Category: Automotive

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Automotive Connected Objects

Bluetooth tire pressure management system lets you know when your tires are low

The Premise. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, under-inflated tires are at the root of some of the most common issues related to fuel efficiency and safety while driving. If a tire remains under-inflated at just 1 psi over its lifetime, its tread life decreases by about 800 miles, and for every 2.96 psi of under-inflation, fuel efficiency is reduced by 1%. With 26% of all passenger cars on the road under-inflated by at least 25%, that’s a lot of miles of tread life and liters of gasoline needlessly wasted. These factors also contribute to the almost 80,000 crashes that occur annually in the US due to flat tires or blowouts — some fatal.

The Product. The team behind the FOBO Tire wants to bring tire pressure management systems, or TPMS’s, into the modern age. Theirs is an iOS/Android compatible, Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy enabled system that always keeps a user informed about the tire pressure of their vehicle, with an in-car unit as well to use in the absence of a smartphone. Integration with smartphones allows for a tiered alert system, theft detection for the system, the ability to share the FOBO Tire’s information with friends and family, and even monitor up to 20 different cars. There’s also a separated edition for two and three-wheeled vehicles called the FOBO Bike up for grabs.

The Pitch. The video featured on the campaign is professional, chock full of information, and really demonstrates just how useful the FOBO Tire can be, going as far as to show how quick and painless installation is and introducing potential backers to the team itself. The product’s many features are clearly laid out in text form, with large, clear pictures to back them up.

The Perks. A single set of FOBO Tire will run you $90, which includes four sensors and one in-car unit, saving backers $59 off the $149 retail price. Similarly, the FOBO Bike can be had for $65, shaving $25 off the $90 retail price. The option for more sets of FOBO Tires or Bikes are also available, at price points ranging from $110 to $1050.

The Potential. Making pretty much any current dumb product idea smart immediately adds utility to it, so the combination of a TPMS with the smartphones that drive our lives is one of those no-brainers that takes some time to think up. As tire pressure is a very real and serious concern, its applicability to pretty much every driver will ensure this product becomes some sort of success. It improves on products like the TireMinder with its ease of installation, use, and the many benefits that come from smartphone integration, making this product many will be on the look out for.

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Automotive

SafeKEYPER folds in a seat belt cutter into your key carrier

SafeKeyperThe explosion of panic that comes when a car careens off the road and into a body of water is paralyzing. With only 10 – 20 seconds to act, SafeKEYPER could be lifesaving.  The key ring doubles as a small emergency device, giving quick thinking drivers a tool that is literally at their fingertips to cut their seatbelt, break out a car window, and swim to safety. This is a great idea in theory, but it’s questionable that a panicking person would actually remember it when it’s never been used before. It’s also questionable that a woman would have the strength to break the car window, and how effective the seatbelt cutter will be if there is a baby in the backseat. Nevertheless, backers can get one product for $27 with an expected delivery of January 2015.

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Automotive

Twisty Tint offers sun shade, with a twist

The Premise. People use window shades in cars to block out the sun. They’re great for protecting kids who can’t really move in their car seats or for long road trips where sun exposure in the car is a problem. If the shade is no longer needed, however, one must manually remove it to get their view back.

The Product. Twisty Tint is a window shade with options. It adheres to the car’s window and looks much like a porthole on a ship. By simply rotating the outside of the shade, you can adjust the amount of sun that’s let into the car. For really bright days you can block it out altogether. If you want to see what’s going on outside again, just twist it until the shade becomes clear.

The Pitch. Featuring the creator’s son, Twisty Tint’s campaign video shows just how easy the product is to use. It also goes into the details of how the product works using polarization technology. The remainder of the campaign even features a testimonial from an ophthalmologist praises the sun protection that Twisty Tint offers. This product hopes to raise $29,000 on Kickstarter.

The Perks. For $46, backers can pre-order the first generation Twisty Tint. At the $81 level, backers will receive two Twisty Tints. Reward tiers go up to $304 with estimated delivery set for August 2015.

The Potential. Twisty Tint definitely adds new flavor to the window shade market. Many other window shades are available on the market and some don’t have the convenience of an easy switch out. Others, however, make it possible to use or remove the shade. Many new luxury cars nowadays even come with built-in shades that roll up and down for sun protection. However, Twisty Tint is great because it can be used in multiple vehicles and it’s also fun for kids. The only downside is that the shade it provides isn’t that big as the product is quite small. Still, for those looking to stay out of the sun, it’s a great option for versatility in sun protection.

