traffic or POI data from TomTom (using MyDrive web) to your 550, it is also not necessary to use MyDrive. You can set up a BT or WiFi (my preference is WiFi) hotspot on your phone to provide the data to your 550 from TomTom.

The only reason one might use MyDrive is because
a) No tethering plan or expensive tethering plan from the phone service provider (MyDrive works in 'stealth mode' to get the data without officially 'tethering')
b) You need to create routes on your phone to send to your 550.

Hi
Thanks for suggestions. Appreciate the attempt to help.

Historically I have not used MyDrive on my mobile and paired using phones data connection.
This stopped working (no traffic info for eg)
I have an older Schuberth SRC intercom which I would guess does not support A2DP.
I am not familiar with a mobile plan in the UK incorporating a 'tethering plan', one merely buys phone calls and data.

The reason I used Mydrive is that is what the TomTom instructions told me to do.

Regardless of all else, it does not excuse the fact that MyDrive uses 100x as much power (when not being used!) as the next most power hungry app on my mobile. I have now deleted MyDrive, it is untenable.
I will attempt pair without it.

 

[Kieron M]

Hi there @agesofman -
A quick look at part of the SRC intercom manual appears to support A2DP.

Section 4.6 AUDIO SOURCES AND PRIORITIES - The different audio sources connected to the SRC-System™ are prioritized as shown below, i.e. the higher priority source will always override and interrupt the lower one. For example, incoming phone calls will interrupt ongoing Intercom calls, while incoming intercom calls will interrupt the audio from the built-in FM Radio etc.Higher Priority1. Mobile Phone audio or GPS instructions* 2. Intercom / Click-to-Link®3. A2DP (Stereo Bluetooth) audio4. FM Radio (Built-in)5. AUX (for corded connection i.e. Music Players)*GPS instructions from Smartphone GPS Apps are prioritized like A2DP audio.

1. Delete the MyDrive app on your Pixel and make sure you have the personal hotspot turned on.
2. Delete old Bluetooth pairings of the Rider on your Pixel (if you had tried to link via the MyDrive app).
3. Connect the Rider to your Pixel via Bluetooth over the standard way (press the “No” request on the gps to download and use the MyDrive app to set up the Bluetooth connection).
4. DO NOT pair your Rider via the MyDrive app if you later decide to install it (i.e. for sending routes to the Rider).
5. In your Rider settings, “forget” the current WiFi connection as this will only be required for downloads and likely to take priority over the Bluetooth connection.
6. Within the Rider Bluetooth menu settings for my connected iPhone, (your Pixel), I have Data for Traffic & other services turned on but NOT for Smartphone messages or See who is calling and as your headset allows it, High quality (A2DP).
I am using my Rider 500, (Sena 5s communication system and an iPhone 12 Pro Max **paired directly for music/calls), a Tile Pro Bluetooth tracker and an Apple AirTag constantly as stated above successfully and no loss of the traffic connection.

With regards to “tethering”, this is another way of describing how to connect and use your mobile’s data plan to another device (a Rider/ipad WiFi only etc.) Most networks in the U.K. already allow this on most contracts including SIM only, but this can be an additional cost to unlock the function in other countries.

 

[agesofman]

Hi Kieron
Apologies for not thanking you earlier, I really appreciated you trying to help.

I got busy and put a pause on getting TomTom to link with phone.
I have just spent an hour trying to bluetooth Pixel to Rider

I did all you said, de-paired, told rider to forget wifi connection, etc

Bottom line Rider will not pair to Pixel.
It will not even allow you the option to pair, all you get if you try is "Your tomTom Rider 550 connects to your phone using the TT MyDrive app and bluetooth".
Pressing [add phone] at this point simply takes you to screen with QR code to download MyDrive

I think I simply have to accept that TomTom has designed a system to stop you using their traffic system.
I guess eventually no-one will be using it and they will officially close down the feature.

Thanks again for trying

 

[Kieron M]

Hi @agesofman -

I am not familiar with the Pixel operating system, but are you able to set up a WiFi hotspot from the Pixel instead, then in the WiFi settings within the Rider menu, find your phone and connect that way? You really don’t need the MyDrive app to receive traffic even though TT states it.

 

[agesofman]

yes and yes - an unusual solution Kieron but I can indeed get Rider to connect to my phones wifi hot spot.
Rider as you say then displays traffic

Not sure of the pros and cons of bluetooth vs wifi hotspot but one con is I will have to remember to turn on hotspot each time I use Rider does come to mind (hot spot shuts down if no device connected I assume to reduce battery use).

thanks again for your help

 

[agesofman]

PS I note we are quite close - I live just on S Oxfordshire border in Caversham Heights!

 

[Kieron M]

Hi @agesofman -

Good to hear you’ve managed to connect via WiFi. Even though I only use the Bluetooth connection, I also have to turn on/off the hotspot as and when required.
I’m further upland near the Banbury area.

 

[agesofman]

I've run a bike trip down to Somerset for last 9 years
May Day long weekend

It's a great trip, if you have possible interest email me and I will reply with details.
(e-mail address removed)