Category: Automotive

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Automotive Connected Objects

Sync your ride up with the miaLinkup auto dongle

It’s surprising to think about how even the newest cars can’t boast the amount of technology seen in smartphones. Over the years, this has been reflected in the union between the two: cradles, connectors, and all kinds of other accessories have made the car a smartphone’s second home. Unfortunately, they also create clutter that ultimately ruins a car’s interior aesthetic and contributes to a more dangerous environment that requires driver attention at the wrong moments.

The team behind the miaLinkup ultra-long wireless module wants to get rid of this unnecessary mess by combining all of these features and more into one compact device. The device takes the form of a a dongle for the On-Board Diagnostic Port II, or the OBD, and utilizes Bluetooth 4.1 to offer complete control of a vehicle with a smartphone. With the miaLinkup installed, things like streaming music wirelessly, unlocking doors, or rolling up windows are all possible in vehicles previously lacking the technology. In addition, an onboard GPS can help lost drivers to their vehicle and prevents unauthorized movement, a tire pressure monitoring system helps avoid unfortunate blowouts, and real time usage and diagnostic reports help users save money over the long run.

The device needs a Bluetooth extender to function at ranges up to 2,500 feet or up to 1,000 feet with buildings in the way, but in either case, its versatility can’t be understated. To top it off, miaLinkup requires no monthly fee for this impressive set of functionality, so interested backers need only spend $199 for the device along with four tire sensors. Provided the campaign reaches its $50,000 goal, the product has an estimated delivery date of September 2015.

Currently, there are a plethora of OBD devices that provide things like GPS tracking or engine monitoring, but the combination of functionality in the miaLinkup is rare, especially considering its open API. A prior Indiegogo campaign, the Drivebot, is similar in that it offers diagnostics but without tire information, or Bluetooth streaming capabilities. The miaLinkup is fully featured, instantly providing value and technology to vehicles that may need one or the other.

 

Categories
Automotive Technology

SoundRacer VX FM transmitter lets station wagons live their dreams

Although we may have cars that can easily push the speed limits most people are comfortable with, limits are placed on the road to keep them in check. This is obviously done with safety in mind, but there’s an unfortunate aspect to all of this as the daily grind reduces our powerful vehicles to boxes that merely transport us. As a result, most people never truly experience the thrill of true, unencumbered speed.

Inventor Kenneth Palmestål wants to spice up the daily commute with the SoundRacer VX FM transmitter. With it, anyone can experience the intense roars of Italian V10 supercars simply by plugging the product into a car’s cigarette lighter and revving up the engine. The included microSD slot offers space for multiple car engine profules, so users can switch over to an American muscle car or even a motorcycle with a tap of a button. The device can also transmit music from a smartphone or a music player whenever you’d like some smooth jazz as a counterpoint. Combine with the Pocket Jump to make sure the fun keeps going. The kr600,00 (~$79,530) campaign is looking to get the kr495 (~$66) product out to backers by May 2015.

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Automotive

GroUrban puts a small bit of plant life in your nearest cupholder

For those who don’t like the plant life growing in that travel mug that they keep forgetting about and leaving in their cupholder, GroUrban allows commuters to enjoy their favorite plant life in their car’s cupholder instead.  No specific measurements are noted for the size of the planter.

While there is a built-in reservoir to help keep plants watered, the extreme heat and cold that usually goes with remaining parked outdoors for extended periods of time may make for a short life for plants unless one is able to park in a garage both at home and work, or is willing to carry around the plant to keep it out of the extremes. In addition, GroUrban fits in a car drink holder, so one may need to choose between that java and their favorite plant unless the car has multiple drink holders. But who knows? Maybe the travel mug will finally be remembered if it has some pretty plant life around it. This campaign seeks to raise £50,000 (~$78,500) by December 14, 2014. Early bird backers get one product for £10 (~$16 USD), with an expected delivery of January 2015.

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Automotive Cell Phone Accessories Imaging Video

RV Rear View Camera streams video to keep trailer towers safe on the road

Those who travel the world in the front seat of a car attached to trailers are an admirable bunch. Most people would agree the amount of freedom they have is enviable but like all good things in the world, it comes at a cost. Having a long trailer attached to the back of any vehicle automatically makes it much harder to drive, and actions as basic as changing lanes or braking suddenly become much more dangerous.

The RV Rear View Camera system allows users to attach an Internet protocol camera, or IP camera, to a trailer’s rear window. Once attached, video is streamed to an iPhone mounted on the dash of the vehicle doing all the heavy lifting. This alleviates the blindspots created by towing an RV around and offers an increased sense of security to those traveling.

Unfortunately, those with Android devices are out of luck although those are in the works. For now, only iPhones 5 and 6 work with the $400 system. The product is expected to ship in January 2015 with a successful campaign of $10,500.

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Automotive Organization

The Bag Rack provides hooks for bags in your trunk, lets you hang ’em high

It seems that the car trunk is one in which disorganization tends to rule for most people. This can make grocery shopping for a family rather complicated. That’s why The Bag Rack was invented. The product is very easy to install and requires no tools. While this seems like an interesting idea that could bring much needed convenience on grocery day, it’s not clear what the width of the product is, or with which car trunks it would be most compatible.

For those who travel to the store a lot in their cars, especially those with a hatchback, know that groceries tend to slide around in the back willy nilly. So, having a holder that takes up no cargo room, but keeps things in place would be a welcome addition to any frequent grocery goer. Other grocery helps in which backers might be interested include the Super Bag Holder, and Grocery Pal campaigns. This campaign seeks to raise $25,000 by December 24, 2014. Early bird backers can get one product for $15 with an expected delivery of December 2014.

