The Ooono Co-Driver has been one of the most popular gadgets for drivers for years – because it warns of danger spots and speed cameras. Now a new generation of the small passenger is available. The star tried it out.
What is probably Germans’ most popular gadget for their car is actually not allowed. At least not if you use its functions to their full extent: The Ooono Co-Driver warns of danger spots and speed cameras, and speed camera warning devices are ultimately banned in Germany. Nevertheless, the first generation of the Ooono Co-Driver is selling like hot cakes for us. On Amazon alone, the little puck has 50,822 mostly positive reviews. There have been delivery problems for a long time with the new generation, the Ooono Co-Driver 2, which is why availability is only now slowly recovering. Time to take a closer look at the little traffic assistant.
The establishment of the Ooono Co Driver 2 couldn’t be easier. Unpack, turn on your phone, download the app, turn on the puck and you’re ready to go. The smartphone is a must, because it receives the data about when the co-driver warns of something and where it is through its app – it does not have its own GPS or a separate internet connection. Communication runs exclusively via Bluetooth, which ensures a battery life of around a month.
The Ooono Co-Driver 2 app is very simple – there is navigation, device settings and the option to turn off speed warnings. Only then is use in the car permitted.
© private / star
The app guides you through the most important functions within a few minutes. In principle, there are just two: You are shown how the co-driver warns of speed cameras and you learn how he reacts when they approach Reports danger spots. According to Ooono, the latter can be accidents, construction sites or stationary vehicles. At a later date, it is planned to add speed monitoring to the device, which warns if you are traveling too fast.
Ooono Co-Driver: Differences and innovations of the second generation
The Ooono Co-Driver 2 currently cannot do more than its predecessor, but the manufacturer has given the gadget a new design and, according to its own information, has incorporated customer feedback into a new product. The main differences are therefore:
- USB-C port and rechargeable battery instead of CR2450 battery
- In-app navigation
- Visual warnings through an LED light ring
- Apple Car Play and Android Auto integration
- Dismiss warning button
- Improved magnetic holder
The design is very inconspicuous thanks to the matt black, the subtle light ring and the small diameter of around five centimeters. The only thing that can be annoying is the “green status flashing” function, through which the Ooono Co-Driver 2 signals that it is active at very short intervals by lighting up green throughout the entire period of use. Fortunately, this can be switched off.
The Ooono Co-Driver 2 is fixed in the car with two small adhesive dots, the puck itself sticks to it magnetically, making it easy to remove, for example for charging.
© private / star
In road traffic you have to imagine the work of the co-driver like this: whenever you approach a danger zone – or a speed control – it beeps and the LED ring lights up briefly. With a speed camera there are two times two shrill tones and blue light, near a danger zone there are also two times two tones, but a little more sedate and the light is reddish. In the In the car, even with loud music, you can clearly hear the warnings. If necessary, you can also let your smartphone blare along – but that can be a bit too much of a good thing. How well you can see the LED lighting depends on the positioning.
In addition to the warnings, you can now also navigate with the Ooono app – in principle it works just like any other navigation software, except that you can see in advance the places where Ooono will warn. But: The warnings also come if you use a completely different navigation system. The Ooono Co Driver 2 then runs in the background. Ooono uses Apple Maps or Google Maps for navigation, so there is actually no reason why you shouldn’t just continue to use your usual navigation system.
Activating the co-driver is extremely convenient. Because even if the device is switched off and the app is closed, the Ooono reacts to movement and switches on. It then automatically establishes a connection to the smartphone and reports if there is anything to watch out for along its route. The Ooono works quite precisely even without ongoing navigation. However, he does not report danger spots or speed cameras on the other side of the street and apparently only looks at his own direction of travel.
Fast speedster
Old School Cool: These “vintage cars” were among the fastest cars of the eighties
This is how the Ooono Co-Driver makes itself noticeable in traffic
Since it is not allowed to drive a car with a speed camera detector in Germany, the test was carried out on a bicycle. This showed that the warnings about speed cameras, whether mobile or stationary, are very precise. Ooono even knew about a speed camera trailer that had just been parked on the side of the road. Of course, this is also due to the community functions. New speed cameras can be reported by pressing the large middle button. In danger areas you have to press twice.