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Automotive Kids/Babies

SafetyBib takes a low-tech approach to backseat baby reminding

SafetyBibThis idea was most likely borrowed from the handicapped placard. SafetyBib is designed with parents of small children in mind. It hangs from a vehicle’s rearview mirror to remind the driver that a sleeping baby is in the backseat. But even if mom or dad is so distracted that the SafetyBib gets missed by them, the other side is brightly colored so that the public can be alerted to check for a baby in the car. While this idea is nice in theory, it’s questionable as to whether the general public would notice much less take action even if they did happen to see the tag. This is a lower tech and more affordable method than the similar Babeep. Backers can test it out for themselves for $5 with an expected delivery of December 2014.

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Automotive

Dudad alerts trick napping truck drivers when it’s safe to dock and roll

The Premise. In some ways, it seems like the occupation of truck driver could be a pretty sweet job. No crabby co-workers, no real office politics, constant change of scenery, listening to favorite radio programs while working, and perhaps the list could go on. But one of the downsides would be the lack of sleep.

The Product. Dudad is a wireless notification device for truck drivers that allows them to take advantage of downtime between the unloading and loading of freight, which can take hours. Upon the arrival of the trucker and after checking in with the person in charge of the warehouse, the trucker can set Dudad’s notification receiver and catch some sleep after a long drive. He or she is then awakened by an alarm clock type noise once the freight is unloaded and it’s time to collect signed paperwork and head back out on the road. This allows the trucker the benefit of uninterrupted sleep, and everyone else on the road the benefit of safer road.

The Pitch. The video for this $50,000 campaign gives a great explanation of what the product is and its purpose. It’s not exactly clear how it works, but the viewer is led to believe that every truck driver who has had the chance to see the product and hear about it is rather excited to be able to purchase one for their own use.

The Perks. There are multiple tiers from which backers may choose. For $120, backers get one Dudad, and if they specify that they’re a driver or will be giving it to someone who is a driver, extra effort will be put forth in making sure that it is received before Christmas of 2014.

The Potential. Every truck driver probably appreciates the opportunity to get a good night’s sleep. And every commuter appreciates friendly truckers that will graciously allow them to change lanes and even exit the highway on the way to work or other activities. It seems that companies could offer the common courtesy of alerting a sleeping trucker when freight has been unloaded or loaded, or that veteran truckers might even have a sense of how long it is going to take for repeat customers, but these things aside, the product seems like it may be rather useful to and even appreciated by those who drive a truck for a living.

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Automotive Travel

Arctrike puts some power into lying down on the road

The Premise. With rising gas prices and a suffering environment, people are looking to new ways of transportation. Many choose bicycles or public transport, but for those who need a little power and privacy behind their ride, electric is the way to go.

The Product. The Arctrike is a recumbent three-wheel vehicle. The rider sits back and relaxes while he cruises down the road. It’s electric for extra power with pedals as well. A handle makes steering a breeze and front suspension ensures a smooth ride. Behind the back of the rider, the motor stays out of the way and is concealed. The trike itself looks sleek and rugged at the same time.

The Pitch. In the campaign video, the creators explain the advantages of a trike over a moped or car. It shows a man cruising around in the trike and his ride really does look quite smooth. The rest of the campaign goes into the trike’s specs along with the prototyping process. Arctrike’s creators really pushed their product to the limit in testing to ensure a great ride for all. This recumbent bike hopes to raise $65,000 CAD on Kickstarter.

The Perks. For $1,800 CAD, backers will receive the frame kit which includes most of the materials to assemble the trike by oneself, leaving out the battery, motor and other items. For $2,950 CAD, backers get the kit again, but including more materials, though still leaving out any kind of power. For $5,000 CAD, backers get the Arctrike and for $5,400 the better quality version of the trike.

The Potential. This recumbent bike seems like a blast to ride. It’s great for those looking for a fun and unique way to get around, at least in the warmer months. The creators claim that it’s safe, but stress that a helmet is needed to ride. One would also think that, being so low to the ground, being run over by a Mack truck might not be out of the realm of possibility. We’ve seen other trikes like this, such as the Horizon, which is designed to be a bit more accessible to people of all levels of ability than Arctrike. Still, Arctrike is a cool, fun, energy-efficient way to zip around town.

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Automotive

Beach Walker Sand Crab offers day at beach to mobility-challenged

Beach Walker Sand CrabThere is something relaxing and sometimes even healing about sitting and listening to a babbling brook or watching the sun dance on the waves of a lake or ocean. But with lakes and oceans come sand, so the disabled are often left out. Such was the focus of the creator of Beach Walker Sand Crab. The large wheeled motorized scooter makes enjoying the beach accessible to them. The only drawback to this is that it seems that it would cost a small fortune to produce this product. But for backers who want to make it happen, there are multiple opportunities to pledge toward this, with small thank you gifts expected to be delivered in December 2014.

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Automotive Connected Objects

CANBus Triple opens a dialogue between car and driver

There’s something inherently frustrating about the “check engine” light on cars. Inside of each modern car is a computer that monitors all of the giant machines systems running in tandem, and if something goes wrong, all the driver gets to see is a little orange light letting them know that something, anything, could be wrong.

