Download Drive Smarter


Drive Smarter is an app that is free to download on your Android or iPhone. The subscription is free with the purchase of one of our Bluetooth-enabled radar detectors or SC-Series cameras. For individuals without our units, they may access a basic version for free and pay a monthly or yearly fee to access the navigation package.


Drive Smarter is compatible with all modern Escort Radar Detectors, Escort M2 Smart Dash Camera, Cobra RAD700i, Cobra RAD480i, Cobra Road Scout[1], and Cobra SC-Series Dashboard Cameras.


Drive Smarter enables the following optional features:

  • Defender Alerts
    • Show you the location of known red-light cameras, speed cameras, and speed traps[2]
  • Posted Speed Limits of most roads[3] displayed on the detector, and in the app
  • Community Radar
    • Shows you alerts received from other Escort and Cobra radar detector users in your area
  • Community Alerts
    • Show road hazards, cameras, detours, police spotted and other alerts reported by other users of our Drive Smarter app
  • Turn-by-Turn navigation to chosen locations[4]
  • Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility
  • Drive Smarter also allows you to easily configure your connected device's settings
    • Radar detector owners can access their detector's settings without having to interrupt use of the radar for detecting while configuring. Settings are loaded from the detector and saved as they're changed.
    • Camera owners can access their camera's gallery and download footage, upload to cloud storage, or share directly to social media, messaging apps, email and more.



1. Radar features only. Cobra Road Scout use the Drive HD app for camera settings and footage retrieval.
2. Requires a Bluetooth connection to Drive Smarter to show alerts on the radar detector display or SC-series dashboard cameras with LCD displays.
3. Posted Speed Limits are not available on all roads.
4. Premium feature available for free to users of compatible Escort Radar and Cobra Electronics devices, or as a paid in-app purchase for users without one of our devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find more information about Drive Smarter?

Get help setting up and configuring the Drive Smarter app at our Drive Smarter Self Service.


Is Drive Smarter required for my standalone Radar Detector to function?

No. Drive Smarter is a convenience feature and adds in additional features, but it is not required for your radar detector to work. You can use it to change settings at your leisure, without having to use the buttons on the detector.


Is Drive Smarter required for my M2 Smart Dash Cam to function?

Drive Smarter is only required if you want to change the settings on the M2, or if you want to view the footage that your camera stores on its microSD card without having to connect the camera to a computer.


Is Drive Smarter required for my MAXcam 360c to function?

No. Drive Smarter is only required for the MAXcam 360c to function. You can use Drive Smarter to change radar and camera settings at your leisure, without having to use the buttons on the detector. You can also use Drive Smarter to view the footage that your MAXcam stores on its microSD card without having to connect the camera to a computer.