Your personal automotive assistant

Common questions

Do I need an account?

No. A Pelican account is optional. Creating an account allows you to build your Pelican profile over time. Without one, all reports and edits you make to the map will be contributed anonymously and will not be carried over if you ever move to a new phone.

Where does the camera data come from?

The data comes from OpenStreetMap, the open map that anyone can edit. Pelican reads the full map each night. Public state transportation registries add the traffic cameras. Pelican draws what the map records. If a camera is missing, add it to OpenStreetMap, or suggest a speed camera or a red light camera from the Scout sheet.

Does Pelican warn me when I approach a camera?

Not unless you ask it to. Pelican draws cameras on the map and on your route so that you can see them, and it never speaks a warning or shows a countdown. Pelican+ members can turn on a sound that plays when a camera detects their car, in Settings under Auditory notifications. The sound is off by default, and Pelican keeps it off in countries whose laws forbid camera warnings, such as France, Germany and Switzerland. Your phone works out which cameras can see you; your position is not sent anywhere.

Which OBD adapter do I need?

OBDLink CX and MX+, Vgate vLinker MC+ and iCar Pro, and Veepeak OBDCheck BLE are tested and fast. Most ELM327-compatible adapters with Bluetooth Low Energy or Wi-Fi also work. The Handbook has the current list.

Does OBD work with my car?

Each car sold in the US since 1996, or in Europe since 2001, has a diagnostic port. The standard signals work in every car. Signals for a specific make and model, such as state of charge or tire pressure, come from OBDb, the open database that Pelican uses. If your car is not in OBDb, the PID Detector helps you and the community add it.

Does Pelican have live traffic?

Not yet. Pelican Navigation does not use live traffic to calculate routes or arrival times. Scout reports show closures and hazards on the map, but they do not change your route yet. Traffic-aware routing is on the roadmap.