Categories
Automotive Connected Objects

Loxet locks up the car based on your proximity to it

When drivers mistakenly think they’ve locked their car, or perhaps forget about doing so altogether, the result can be costly. While having one’s car towed can be frustrating, having it stolen is an entirely different and more aggravating experience.

Because preventing a car from being stolen is much easier than recovering a stolen car, the Loxet is a device worth checking out. Loxet is a smartphone-controlled proximity lock and anti-theft device for cars that should help drivers breath a bit more easily. Loxet works with Android 4.3+ smartphones and iPhones equipped with Bluetooth 4.0. Once installed, the device automatically unlocks a car as its owner approaches and locks the door right as the owner begins leaving the vicinity. The device prevents anybody from driving the car who isn’t either a) the owner or b) an individual who has been granted access via a setting on the accompanying app. Loxet costs $69 and is scheduled to ship in August. Its maker is looking to raise $25,000 by May 15.

Loxet certainly has potential. One potential barrier towards widespread adoption, however, is the setup process. While the device itself can be mounted in any car equipped with central locking, it will take a mechanic 45-90 minutes to install it, this according to the company’s Kickstarter campaign. Loxet can also be installed by the purchaser via an instruction manual, but if it takes more than an hour for a mechanic to install it, it’s likely too complicated for the average consumer to set up in the first place. Turning to a mechanic will, of course, add some cost to the device.

Categories
Automotive Connected Objects Imaging Safety

CarVi driving assistant lets you keep more eyes on the road

editors-choiceMany folks have been tempted by the high-tech safety features in newer cars, but wish there was a way to get them into their existing vehicles economically.

That is the goal of the makers of CarVi, a small, circular black driving assistance device that attaches easily via a bracket onto the windshield of just about any car. The device adds an extra set of eyes, monitoring a driver’s position in a lane and the location of the car in front of it. CarVi warns drivers if they are too close to the car in front, and if it senses any potential trouble will issue audible and visual warnings.

The device comes equipped with a camera capturing 720p HD video that CarVi analyzes in real time. Owners can set it to record 40-second to one-minute video onto a memory card whenever certain events occur, such as tailgating incidents. The user can then transfer that video to an Android or iOS smartphone for viewing later. Alternatively, CarVi can function as a full-time recorder if the driver desires. CarVi can also provide suggestions via the accompanying app on how to improve driver skills after the car is turned off. CarVi will cost $299 when it ships in August. Its makers are hoping to raise $100,000 by March 20.

The device holds some promise, especially for elderly drivers and the parents of new drivers. But similar products, such as Truvolo and Zubie, have already offered the same kind of functionality with varying degrees of success. While the warnings could indeed help drivers avoid accidents, it remains to be seen if many drivers will actually be willing to hear tips about how to improve their driving once they turn the engine off.

 

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.

Categories
Automotive

ArmRestor tackles distracted driving by keeping essentials close

We spend a lot of time in cars, but they’re not really designed for comfort. ArmRestor tries to change that by providing utility and comfort. The product fixes itself to an attachment that slides in between the window and weather stripping on the 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. Still, interested backers can donate $36 for one by April 2015. This product is looking to raise $20,000 on Kickstarter.

Categories
Automotive Connected Objects

Drivebot joins the car diagnostics club

It’s interesting to see the types of emotions we harbor towards the vehicles in our lives. We silently appreciate their hard and diligent work taking us where we need to go everyday until the day comes where they breaks down, where we then proceed to generate a maelstrom of foul language and intense hatred for forcing us to spend ridiculous sums of money to fix them.

Although having a car is heavy financial responsibility, with the Drivebot it doesn’t have to be so expensive. Billed as a Fitbit for your car, the Bluetooth-enabled dongle connects to your car’s On-Board Diagnostic II port and continuously monitors problems in their earliest stages before they become worse, ballooning in cost. It also helps by reminding you of maintenance requirements and analyzing your driving patterns to save you time, gas, and money. Onboard flash storage stores two months of trip data which can be exported as documents to claim taxes on, tacking on the savings. For $75, the Drivebot can be yours in February of 2015. The campaign is attempting to reach a $35,000 goal.