CarPlay & Bluetooth Tracking

Track your drives automatically

What you'll set up: An automation that captures a timestamp when you connect to or disconnect from CarPlay or your car's Bluetooth - perfect for tracking commutes, drives, and travel time.

What You'll Need

  • iPhone with iOS 16 or later
  • Time Memos app installed
  • CarPlay-enabled vehicle OR a car with Bluetooth

Option A: CarPlay Automation

1

Create a new automation

Open Shortcuts → Automation → tap +.

2

Select CarPlay trigger

Tap CarPlay and choose:

  • Connects - triggers when you start driving
  • Disconnects - triggers when you arrive
Screenshot: CarPlay trigger options
3

Add Time Memos action

Add "Capture Time Memo" with appropriate settings:

  • Connect: 🚗 "Started driving"
  • Disconnect: 🅿️ "Arrived" or 📍 "Parked"
Screenshot: Capture Time Memo configured for CarPlay
4

Save the automation

Set to "Run Immediately" and tap Done.

Option B: Bluetooth Automation

If you don't have CarPlay, you can use your car's Bluetooth connection instead.

1

Create a new automation

Open Shortcuts → Automation → tap +.

2

Select Bluetooth trigger

Tap Bluetooth, then select your car's Bluetooth device from the list.

Make sure you've connected to your car's Bluetooth at least once before so it appears in the list.
Screenshot: Bluetooth device selection list
3

Choose connection type

Select whether to trigger on:

  • Connects - when you get in the car
  • Disconnects - when you leave the car
4

Add Time Memos action

Configure the same as CarPlay above.

What happens now

Every time you start or end a drive, Time Memos captures a timestamp automatically. This creates a complete log of your driving activity that you can export to analyze commute patterns, track mileage for expenses, or document travel time.

Pro Tips

Track Drive Duration

Enable "Track as Live Activity" on the connect automation to see how long you've been driving on your Lock Screen. Great for long trips!

Create Both Automations

Set up both connect and disconnect automations. When you export your memos, the time elapsed between entries shows your exact drive duration.

Multiple Vehicles

If you have multiple cars, create separate Bluetooth automations for each one. Use different emojis to distinguish them (🚗 for car, 🚙 for SUV, etc.).

Troubleshooting

  • Bluetooth device not showing: Connect to it manually first, then try creating the automation
  • CarPlay not available: Your vehicle may not support CarPlay - use Bluetooth instead
  • Automation triggers multiple times: This can happen with flaky Bluetooth connections - consider using CarPlay if available

Ready to try it?

Time Memos will be available on the App Store soon.

Download on the App Store Coming Soon