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Automotive Technology

11 Ways to Soup up Your Current Car With Tech

More than 90% of households in the United States own a vehicle. Per that statistic, chances are, you have a car sitting in your driveway.

That’s all well and good but is the car you own making getting from point A to point B exciting? Could you stand to punch up your drive a little bit with some cool tech?

Since you’re reading this post, we’re guessing that your answer is a resounding, yes! And that’s good because, in this post, we’re going to cover the best car upgrades you can purchase that can make your drives to work, road trips and everything in between a whole lot more tech-friendly.

1. Review Camera

Backing up your car can be a hassle, especially if your car is high off the ground which makes it difficult to see low obstructions. Car manufacturers have solved this issue by installing review cameras in their new models. If the vehicle you purchased didn’t come with one, don’t worry! You can hit the aftermarket to pick yours up.

Review camera kits can come in under $40.00 and are pretty easy to install so long as you have a compatible monitor on your car’s dashboard.

2. Interface Upgrade

Speaking of owning a compatible monitor, the interface that you have on your dashboard to control things like your radio, phone and GPS can have a huge impact on your drive. This best car upgrades suggestion can get costly since car interfaces can costs hundreds of dollars and installations are tricky.

Believable us when we say though that making it so your car can use Apple or Android CarPlay will make a world of difference in the way you access information and entertainment on the road.

3. New Stereo

You music lovers out there shouldn’t be suffering through the mono sounding speakers that came stock with your vehicle. Head online or shoot over to your local body shop to find an affordable stereo upgrade that can let you experience all of the colors of your songs.

A great stereo upgrade should include good mid-range speakers (usually these come stock with your car), tweeters and a sub-woofer. If energy consumption/price is a concern, ditching the sub-woofer is a fair compromise.

4. Satellite Radio

Whether you like niche radio programming or you get bad radio reception on your commute, satellite radio is a great solution! The vast majority of cars produced today come with a satellite radio tuner built-in. All you have to do is purchase a subscription to enjoy access.

If your car doesn’t have satellite radio, you can buy a tuner separately for under $30.00 which will let you pick up the feed.

5. Dashcam

Dashcams have become increasingly important as people look to document interactions with authority figures and accidents. Most dashcams will hang off of your review mirror and should provide two-way recordings that capture what’s going on in your car’s cab and what’s happening on the road.

Dashcams pull power from 9-volt plugs or USB outlets if your car is equipped with them.

6. Car Health Dongle

One of the best car upgrades we’ve seen when it comes to monitoring your car’s health are dongles you plug into your vehicle’s OBD-II port. These are the same dongles that mechanics use to diagnose issues your vehicle may be having, however, the big difference with the consumer-targeted models is that they come with sleek apps that tell you a whole lot about your vehicle at a glance.

From fluid levels, to tire pressure, if you’re interested in knowing how your car is doing from your phone, browse the plethora of OBD-II port dongles on the market to find one that’s right for you.

7. Wireless Hotspot

This car upgrade may be dropping in stock since most people have cellular devices that have high-speed data. If you have kids in the back that would like internet access on the road though and you’re tired of passing them your phone, consider picking up a wireless car hotspot.

These hotspots use 4GLTE connections and will require a monthly subscription.

8. Medical Alarm

We love medical alarms, particularly for elderly drivers that may need quick access to emergency support. Medical alarms plug into a 9-volt or USB power source and enable drivers to contact services with one click from the car’s cab area.

That easy access could save a driver’s life.

9. USB Ports

9-volt power connectors are fine but nothing beats the universal convenience that USB ports offer. For those of you that don’t have USB ports in your car, there are adapters you can pick up which will convert your 9-volt into one or more USB outlets.

10. Bluetooth Integration

If you’re sporting a classic car that has a tape deck, you can convert that deck into a Bluetooth receiver. Tape to Bluetooth converters are under $20.00 and unlock the ability for you to wirelessly stream your phone’s audio into your car’s stereo.

11. Seat Monitors

This best car upgrades final suggestion is another addition that is becoming antiquated with smartphones and tablets but may still be relevant to you. Seat monitors are performance parts that you can have installed into the back of your seat’s headrests so your passengers can watch movies and television while on the road.

Any One of Our Best Car Upgrades Can Take Your Drive to the Next Level

Most of us will spend a lot of our lives driving. Why not make that time behind the wheel a little more enjoyable by investing in one or more of the best car upgrades on the market?

We hope our suggestions unlock more fun behind the wheel and welcome you to check out additional content on our blog if you’d like more vehicle tips!