[Help Wanted]: when switching on iOS simulator to vehicle, location is being tracked even its excluded from triggerActivities

[AdamKundracik]

Required Reading

• Confirmed

Plugin Version

4.16.5

Mobile operating-system(s)

• iOS
• Android

Device Manufacturer(s) and Model(s)

iPhone 16 Pro

Device operating-systems(s)

iOS 18.6

React Native / Expo version

0.79.6, Expo 53

What do you require assistance about?

Having this config, it let during vehicle ride trigger my location detection even I excluded it from list.
Also would like to know if there is any way to make this config better, or what settings are not necessary

I just need to:

• Locate user every 15m
• When user is not moving, last time save his location, and when he moves again, start location again
• When user is in car, dont track him (Bcs it triggers too many calls to DB too quickly with DistanceFilter set to 15m).

Thanks for help!

[Optional] Plugin Code and/or Config

useEffect(() => {
    if (!userId) {
      console.log('[useLocation] Waiting for userId...', { userId });
      return;
    }

    let onLocationSubscription: { remove: () => void } | null = null;
    let onHttpSubscription: { remove: () => void } | null = null;
    let onMotionChangeSubscription: { remove: () => void } | null = null;
    let onProviderChangeSubscription: { remove: () => void } | null = null;

    const setupBackgroundLocation = async () => {
      console.log(
        '[useLocation] Setting up BackgroundGeolocation with userId:',
        userId
      );

      // Get access token for HTTP requests
      const accessToken = await tokenManager.getAccessToken();
      const locationUrl = `${API_CONFIG.BASE_URL}${ENDPOINTS.USERS.LOCATION(userId)}`;

      console.log('[useLocation] Location URL:', locationUrl);
      console.log('[useLocation] Access token available:', !!accessToken);

      // Location event listener
      onLocationSubscription = BackgroundGeolocation.onLocation(event => {
        if (!event.coords?.latitude || !event.coords?.longitude) return;

        const currentLocation: LocationType = {
          latitude: event.coords.latitude,
          longitude: event.coords.longitude,
        };

        console.log('[useLocation] 📍 onLocation:', {
          lat: currentLocation.latitude.toFixed(6),
          lng: currentLocation.longitude.toFixed(6),
          activity: event.activity?.type,
          isMoving: event.is_moving,
          odometer: Math.round(event.odometer || 0),
        });

        locationRef.current = currentLocation;
        setLocation(currentLocation);
      });

      onMotionChangeSubscription = BackgroundGeolocation.onMotionChange(
        event => {
          console.log('[useLocation] 🚶 onMotionChange:', {
            isMoving: event.isMoving,
            location: event.location?.coords
              ? `${event.location.coords.latitude.toFixed(6)}, ${event.location.coords.longitude.toFixed(6)}`
              : 'N/A',
          });
        }
      );

      onProviderChangeSubscription = BackgroundGeolocation.onProviderChange(
        event => {
          console.log('[useLocation] ⚙️ onProviderChange:', {
            enabled: event.enabled,
            status: event.status,
            gps: event.gps,
            network: event.network,
          });
        }
      );

      onHttpSubscription = BackgroundGeolocation.onHttp(event => {
        console.log('[useLocation] 🌐 HTTP Response:', {
          success: event.success,
          status: event.status,
          responseText: event.responseText?.substring(0, 200),
        });
      });

      const state = await BackgroundGeolocation.ready({
        url: locationUrl,
        method: 'PATCH' as any,
        headers: accessToken
          ? {
              Authorization: `Bearer ${accessToken}`,
              'Content-Type': 'application/json',
            }
          : {
              'Content-Type': 'application/json',
            },
        locationTemplate:
          '{"latitude":<%= latitude %>,"longitude":<%= longitude %>}',
        httpRootProperty: '.', // Place data in root of JSON

        autoSync: true,
        autoSyncThreshold: 0,
        batchSync: false,
        httpTimeout: 30000,
        maxRecordsToPersist: 100,
        locationsOrderDirection: 'ASC',

        disableLocationAuthorizationAlert: true,
        locationAuthorizationRequest: 'Always',
        desiredAccuracy: BackgroundGeolocation.DESIRED_ACCURACY_NAVIGATION,
        distanceFilter: 15,
        debug: __DEV__,
        logLevel: __DEV__
          ? BackgroundGeolocation.LOG_LEVEL_VERBOSE
          : BackgroundGeolocation.LOG_LEVEL_OFF,
        stopOnTerminate: false,
        startOnBoot: true,
        showsBackgroundLocationIndicator: false,
        triggerActivities: 'on_foot, walking, running',

        // Stop detection - go to STATIONARY after stopTimeout
        disableStopDetection: false, // Enable stop detection
        stopTimeout: 5, // 5 minutes without movement -> STATIONARY
        disableMotionActivityUpdates: false,
        stationaryRadius: 5,
        heartbeatInterval: 60,

        locationUpdateInterval: 10000,
        fastestLocationUpdateInterval: 5000,
        locationTimeout: 60,
        deferTime: 0,

        pausesLocationUpdatesAutomatically: false,

        isMoving: true,
      });
      setIsPluginReady(true);
    };

    setupBackgroundLocation();

    return () => {
      onLocationSubscription?.remove();
      onHttpSubscription?.remove();
      onMotionChangeSubscription?.remove();
      onProviderChangeSubscription?.remove();
    };
  }, [userId, setLocation]);

[Optional] Relevant log output

[AdamKundracik]

Any updates here please? @christocracy

[christocracy]

The motion api doesn't work in the iOS simulator. It's impossible to detect device is "in_vehicle" in the simulators.

The motion api works only on real devices, and only if the user grants the runtime permission for it.

[AdamKundracik]

Thank you! @christocracy
Could you please provide me with your opinion about config and how it should look so it does this:

• Locate user every 15m
• When user is not moving, last time save his location, and when he moves again, start location again
• When user is in car, dont track him (Bcs it triggers too many calls to DB too quickly with DistanceFilter set to 15m)

Thank you for your time!

[christocracy]

I suggest you see API docs Config.useSignificantChangesOnly

[github-actions]

This issue is stale because it has been open for 30 days with no activity.

[github-actions]

This issue was closed because it has been inactive for 14 days since being marked as stale.