CANBus Triple is an Arduino-based device that can tap into the communication that the car’s computer sends and receives and relay that information to the driver. Whether using a custom-made gauge, a laptop, or bypassing the wires that lead to the digital dashboard display, CANBus can monitor a number of different factors like air-fuel ration and passenger weight and relay that information to the driver easily and in real-time.

For the casual driver, this may sound like a godsend, but CANBus Triple isn’t exactly the most user-friendly device. Nor is it going to be an adequate solution no matter how much Top Gear one watches. CANBus Triple is for car hackers, the kind of auto enthusiasts that know how to get every last drop of power and performance from their vehicle. Created by Michigan-based engineer Derek Kuschel, CANBus Triple has been beta tested by the car hacking community and with $18,000 worth of support, is ready for open sale. The device costs $75 and ships out in November 2014.

The CANBus Triple is an auto-lover’s dream, a way to feel a closer sense of connection with one’s vehicle and a way to truly speak the car’s language. It may have a steep learning curve and a bit of an entry barrier, but for those that know they want this device, they’ve wanted something that can do this for a long time. The Arduino architecture only makes it better by making new features possible all the time.

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Automotive

PURGGO naturally freshens, leggos the stench in your car

The Premise. Cars have a tendency to get smelly over time. They’re hard to clean and some smells just want to stick around forever. Air fresheners tend to add artificial fragrances to the stench and don’t actually eliminate odors. Other cleaning methods are costly, like shampooing your car’s seats, and only work once.

The Product. PURGGO is an all-natural product designed to take the stink out of your car. It loops around a car’s headrest and lays on the back of the seat. With a blue strap and hemp body, it’s stylish and unobtrusive. The product uses bamboo and charcoal to trap odors in order to purify your car. PURGGO is fragrance- and allergen-free and won’t exacerbate asthma. In addition, it’s made with bamboo and charcoal, two materials that are easily renewable.

The Pitch. PURGGO’s campaign videos goes through the harmful effects of car fresheners. They discuss how these mass-produced products aren’t doing what they promise to do and are also dangerous to our health. Not only is PURGGO all natural, but it’s also environmentally friendly. The rest of the campaign discusses the various odors that worm their way into your vehicle along with testimonials from satisfied customers. PURGGO hopes to raise $20,000 in a month-long Kickstarter campaign.

The Perks. For $29, backers will receive the PURGGO along with two mini PURGGOs. At the $54 level, backers get two PURGGOs for estimated delivery in December 2014. Reward tiers reach up to $10,000, which only earns a hug from the PURGGO creators.

The Potential. The market offers plenty of all-natural car fresheners. Most use essential oils to improve the car’s scent along with a diffuser that plugs into the outlet. Still, these products resort to strong-smelling cover-ups instead of long-lasting solutions. PURGGO claims to last for over a year while other car fresheners only make it a month and a half. While PURGGO does work slower than others, as clearly stated in the campaign, it seems the cleanest way to remove the stench from any kind of vehicle. 

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Automotive Kids/Babies Safety

Starfish brings travel safety to baby and parent

The Premise. Perhaps every parent’s worst nightmare is forgetting that they have their sleeping baby in the backseat and accidentally leaving the child in a sweltering vehicle. What if there were something on the market that would alert a parent’s smartphone if something like that were to happen?

The Product. Starfish is a seat sensor and app. The app uses Bluetooth to pair up with the parent’s iPhone or Android phone, and the two pieces work together to build a geo-fence around a particular area where baby has been placed, such as a car. The geo-fence is approximately 20 feet in diameter, and the app takes about three minutes to set up. The seat sensor portion is weight activated, so if the parent leaves the area without the baby, a notification is sent to their smartphone that the child may be in danger. If the parent doesn’t respond within five minutes, emergency contacts are notified.

The Pitch. The video for the $15,000 campaign lays out some nice detail for how the product works, which seems to be pretty user friendly. The call for assistance to get the device into the hands of parents and caretakers around the world is indeed one that makes sense and seems potentially lifesaving.

The Perks. There are 12 tiers from which backers may choose. Perhaps the most interesting of these comes with a pledge of $40. Backers have the unique opportunity to be a part of a testing group, and will have the opportunity to provide feedback for the testing and design of the product, information that would be put toward the finished product. Anticipated delivery for this tier would be November 2014.  A pledge of $50 gets a backer the actual product with an anticipated delivery of December 2014.

The Potential. This product seems like a great idea and would likely be appreciated by any parent, especially new parents. We’ve seen a couple similar products on Backerjack before like the Babeep. Starfish would make a great baby shower gift or perhaps even a Christmas gift. It also has the potential to be of benefit to grandparents who help with care giving, daycare centers and preschools.