This also works the other way around: If someone has made a mistake, a danger zone has been cleared or a mobile speed control has moved on, you can press the top button to report that the warning is irrelevant. This means the database always stays up to date and tidy.
Construction sites don’t seem to interest the Ooono community that much. On the test route, which led past four inner-city construction sites, the co-driver did not report a single one as a danger zone, although in each case a narrowing of the road and new speed requirements followed.
The focus is clearly on speed cameras, which is actually forbidden in this country. The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport responded star to the question of whether devices such as the Ooono Co-Driver can be used as follows: “According to Section 23 Paragraph 1 Letter c of the Road Traffic Regulations (StVO), vehicle drivers are not allowed to operate or carry any technical device that is intended for traffic monitoring measures to display or disrupt. The Karlsruhe Higher Regional Court has legally decided that the speed camera app is prohibited even if it is used by passengers.”
What the authorities say about it
It continued: “Germany has decided to ban the use of such technical devices. The reason: Road users should not have the opportunity to evade traffic controls. Approving radar warning devices confirms the attitude of those road users who are “Only behave in accordance with the rules at the checkpoints. It would send the wrong signal to road users and would harm the preventive effect of traffic controls and the responsible use of traffic rules as a whole.”
The Hamburg police explained this star In addition: “If you violate this, it usually costs a fine of 75 euros and it also means a point in the driving fitness register. It is not forbidden to install such an app on your smartphone or to own such a device. You are only allowed to use it during the Do not activate driving, because then the app or device is ‘intended to display a speed measurement at the moment of driving.’
Legal or forbidden? That’s what the manufacturer thinks
At Ooono we know about all of this. There are also corresponding warnings in the long terms and conditions that you have to confirm before you can use the app. So the manufacturer is fine. As for the device, Ooono told the star: “With its statement, the Federal Office unfortunately only refers to devices that only warn of speed cameras – these are in fact banned, but are hardly in circulation anymore. Multifunctional devices and traffic assistants such as our Ooono Co-Driver are generally allowed to be used in the car, as long as the corresponding speed camera function is switched off while driving.”
The provision of the speed camera function is explained as follows: The Ooono Co Driver 2 works in over 80 countries. In some it is allowed to be warned about controls. It is not within the manufacturer’s control whether it is possible to do so outside of these limits. It would probably also be possible to block the function where it is not allowed to be used for security reasons – but then the Ooono Co-Driver would not be a bestseller.
Incidentally, things are looking pretty bleak in Europe when it comes to such permission. Loud “Adac“Apparently, it is currently only permitted in very few countries to have GPS-based warnings about speed cameras while driving. In the majority of countries, however, the use or even carrying is not permitted. And unlike in Germany, there is a threat in the EU Foreign countries sometimes even face prison sentences or four-figure fines.
Conclusion Ooono Co-Driver 2
Speed camera detectors like that Ooono Co Driver 2 it is difficult to evaluate. Because you’re actually not allowed to use the core function, which means the device doesn’t make much sense. Of course, warnings about danger spots and personal speeding are useful, but you would hardly spend 80 euros for that, especially since many navigation apps can do that too.
If you ride your bike often and are interested in speed cameras along the route, the Co-Driver 2 does a good job. The reports come in a timely manner, are accurate and up to date. At least when it comes to speed controls for drivers. As far as construction sites are concerned, the puck was somewhat disappointing in the test and allowed many dangerous areas to pass by without warning.
If you’re wondering which version of the co-driver you should buy, it’s worth taking a look at the differences between the two generations. Because it’s pricey Ooono 1 extremely interesting at around 44 euros. However, if you value the new design, the rechargeable battery, the visual warning and the integration for Carplay and Android Auto, the question does not arise. If it’s just an acoustic warning, the predecessor is sufficient.
If you want to save all your money, you can simply use common apps with a warning function – ultimately, the Ooono Co Driver is actually just a Bluetooth speaker. With one subtle difference: The little puck relieves you of the work of creating an automation for an app or of having to remember to start the corresponding software before starting a journey. This is comfort that comes at a cost. But it can make the difference between driving into a dangerous spot unprepared and having the software warn you in good time without thinking about it.
This article contains so-called affiliate links. Further information are available here.