At Friendly PC, we are gamers (no, seriously), VR & AR lovers, automators, code-learners, customizers, upgraders, optimizers, power users, and fans of drones & all things tech. We eat, sleep, and breathe technology. One time, a Friendly-PCer even had a dream in binary.
And we know that many of you love technology as much as we do (or at least its ability to upgrade certain parts of your life). So, we want to talk about a part of life we experience every day but remains frustratingly… un-advanced: the car. Unless you’re driving a fairly new car (or a Tesla, in which case we would like a ride), the experience is roughly the same as it was 20+ years ago. Isn’t it time to add some technological “oomph” to your daily drive? If you’re tired of a “dumb” driving experience, but aren’t ready to install an all-in-one “infotainment” system, read on! We’ve rounded up a few car tech upgrades that can make your wheel time (finally) feel like a 21st-century experience.
Backup camera
This is one of the best features to reach the average car in quite a while. They don’t really elicit “oohs” and “aahs” anymore, but backup cameras help prevent a great deal of injuries and accidents. Thankfully, owners of older cars can get in on this great innovation by installing a stand-alone system.
Bluetooth for Your Car
Adding a Bluetooth car kit is a one-stop-shop for a better integrated media, navigation, and communication experience in your vehicle. In addition to the primary benefits, some kits are also quite cheap (under $40) and most are easy to install.
GPS Navigation
If you often drive through unfamiliar territories, a GPS device is the best copilot you can have. Although we all have navigation-ready apps on our phones, they aren’t always handy while driving. The maps on our phones also tend to let us down when we need to calculate a multi-stop route. If you want a more full-featured navigation tool, a dedicated GPS system is just what the doctor ordered.
Know Thy Car
Tired of that slow-burn sense of dread you feel when the check engine light comes on? Devices like Automatic and BlueDriver will take the mystery out of your dashboard. These tools plug right into your car’s computer and feed tons of useful easy-to-read information straight to your phone. The Automatic offers integrations that help track your driving (say, on a business trip). The BlueDriver, on the other hand, is a DIY (or professional) mechanic’s new best friend.
You see? There’s life in your well-used car, yet! With the (mostly simple) installation of a few car tech upgrades, you can give your ride a major lift.
What do you think? Is there another feature common in newer cars you’d like to replicate? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!
