We live in a world where new technology is being constantly created and improved. This is especially true for our cars as they continue to evolve into fascinating machines with new features being added to models every year. Each year brings new features such as; back-up cameras, night vision with pedestrian detection, auto high beam control and even the parental controls with GPS tracking. Even with all the technology built into our cars there are still car gadgets you will find you need to make your driving experience stress free. Listed here are some incredibly handy and perhaps life-saving car gadgets you may want to keep stored in your vehicle for those “just in case” situations:Pocket size Jump Starter
It can happen to all of us, new car owners, used car owners and those of us who have had our car for years- you climb into your car expecting to get somewhere and nothing. Your battery has died on you and your car will absolutely not turn over. You can call your auto club if you belong to one, or you can try flagging down another car to see if they’ll have jumper cables. There is a simpler and safer solution available and that is to carry a pocket size jump starter in your trunk or storage area.
There is a new class of jump starters emerging that are portable enough to carry in your pocket or keep stored in your car. They run on lithium batteries and normally come with USB ports to keep your other gadgets charged. Three new portable car jump starters are the PowerAll, Jumpr and Versapower.
PowerAll
This incredibly portable jumper is lightweight and only measures 6.5 inches long, 2.9 inches wide and is only 1.2 inches thick. There is a flashlight on one end to help you find your way around under the hood and two USB ports. The PowerAll comes with an AC adaptor as well as a 12 volt DC adapter and a set of clamps to attach to your car battery. This convenient car jumper can handle about 20 jump starts before needing to be recharged. PowerAll states this extremely portable jumper can handle more than 500 charge cycles and should be plugged in once every three months to preserve the battery.
Jumpr
This jump starter is even smaller and more portable as it weighs only seven ounces. The Jumpr is only 5.5 inches long, 3 inches wide and only 0.6 inches thick. This jump starter includes a single USB outlet for charging other electronics and a battery clamp attachment to provide 300 amps of jump starting power. It runs on a lithium polymer battery, 6,000mAh which accounts for its small size. Juno Powers, manufacturer of the Jumpr, states it will work for most four and six cylinder cars.
Versapower
This portable jump starter is six inches long, three inches wide and only an inch thick. There is a built in light to make looking under the hood easier and a battery clamp attachment to charge up to 1,000 charge cycles. It comes with a USB adapter ending in a 30-pin iOs device plug, a mini-USB and a micro-USB. According to the manufacturer, Matco Tools this incredible jump starter can start a Ford F-150 with a V8 engine 18 times on just one charge. It is recommended to be recharged every three months to ensure battery life.
Remote start your car with a smartphone
You can remote start your car with your smartphone and stay connected with your vehicle in ways you never thought possible. When its cold outside you can start your engine using a DroneMoble app from your smartphone or even your desktop. This app is compatible with 95% of the vehicles on the road today including most manual transmissions, diesels and luxury models.
Remote start not only puts you in a cooled down or warmed up vehicle; it makes sure your windshields are free of frost to ensure a safer drive. Safety doesn’t end there, if you’re not sure you locked your doors you can easily lock them using the remote. This remote will also alert you if your vehicle is ever broken into with an instant notification. You will never be out of touch with vehicle even when you’re not driving as it can also alert if other drivers; such as your children are speeding or driving after hours you’ve set.
Car cameras to capture unforeseen events
Accidents can happen so quickly you often cannot remember what events led up to them. A person is often under incredible stress after an accident that makes recollection of the events unclear or impossible to recall. A car camera installed onto your dash will record those events as they happen and protect you should you ever be involved in any type of automobile accident. The dashboard camera is hands-free and automatically turns on and begins recording when the camera is powered on. You will never need to worry about running out of memory as the camera will loop over the oldest file when the memory card fills up. Three of the top GoPro action cameras you should consider for their small, tough and simple design are:
GoPro Hero4 features a wealth of video options and accessories. You can enable 4K or slow motion full HD video with this remarkable camera. This is the biggest name in the action camera market to capture your full event should you need to see what actually happened.
Garmin VIRB Elite incorporates Garmin expertise with tracking technology so you not only record any action that occurs, but also the location where it occurred. Recording is started with a simple on and off switch. This camera is included with a package that includes software support from the VIRB Elite App for iOs and android.
Many insurance companies feel drivers who install cameras in their vehicles will be smarter and safer drivers. They have started to offer drivers discounts on their auto premiums for those who install them in their vehicles.
If you have recently purchased a new vehicle or are driving the same one you’ve had for years, enhance your vehicles feature with one of these or one of the many other car gadgets on the market today. You never know when they will come in handy, but you will be glad you have them when the time comes.
Article courtesy of the experts at 51st State Autos