Push to Start, Push to Park, Push to Drive?

It’s again the week that brings us the latest in tech fromthe CES convention in Vegas and the latest from the automobile industry at theNAIAS in Detroit. But this year the lines between the two seemed to blur asautomobiles took a prominent spot at CES and technology was booming at theDetroit Auto Show. We’re not just talking about your standard car stereo or car navigation system; almost every automaker introduced better-than-ever entertainmentsystems that connect the driver like never before.

Chevrolet, Toyota, Audi, Hyundai and Ford are among the manyautomobile companies that have recognized the growing importance of technologywhile driving. Chevrolet’s “MyLink” offers wireless phone compatibility whichcan link your calls and address book directly to the vehicle. The car alsooffers wireless streaming of music from your phone including the use of Pandoraand other music apps. Toyota’s “Entune” offers the same features, but also hasbuilt in apps including Pandora, iHeartRadio, Bing search and more. AudiConnect will feature a pop-up 7-inch touchscreen display, connected wirelesslyand automatically to your phone to access a multitude of features. The knob bythe driver’s side can scroll through screens and text, making it easier tooperate than a traditional display screen. With this system you can store andtrack flights, view and play your phones entire music library, get news,weather and gas prices, and even create a Wi-Fi hotspot in the vehicle! Almostevery new model offers a remote-link app for your cell phone which allows youto unlock, lock, sound the alarm, and sometimes start your vehicle fromanywhere in the world. The days of car keys are slowly becoming a thing of thepast.

Almost nothing excites me more than the progression oftechnology, especially when it comes to entertainment. For years thecapabilities of our phones and other gadgets have exceeded that of our vehiclesand it’s about time these features were incorporated into our cars.  I wonder how long it will be until our carsare the ones doing all the driving; they can already park themselves.

Back Up into Your Back Up Battery

One of the worst things is when your phone runs out of power while you’re in the middle of something really important, like posting a witty remark on your friends Facebook profile. Just imagine how much worse it would be if your car did the same thing during an even more vital activity, such as listening to your favorite song on your cd radio. At least with phones you have the option to buy those bulky power packs that extend your battery’s life. Only if cars had something similar… oh wait, it looks like it they may be on the way! Feel free to now play that song as loud as you can on your cd radio.

Those crazy engineers at Swiss Think Tank Rindspeed have conjured up The Dock+Go. This device would hook up to the back, and look like an extension of your vehicle. The biggest difference would be the third axle and extra set of wheels. The Dock+Go would increase your driving range with either an extra gas tank or set of batteries. Rindspeed has also dreamt up the idea of putting an oven, or a complete tool box in different models of the Dock+Go.

Currently they have modeled the Dock+Go to fit on the back of a Smart Car. Most people would say, “if someone wanted a bigger gas tank and more storage, then why not just buy a normal size car instead of a Smart Car and The Dock+Go?” Most people would say this because they are right.

As of now the Dock+Go is just an idea. Rindspeed does not actually produce any of the incredible things they think up… so lazy.

Do Your Eyes and Headlights Make a Good Team?

I’m not sure if it’s just me getting older or my car, but it’s getting harder and harder to see the road while driving at night. It’s one thing to make sure luxury items like your Car Radio or Car Navigation System are working, but it’s even more important to maintain parts that affect your safety. Headlights begin to dim over time, and as the days get shorter in these winter months their brightness becomes even more important.

There are many different types of headlights such as incandescent, halogen, and xenon. Incandescent bulbs are the more traditional bulbs and tend to dim faster as the filament inside evaporates over time. Xenon bulbs use newer technology, specifically the HID (High Intensity Discharge) xenon bulbs which use two electrodes in a xenon gas-sealed bulb rather than a traditional filament. We are seeing these bulbs more and more in newer cars because the light they create is not only three times brighter than a halogen bulb, but lasts ten times longer. While three times brighter seems great for the driver, I can think of a time or two I’ve been blinded by an oncoming Audi or BMW, thinking their brights were on. Some headlights out today, such as bi-xenon, are so bright that they require self-leveling so they don’t blind other drivers on the road.

No matter which type of headlight your car uses, if you’re squinting to see the road at night you either need new bulbs or a pair of glasses. If you do notice your yellow-glowing halogen lights are much dimmer than they once were, be sure to change them both at the same time! It’s also fairly easy to upgrade them to xenon for that new, fresher look. Dimming headlights is a common problem but an easy fix, so don’t sacrifice your safety or the safety of other drivers on the road.