What happens if the network drops in the middle of a drive?

If a country package for your location is downloaded and Premium is active, the phone calculates the route itself, with no error message. Otherwise the current route stays active and the app reports that there is no connection.

Do I have to switch the offline fallback on?

No. The switch happens automatically. You only need the downloaded country package.

Does the app also calculate locally when the server reports an error?

No. The fallback applies when there is no connection. The app does not override an error response from the server.

What does an offline route lack?

The speed limit lookup and the curvy candidate search. The Curvy profile acts as a weighting. "Avoid highways" and "Avoid tolls" still apply.

Does the map stay visible without a network?

Only with a downloaded offline map. The fallback calculates the route, the map is a separate download.

Does the app switch back to the server when the network returns?

Yes. Every new calculation asks the server first and only calculates locally when there is no connection.

Navigation when the network drops: DriveBattle keeps calculating on your phone

Premium

You are driving, the connection breaks, and the app needs a new route. DriveBattle then calculates it on the phone, with no error message. This needs a downloaded country package. DriveBattle runs on Android.

Premium: offline fallback. During the beta everything is unlocked.

What happens when the network drops

Every route calculation goes to the server first. If the server cannot be reached, the routing engine built into the phone takes over and calculates the same request from the downloaded country data. This applies to the route preview with alternatives and to the recalculation after a deviation while you drive. You do not switch anything.

When the fallback applies

It applies when the server cannot be reached, a downloaded country package covers the start point of the calculation, and Premium is active. For a recalculation on the road, the start point is your current position. The position comes from GPS.

What you see

No error message appears. Navigation and cockpit stay the same. While the phone is offline, the cockpit shows a slim strip saying "Offline - route stays active".

When it does not apply

If the server answers with an error response, the app does not recalculate locally. Without the country package for the start point there is no offline route. On the road you then keep following the current route, and the app shows "No connection - keep following the current route". Routes with your own waypoints do not come from the fallback.

What the offline route does differently

The offline route is the same request with fewer ingredients. The speed limit lookup and the server's curvy candidate search are left out, and the Curvy profile only acts as a weighting. "Avoid highways" and "Avoid tolls" still apply. On the Android Auto screen the route carries the note "Offline route", for Curvy "Offline - simplified route".

The map needs its own download

The fallback supplies the route, not map tiles. Without a downloaded offline map for the route, the map stays blank without reception. Before you start, the app points this out, and you can open the offline maps directly.

Back online

Every new calculation asks the server first. If it can be reached, the route comes from there. The app deliberately does not store live traffic data offline.

How to prepare

Before the drive, download the country package over Wi-Fi and, if needed, the offline map: Settings, Offline maps, expand a country. After that there is nothing left to set up.

The offline fallback is Premium

The offline fallback is part of Premium. During the beta everything is unlocked. After that Premium is paid, the purchase runs through Google Play and Google Play shows the price. Without Premium the app shows an error message when the network drops instead of an offline route.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if the network drops in the middle of a drive?: If a country package for your location is downloaded and Premium is active, the phone calculates the route itself, with no error message. Otherwise the current route stays active and the app reports that there is no connection.
Do I have to switch the offline fallback on?: No. The switch happens automatically. You only need the downloaded country package.
Does the app also calculate locally when the server reports an error?: No. The fallback applies when there is no connection. The app does not override an error response from the server.
What does an offline route lack?: The speed limit lookup and the curvy candidate search. The Curvy profile acts as a weighting. "Avoid highways" and "Avoid tolls" still apply.
Does the map stay visible without a network?: Only with a downloaded offline map. The fallback calculates the route, the map is a separate download.
Does the app switch back to the server when the network returns?: Yes. Every new calculation asks the server first and only calculates locally when there is no connection.
Does the offline fallback work without Premium?: No. Without Premium the app shows an error message when the network drops instead of an offline route.
Is the offline fallback free?: It is Premium. During the beta everything is unlocked, after that Premium is paid.