Cambridge, MA, June 11, 2025 — In the age of mobile apps, the phrase “distracted driving” extends well beyond texting. A new report, The Most-Used Apps Behind the Wheel, from Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT) sheds light on a critical, often misunderstood, piece of the distracted driving dynamic: mobile app usage while driving. CMT surveyed over 1,700 drivers nationwide, asking those who admitted to phone use while driving about the specific apps they used, excluding navigation and music.

While mobile app usage while driving is down, the majority of drivers—64% in 2024 versus 73% in 2023—still admitted to using apps while driving. The average number of apps that drivers use behind the wheel also dropped, falling 42%, from 14 in 2023 to just 8 in 2024. App use also reduced across most categories with the most significant drops in games (-61%), lifestyle (-57%), and travel (-53%), while others saw large year-over-year drops in use behind the wheel. 

From editing spreadsheets to ordering a burger, drivers are engaging with a surprising variety of apps behind the wheel. This is the second year that CMT has run the most-used apps survey, providing a unique year-over-year comparison of distracted driving behaviors, demographic discrepancies, and new red flags.

Highlights of the 2024 Most-Used Apps While Driving List include:

• Drivers shifted from passive scrolling to purposeful interactions. While gaming and social networking app usage fell, use of utility and AI apps is on the rise. The top 10 apps drivers admit to using while driving are now a surprising mix of practical tools and persistent temptations.
• In sharp contrast to longstanding concerns, drivers reported a total collapse in social media usage. As overall social app use behind the wheel fell by 32%, WhatsApp use plummeted 80%, Discord use dropped 59%, and even Instagram use dropped 48%.
• Google and Camera are now the most-used apps while driving. Google was used by 21.9% of drivers, up nearly 50% from last year. The Camera app came in a close second, cited as being used by 20.8% of drivers. 
• Convenience culture drove behavior shifts as fast food and shopping apps like McDonald’s (15.8%) and Amazon (16.4%) made the top 10, increasing overall usage. Speed, ease, and immediate access to goods, services, and information are increasingly prioritized at the expense of safety.
• Closing out the 2024-as-the-year-of-utility-apps trend, Safari and Calendar usage more than doubled, and Gmail and Apple Mail also surged. 
• Notably, drivers used ChatGPT more behind the wheel, increasing to 6.2% of drivers—a meaningful signal of the continued integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools into daily routines. 

In addition, CMT’s analysis found significant swings across demographics, such as:  

• Despite young driver distraction being a concern, more adults admit to using their phone behind the wheel. Drivers aged 30–44 reported the highest phone use while driving: In fact, a whopping 78% reported using apps within the past month while behind the wheel. 
• Gen Z drivers admitted to a shocking safety hazard. FaceTime ranked as the #1 App among Gen Z Drivers, with 30.6% of drivers aged 18–29 using FaceTime while driving — 68% higher than the general population. 
• In a comparison between men and women, the survey found that men are 15% more likely than women to use phones while driving. A staggering 72% of men said they used their phones behind the wheel in the past month, while only 57% of women said the same. 

“Fewer drivers say they’re using their phones—that’s a step forward. But with surprising findings like FaceTiming while driving, it’s clear there’s still a lot of hard work to do,” said William V. Powers, Co-Founder and CEO of CMT. “This report challenges long-held assumptions about distracted driving. It gives us a clearer view of how behaviors are shifting and where new risks are emerging. As we build the next generation of mobility, industry leaders need to keep these behaviors in mind to create not just safer roads, but safer drivers as well.”

Download the full report to access the complete ranking of the apps drivers use most behind the wheel, discover usage trends across app categories such as games, food, news and more, delve into differences in app usage and habits between key demographics and dive deeper with a thorough analysis of the biggest app changes and implications for driving safety in 2025 and beyond.

About Cambridge Mobile Telematics

Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT) is the world’s largest telematics service provider. Its mission is to make the world’s roads and drivers safer. The company’s AI-driven platform, DriveWell Fusion®, proactively identifies and reduces driving risk, leading to fewer crashes and injuries, making mobility safer. To date, CMT’s technology has helped prevent over 93,000 crashes and protected more than 50,000 people from serious injuries worldwide. CMT partners with insurers, automakers, commercial mobility companies, fleets, and the public sector to measure risk, detect crashes, provide life-saving assistance, and streamline claims. Headquartered in Cambridge, MA, CMT operates globally with offices in Budapest, Chennai, Seattle, Tokyo, and Zagreb. Learn more at www.cmt.ai.