Detection Modes
Parkwärter offers two modes to detect when you arrive somewhere. Depending on the mode, the required permissions, detection speed, and detection method differ. You can also use both modes simultaneously.
Vehicle Mode
- Trigger: Bluetooth or CarPlay disconnect from car
- Setup: One-time automation in Shortcuts
- Location: While Using the App
- Notifications: Yes
- Motion & Fitness: Not required
- Speed: Immediate (on disconnect)
- False positives: Very rare
Automatic Mode
- Trigger: iOS background location detection
- Setup: None
- Location: Always
- Notifications: Yes
- Motion & Fitness: Required
- Speed: Up to 5 minutes delay
- False positives: Possible (bus, train)
Vehicle Mode
In Vehicle Mode, Parkwärter detects your arrival when your iPhone disconnects from your car's Bluetooth or CarPlay connection. This requires a one-time automation in Apple's Shortcuts app. As soon as the connection is lost, Parkwärter checks your current location and notifies you if a parking disc is required.
Required Permissions
Location (While Using the App)
Parkwärter uses your location to check whether a parking disc is needed at your current location.
Your location won't be shared, saved or used for anything else than evaluating the requirement of a parking disc.
Notifications
Parkwärter needs permission to send you notifications so it can alert you when a parking disc is needed at your current location.
Shortcuts Automation
You also need to create an automation in the Shortcuts app to wake up Parkwärter when your device disconnects from your car.
Automatic Mode
In Automatic Mode, Parkwärter uses the built-in location services of iOS to automatically detect when you arrive somewhere. The system wakes the app in the background, which then checks your motion data to determine if you arrived by car and evaluates whether a parking disc is needed.
Required Permissions
Location (Always)
To automatically wake Parkwärter in the background, the app needs "Always" location access. Apple requires this permission to be requested in two steps: first "While Using the App", and only then "Always".
Your location won't be shared, saved or used for anything else than evaluating the requirement of a parking disc.
Notifications
Parkwärter needs permission to send you notifications so it can alert you when a parking disc is needed at your current location.
Motion & Fitness
To ensure Parkwärter only sends you relevant notifications, it needs access to your Motion & Fitness data. iOS detects your type of movement — e.g. walking, cycling, or driving. Parkwärter uses this information to only notify you about parking disc requirements when you actually arrived by car. This avoids unnecessary notifications when you were on foot or cycling.
Unfortunately, the movement data can't distinguish between bus, car and train, so false positives can occur.
Please note: The automatic detection of an arrival can take up to five minutes. This means you might have left your car by the time the app sends you a reminder. When your device has low battery, this delay can increase further, as iOS throttles background location detection to save power.
Which mode should I choose?
Vehicle Mode is ideal if you usually drive the same cars. You get the fastest and most reliable detection with minimal permissions. New cars can be added to the existing automation at any time.
Automatic Mode is convenient if you frequently drive different cars or want to skip the automation setup. However, it requires more permissions and may occasionally trigger false alerts, e.g. when you arrive by bus or train.
Tip
You can enable both modes simultaneously or switch between them at any time in the app settings.
Good to know: If you use both modes at the same time, Parkwärter detects duplicate arrivals and only sends you one notification.