The automobile industry has begun to embrace the role of technology in making the driving experience more pleasurable and safer for everyone on the road. The advent of window mounted GPS systems and touch screen dashboard consoles themselves essentially changed the entire driving experience when first introduced into the market. As the new year begins to roll in and companies roll out their latest developments showcased at the auto shows across the world we've put together a list of tech pieces you soon will not be able to live without.
Navdy's innovative HUD display projects a readout of your vehicle's speed, fuel levels, driving directions, incoming phone calls, and even text messages onto the front windshield of a vehicle eliminating the need for a driver to ever take their eyes off the road. The system can be completely integrated into a vehicle allowing the display to notify you when you may need to refuel your vehicle while redirecting your route to the closest open station. Navdy utilizes the power of Google to provide accurate driving directions, determine traffic levels, and can find local businesses in your area. The console is controlled by a combination of gestures and voice commands giving the entire system a very futuristic feel as you swipe your hand through the air to answer calls and speak to Navdy in a conversational manner.
Xcellent Global's RF Key Finder
The wireless key finder is not particularly a product strictly for your vehicle but eliminates one of the oldest car problems known to man, losing your keys. If you are not the kind of person who consistently places your car keys in the exact same spot, then the Rf key finder is perfect for you. The system works by transmitting a signal from the main control console that easily stores in your home to one of four receivers that can be attached to your keyring. The receivers emit a beeping noise when the corresponding console button is pressed until the keys are found. The device has a rather large range for usage so it is perfectly effective in most homes. The receivers themselves are small enough to be easily attached to your keyring without adding unnecessary bulk while the main console fits easily in your hand.
Mounted rear view cameras have changed the way drivers park and pull out of stalls by allowing unprecedented views of oncoming traffic but come with the added cost and hassle of either buying a vehicle that already comes equipped with a camera system or paying for an after-market installation. Pear's RearVision allows all the benefits of a standard rearview camera system with a few extra features while being completely easy to install. The RearVision utilizes two cameras mounted onto a plate cover that is as easy to affix as any other plate cover and an OBD-II adapter that connects the entire system to the vehicle. Once installed, driver's smartphones are paired with the camera system to turn their smartphones into a monitor that not only displays the video but allows the driver to plan to either side giving them the ability to be completely sure it is safe to back out of a parking stall.
PowerBug2's Rapid Port Charger
As we rely more and more heavily on our phones for everything from driving directions to navigating around traffic it becomes more imperative that our phones are always charged. While most readily available portable chargers allow drivers to charge their phones while driving they do very little in regulating the amount of time needed to charge. Unless you're sitting in traffic there is a high probability that when you leave your vehicle your phone will not have a full charge. The rapid charger from PowerBug actively distinguishes the battery levels of your phone and changes amperage to charge phones quicker than other available portable chargers. By lessening the amount of time needed to charge your phone while on the move, the rapid charger frees you up to turn your phone into a rearview display or GPS navigation device while keeping battery levels exactly where they need to be at all times.
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.