(LOS ANGELES – May 24, 2011) – With summer around the corner, the Automobile Club of Southern California is offering a number of free mobile tools to help vacationers plan, budget and enjoy their trips.
“The skyrocketing popularity of smartphones, tablets and eReaders has made it easier than ever to access information on the go, and these new tools will help our members get their AAA information and assistance in the way that’s most convenient to them,” said Chris Simpson, Auto Club vice president and chief information officer.
AAA’s mobile resources include:
AAA Apps
AAA’s GPS-based mobile apps are free and available for both iPhone and Android-compatible devices. Membership is not required to download and use AAA apps, but is needed to take full advantage of the associated member benefits, such as discounts and roadside assistance.
For more information on AAA apps, visit AAA.com/Mobile.
AAA TripTik Mobile shows nearby gas station locations along with updated fuel prices for 100,000 gas stations across the U.S. It also provides maps and turn-by-turn directions and displays additional points of interest including AAA Diamond Rated hotels and restaurants, AAA Approved attractions, local events, AAA offices and Approved Auto Repair facilities. The app can recalculate routes and provide voice guidance for the next maneuver.
AAA Triptik Mobile can be downloaded free at the iTunes App Store or the Android Marketplace.
The app also allows users to share saved TripTik routes with other app users. A saved route generates a unique AAA TripTik ID that a user enters into the app to download the map and directions. The ID can be shared with multiple users and the entire downloaded route can be modified as needed. (Saving routes requires registration on AAA.com and may require AAA membership.)
AAA Discounts, downloaded more than one million times, shows users nearby locations that offer AAA members a Show Your Card & Save discount. The app displays key information including business name, address, phone number, distance from current location and discount details. Users can sort listings by category and have one-click access to a route map and narrative directions. While anyone can use these key app features, only members may take advantage of the available discounts. It's available both for iPhone and Android users.
AAA Roadside allows AAA members to request roadside assistance without even placing a call. The app uses the phone’s GPS technology to transmit the user’s location and details about the vehicle breakdown directly to AAA Roadside Assistance. The app also provides replacement battery price quotes and allows members to request a AAA Mobile Battery technician service delivery and install a new car battery. Additionally, the app shows nearby Approved Auto Repair locations so members can easily choose where to have their vehicle towed, if needed. It's available for download in iTunes or at the Android Marketplace.
AAA eTourBook Guides
Free and exclusively for members, the new eTourBook guides sync with top eReaders and tablets, as well as smartphones equipped with an eReader app. Each of the new guides highlights a top North American travel destination complete with listings for AAA Approved and Diamond Rated hotels and restaurants; AAA Editor’s Picks for attractions, events and nightlife; and other proprietary information available only through AAA. Members can download eTourBook guides for 40 destinations at AAA.com/ebooks.