Categories
Automotive Chargers/Batteries

Pocket Jump charges your smartphone, jump starts your car

Being suddenly stranded on the side of the road because of a dead car battery and a smartphone on its last legs can be a pretty terrible situation. With the unimpressive capacity of our smartphones, this is probably a situation that happens all too often and is dangerous because there just might not be anyone around to help. Viatek Consumer Products Group, Inc. is looking to kill two birds with one stone with their Pocket Jump, a product looking to restore motorists’ peace of mind while on the road.

Pocket Jump addresses our devices’ constant necessity for power as a portable 3000mAh or 4800mAh battery pack with the ability to recharge using a micro-USB connection or a vehicle’s own car battery through the cigarette lighter. In the unfortunate scenario that a car battery dies out, the Pocket Jump is equipped with the technology to jump start a car with that same cigarette lighter so a motorist can avoid the hassle of having to flag down another car, use dangerous jumper cables, and possibly face inclement weather while doing so.

Cars, vans, trucks with diesel or hybrid engines can all use the Pocket Jump, making the tiny device an extremely versatile tool to have handy especially because it will more or less always have some sort of charge within. The 3000mAh version goes for $40, while the Pocket Jump Plus goes for $80. The campaign is looking for $10,000 to get the product in backer’s vehicles by December 2014.

Categories
Automotive

Visor Twin flips out to turn drivers, passengers into shady characters

There are days when the angle of the sun is just perfect for causing drivers the visual obstruction that can cause accidents. That’s when having a front and side visor such as Visor Twin can be a great travel benefit. Visor Twin clips to the car’s existing visor and can be positioned to swing to the front while the existing visor swings to the side. That particular feature really sets it apart from other products that just extend horizontally or vertically. It can be an extra sun visor for front and side coverage.

This is a nice idea as long as the concern is just diminishing the visual strain from the angle of the sun. Existing car visors are going to cause a partial visual blockage whether they are used with the windshield or to the side, because side usage blocks periphery and a portion of the side visual field. However, the product seems like it could be worth looking into further if designed well. This campaign seeks to raise $58,000 by January 10, 2015. Early bird backers get one product for $29, with an expected delivery of March 2015.

Categories
Automotive Connected Objects

DRIVE drives smartphone interaction with your hands on the wheel

It may be the case that more recent models of cars have integrated smartphone connectivity, but usually they’ve done it in uninspired ways that don’t take in account the unique issues driving brings to the table. It isn’t like the only thing to do is stick a touchscreen and a dock in the middle of everything and call the job done. There are very particular design challenges that stem from the fact that we’re in two ton metal boxes with wheels. Because of this, safety is of upmost concern even if it doesn’t quite seem like it is.

Luckily for RISE Devices, their new DRIVE shows that they have safety on the mind. Along with deftly handling phone calls with its three mics, DRIVE reads out notifications and messages and allows the user to respond utilizing their own voice when it’s convenient. Two infrared beams shoot out of the device and a flick with both hands interrupts them, giving you an easy and unobtrusive way to activate DRIVE. Because of how it works, there aren’t buttons not any janky voice recognition or commands to get in the way. Its companion app facilitates the use of most messaging services and platforms like iOS, Android, and Windows, and since it connects via Bluetooth LE, other uses like music control are possible.

This device is both elegant and simple, but for that you’ll have to pay. As much as it gets done, it could use a few more bells and whistles as it has lots of potential. The product has an estimated delivery date of July 2015 and is currently going for $149, shooting up to more than $199 after the campaign’s end. For DRVINE, $88,000 is the goal to launch it into production.

Categories
Automotive

Temporary windshield offers car protection after smashing successes

It doesn’t seem like the most common problem that could happen when on the road, but there are those freak times when a car windshield gets cracked, chipped or smashed. Of course, there are those occasions when a windshield gets vandalized, too. So rather than pay the tow company to get the car to the shop, Ready Windshield offers a safe option to drive it there. The lightweight plastic stretches over the damaged area and is either secured by closing the edge in the door, or in the case of a completely smashed out windshield, attaching to the window frame. The car can then be driven at the safest slow speed to a repair shop since the fix is not intended to be a long-term one.

While it’s not entirely clear how long it takes to attach it to a window, the product seems like it might limit the frustration of waiting the typical 30-45 minutes for a tow truck. This campaign seeks to raise $18,000 AUD (~$15, 800 USD) by December 7, 2014. For $40 AUD (~$35 USD), backers get one product with an expected delivery of June 2015.

Categories
Automotive

ArmRestor tackles distracted driving by keeping essentials close

We spend a lot of time in cars, but they’re not well designed for comfort. ArmRestor tries to change that by providing utility and relaxation. The product affixes to an attachment that slides in between the window and weather stripping on the driver’s door. Coming in both beige and black, ArmRestor features a coin slot, space for general car accoutrements, a tissue dispenser and cup holder. For ease of use, the cup holder moves around and is even detachable so it’s not in the way. The top is lined with foam-filled leather for maximum comfort for your arm.

In the campaign, the creators even claim that the rest is out of your line of sight so it won’t distract your from driving. Provided that the ArmRestor fits into your car, it doesn’t really seem to follow that someone would want to rest their left arm while driving. Usually, the right arm is reaching for stuff and adjusting the music so the left is always on the wheel. In addition, the window sill is usually a sufficient place to rest your arm. Still, interested backers can donate $36 for one by April 2015. This product is looking to raise $20,000 on Kickstarter.