We spend a lot of time in our cars; Many people just think of it as a means to get from point “A” to point “B”. But there are some great conveniences and downright fun hi-tech gadgets on the market today. These gadgets won’t make your Knight Rider car kit (well, maybe it will), but the article touches on a few points to consider, but obviously there’s a lot more.
HD radio is one of the most impressive and practical gadgets out there. It offers a huge technological leap from what we are used to with AM and FM radio stations to what digital radio is today. The costs are all on the front end of the equipment, there are no monthly subscription fees, no radio related noise and many more stations to choose from.
FLIR systems developed the PathFindIR to provide thermal imaging that improves visibility at night. Shown through a camera, the device allows the driver to see people, animals or whatever up to 2000 feet, which is much further than we currently see in the dark. The cool thought is that you can still see that distance through snow, rain, and snow. As you can imagine, it has also been tested by the military. This is a cool gadget but for the price you have to justify why you need it.
Garmin has a free download available only on his nope GPS system, it’s called Ecoroute. Ecoroute measures how eco-friendly your driving is and rates you from 1 to 100 so you can see how well you’re doing. It gives you real-time feedback, which ideally saves money while helping the environment.
That Koolatron compact cooler gives you a place to stash and keep those cold ones cold, or a sandwich, or… heck this thing is a fridge for your car! It’s designed to fit in tight spots like between seats or behind one of them. It plugs into your cigarette lighter and keeps food 40 degrees cooler than the outside temperature.
Now, if someone could add a car stove to the fridge, we’d all be done, because now we have to be content with fried eggs on the hood. In a later article, I will take a look at some of the cool spy gadgets that are available in the market.