Gift Ideas 2014: Car Tech
If you’ve got a tech geek in your life who also loves cars, shopping for him can be a bit of a hassle. Should you get him a new tablet to satisfy his nerd side, or a new set of tires to melt with an eight-minute standing burnout?
As it turns out, you don’t have to choose between his hobbies. Instead, combine them and give him one of these awesome in-car gadgets. We’re talking about everything from action cameras that will let him record his best laps around the track to high-tech gizmos that plug into his whip and help him get the most bang for the buck from every tank of gas.
So if you’re searching for a gift for your favorite car-loving techie, take a look at these ideas first:
Pioneer AVH-4000NEX (Apple CarPlay-compatible infotainment system): $700
So your favorite Apple fanatic wants to control her iPhone behind the wheel, but her car is so old it could legally register to vote and doesn’t have a built-in infotaintment system. Well, the folks at Pioneer might just have the perfect gift for her.
The Pioneer AVH-4000NEX is a stereo head unit that replaces a car’s original radio unit and integrates Apple’s CarPlay after a quick software update. The feature lets your Apple-holic control her iPhone 5 or higher via the unit’s 7-inch touchscreen, or with Apple’s Siri Eyes Free mode. The Pioneer connects to her iPhone via an included Lightning connector integrated into the head unit itself.
Once connected, she can do everything from controlling her iTunes player and setting directions using Maps to dictating and sending text messages and make phone calls without every having to look at her iPhone.
Oh, and if you happen to get into your loved one’s car and want to blast some jams from your Android smartphone, you’re in luck, as the Pioneer also supports Android app connectivity.
The one problem with the Pioneer AVH-4000NEX is that if your Apple-addicted driver isn’t exactly tech savvy, she’ll have to have the infotainment system installed.
In some cases, the Pioneer unit fits directly into a car’s existing radio slot, but generally installation will require some kind of modification to ensure that it sits snugly. Want to get the Pioneer head unit installed professionally? Best Buy offers Geek Squad installation for $100, or check with your local auto audio technician.
Buy it for: The driver whose hand and iPhone have physically bonded to form a single mass.
Escort Passport Max2 Radar Detector: $600
If the most important person in your life is a bit of a lead foot, the Max2 Radar Detector may be the gift he needs to save his license. The Escort Max2, Escort claims, boasts three times the range of a standard radar detector, so your family’s Mario Andretti can be alerted to potential speed traps before the black and whites are within view.
The Max2 also offers Bluetooth connectivity, which means your speed demon can get live, mapped updates of nearby red light cameras, speed cameras, speed limits, and radar and laser guns. What’s more, the Max2 blocks out false radar signals from things like garage doors.
Just remember: Speeding is, in fact, illegal. Radar detectors, on the other hand, are perfectly legal in 49 states. (Only Virginia and Washington, D.C., have bans on the gadgets.)
Buy it for: The person whose insurance rates are higher than his car payments.
GoPro Hero4 Black: $500
If the track day champion in your family wants to make high-quality videos of her vehicular exploits, then GoPro’s Hero4 Black is the action camera to get. The Hero4 Black can mount on a car’s dashboard and shoot video in 1080p and 4K resolution, so car shenanigans will always look crisp and clean.
Included Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity mean the Hero4 Black can be controlled via smartphone. And with its built-in Wi-Fi capabilities, photos, videos, and more can be shared directly from the GoPro without having to connect the camera to a computer.
And if you’re nervous that all the car-based fun will pose a risk to the Hero4, you’ll be happy to know that its robust optional case helps protect the portable camera from most slips and falls. Just, uh, be careful out there, OK?
Buy it for: The track racer who wants to document every donut and drift.
Automatic: $100
So you’ve got a new driver in the household, and you want to make sure he’s safe behind the wheel? Automatic might be the perfect gift. Automatic plugs into a vehicle’s on-board diagnostic (OBD) computer, which is as easy to do as plugging a power cord into an electric socket, and can detect everything from fuel economy to why the engine light is on.
With its Bluetooth connection, Automatic can be paired with your smartphone and provide you with fuel efficiency numbers, remind you where you parked, and even automatically dial 911 and call family members if it detects that you’ve been in an accident.
And for drivers who are really wet behind the ears, Automatic has a License+ program that helps teens learn and practice safe driving skills. License+ works by having a trusted coach (parent or family friend) monitor the young driver’s performance over the course of the 100-hour program, correcting him when he makes mistakes, and providing feedback on his skills. The program can be completed in about six months.
It might not be as cool as a 1968 Camaro, but it’ll be way more beneficial.
Buy it for: Drivers who want to squeeze more out of every gallon of gas and feel safe behind the wheel.
Sony NFC Bluetooth Smartphone Cradle CD in-dash receiver: $250
Infotainment systems aren’t just for the iPhone set. If you’ve got an Android or iPhone user on your holiday shopping list who wants to be able to listen to tunes behind the wheel, Sony’s slick smartphone receiver with Bluetooth and NFC might be the perfect gift.
The device, which fits into a car’s existing radio slot, lets the user pair her smartphone via Bluetooth. The available Sony AppRemote lets your favorite Android user control the head unit via her phone’s touchscreen. iPhone owners can also control the XSPN1BT via a phone’s touchscreen, though they’ll have to connect their handsets via the head unit’s USB cable.
Oh, and if you’re worried that your loved one will spend all her time fumbling with her smartphone while behind the wheel, the included phone mount will hold onto her handset for her, ensuring that she isn’t playing with her device when she should be focusing on the road ahead.
Buy it for: The music lover who can’t keep her hands off her phone.
Mojio: $150
Similar to Automatic, the iPhone-only Mojio is a small device that plugs into a car’s OBD port and can provide information such as miles per gallon to help your giftee develop more efficient driving habits.
What’s really interesting about Mojio, though, is that it can detect when a car has been hit while parked, if its engine has any issues, and even if the car is being towed — and alert you immediately. What’s more, if your recipient is meeting up with friends, Mojio can calculate how much longer it will take to get there and text her friends to let them know she’s on the way.
And for parents of younger drivers, Mojio can be set to send a text to your phone if it detects that your teen’s car has gone over the local speed limit. It can even disable text and call notifications on your new driver’s smartphone until her car is in park, so you won’t have to worry about her answering the phone while behind the wheel.
Buy it for: Drivers who want to keep up with their car’s health, while maintaining theirs.
Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley or on Google+ here.
