Five essential gadgets for your car
These days cars come with an increasing array of technology, from radars to automatic brakes. So we decided to have a look at what car manufacturers left out that you might want to add to make your journey easier.
An old favourite, sat-nav, used to be the must-have gadget for your car. But when smartphones started building it in, and if your car didn’t come with it, there was no need to buy a separate system — you just use the map on the phone.
That doesn’t mean that there’s nothing for the gadget-minded driver to buy. There’s still plenty to choose from.
Here are five bits of technology that will be really nice to have in the cockpit with you.
In-car cameras
Insurance companies love them, and they can really save you money.
Recently there has been talk of a famous scam in China making its way to Singapore, where people throw themselves onto cars to claim insurance. With that in mind, it’s really important to have an unbiased witness in the car with you.
There is a huge variety of dashboard cameras to choose from, and CarCamCentral has a good buyers’ guide to help you choose one that’s right for you.
Heads-up display
The Navdy heads-up display.
Now, some cars do come with a heads-up display.
The Corvette Stingray, for example. However, most cars do not. So, Navdy has come up with one that you can add to your car with no hassle, and syncs with your smartphone. It also lets you use your voice and gestures to control it, which means there won’t be any issues with the traffic police if you want to change the music or your destination on the system.
Check your “check engine” light
The OBD Link LX from ScanTool
Modern cars will usually warn you when there is a problem. A little light will come on and suggest that you need to check the engine. However, that usually requires a trip to the dealer, and that can get expensive.
ScanTool has come up with a range of plug-in readers that links to your smartphone and tells you what the problem is before you go off to spend your savings on new parts.
Light at night
The Maglite Mag-Tac LED Rechargeable Flashlight System
If your car breaks down in the middle of the night, and you have to search around to see what the problem is, then you will need some light.
Maglites have long been a favourite, but anything that runs on batteries is not likely to be reliable. It is not unusual to reach for a torch left in the glove box only to discover that the batteries have gone flat. The Maglite Mag-Tac LED Rechargeable Flashlight System solves that problem.
Not only is it bright and brilliant, but it charges from the cigarette lighter in your car. Definitely something to keep, just in case.
No more lost keys
Lastly, there’s no point in having a car if you can’t find your keys.
The Proximo™ Key Fob Bluetooth® Tracker
Kensington has come up with some clever ways to help keep track of both your keys and your phone. If you lose one or the other, then you will be able to use one to find the other. Certainly a useful tool for the less-organised amongst us.
