If you live in New South Wales, you’re likely familiar with the FuelCheck app. It’s a fantastic, government-backed resource that gives us real-time, accurate pricing for every petrol station in the state. But there is a persistent frustration: when you are behind the wheel, navigating via Apple CarPlay, that data feels a world away.

The Problem: The “Cheapest Fuel” Paradox

You’re halfway through a long drive, the fuel is low, and you know you’ll be paying a premium by stopping at the nearest station. You want to find the cheapest fuel on your current route, but your CarPlay dashboard is locked to your navigation app. You can search for “gas stations” in Google Maps or Waze, but those apps don’t always prioritize the cheapest price—they prioritize the closest stop.

Why Isn’t There an App for That?

You might wonder why the FuelCheck developers haven’t added CarPlay to the app, or why some other developer hasn’t knocked one up using the data, which is publicly available via the Transport for NSW Open Data Hub.

Apple’s CarPlay ecosystem is a “walled garden” for a reason: safety. Apple strictly limits which apps can appear on your dashboard. To build a CarPlay-compatible app, a developer cannot simply write code and push it to the App Store. They must:

  • Obtain specific entitlements from Apple to even access the CarPlay framework.
  • Adhere to rigid UI templates that prevent custom, potentially distracting interfaces.
  • Pass a rigorous safety review where Apple verifies that the app minimizes driver distraction.

Building a high-quality, safe, and compliant CarPlay app is a massive undertaking. It is not a “weeknight project” you can knock out over a few beers; it requires significant engineering, ongoing maintenance, and a long-term commitment to Apple’s automotive safety standards.

The “Easy” Way is Anything But

Currently, the “easy” solutions are clunky. You have to pull over, open FuelCheck, enter your destination, find the cheapest station, memorize or copy the name of the servo, switch back to your navigation app, and manually search+add it as a stop. It sucks.

The Reality: There is No Quick Fix

So, what is the solution? Unfortunately, for now, there isn’t a “one-tap” developer fix. We are stuck in a gap between open government data and the closed, safety-first environment of Apple CarPlay.

Until some developer decides to tackle the complex requirements of a dedicated CarPlay fuel-finding app, the “Stop, Search, Memorize, Add-Stop” method remains the gold standard:

  1. Stop: Safely pull over before you start your journey.
  2. Search: Use the “My Trip” feature in the official FuelCheck app to find the best price on your route.
  3. Memorize/Copy: Copy the station’s name or address.
  4. Add-Stop: Paste that into your navigation app (Google Maps or Waze) as a waypoint before you put the car in drive.

It’s not the seamless, futuristic experience we want, but until the tech catches up to our needs, it’s the only way to ensure you’re getting the best price at the pump without compromising your safety on the road.