Porsche Roads App Uses AI to Find the Fun Route, Not Just the Easiest One

Porsche has updated its Roads route-planning app with AI that seeks out twisty or scenic roads; to add to the AI input, the app’s 180,000 users can rate routes, create their own, and add in useful tips.The app was launched in 2019 but now has been upgraded with artificial intelligence that can help find roads to suit user-entered specifications.Route planning connects directly to any vehicle equipped with Apple CarPlay; no Porsche required.

Artificial intelligence isn’t quite at the level of HAL or Skynet yet, but the internet has adopted the technology as its new fun toy. Want to see art of every U.S. president as a Pixar character, or challenge a chatbot to write a Seinfeld episode in the style of Shakespeare? AI can do that for you. But Porsche thinks AI can be more than just a distraction. It’s betting that AI can help you generate the drive of a lifetime.

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Porsche launched its Roads app in 2019, and today the company says this app currently has approximately 180,000 users. The latest refresh adds in the ability for route planning that incorporates an algorithm to find the best way to get from point A to point B.

Big deal! Plenty of navigation apps already do that. But the difference with Porsche’s app is that “best” here is defined by the operator. Where Google Maps takes into account driving time or fuel efficiency, Roads lets the user select for a more challenging or scenic route. If you’re looking to tear things up in your 718 Cayman GTS 4.0, you set your profile to look for something curvy. Want to hit the sights on a cross-continent trip in a Cayenne? Roads will help you find the best local can’t-miss spots.

Best of all, while the app currently runs only on iPhones, not Android phones, you don’t need a Porsche. Roads will work on any car fitted with Apple CarPlay, letting you pick out your route on your phone and then follow it on your car’s infotainment screen.

Along with the AI-generated routes, Roads also incorporates crowdsourced elements. Users can rate the various routes, create their own, and leave comments.

Where this tech really shines isn’t so much in your local area; if you’re an enthusiast, you probably have worked out your favorite back roads already. But if you’re on a road trip, or traveling in an unfamiliar area, the Roads app will help you find the good driving roads. It’s a free download, so make sure you have it with you on your next trip—and maybe take the upgrade at the rental counter for something a bit more fun to drive.

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Contributing Editor

Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.