We’ve all seen the futuristic displays on famous futuristic sci-fi films in which helpful and vital information appears on the mirrors or windows of the character’s vehicles. But as is often the case with sci-fi technology we see in films we are now beginning to see similar systems emerging in real life. Recently we've seen a lot of buzz around Google Glass, but we could soon see similar systems on the windscreens of our cars as well as our eyes.
Technology firm Harman has recently previewed its interactive car windscreen at the Geneva motor show. The system will project a large amount of information onto the driver’s windscreen including things like speed, distance to the car in front, and directions. This information will sit on the windscreen of the driver but the firm ensure that it will be seamless enough as to not be distracting. The system will also feature a sensor that will allow the driver to navigate the system with different hand gestures allowing them to control audio, make phone calls etc.
The system is already becoming popular in various luxury car lines but it is still in its infancy. It will no doubt become a popular system in the cars of the future and here at Mobile CarKit Solutions we will be sure to keep up to date with the systems developments. Check out the video below for a little more information on the system. And don’t forget to check out our online store, in the near future we may be stocking augmented reality windscreens!
This week we got yet another glimpse into the future of the everyday car. The changes we keep getting a glimpse of may appear small but it won’t be long before cars are packed with them and when combined driving as we know it may be quite a different experience, we can’t wait!
With the weather being what it is the annoyance of a steamed or frozen up windscreen will be fresh in our minds. How many of us sat with out teeth chattering in a freezing car waiting for that pesky frost to clear this winter? But there is hope, in the future this annoyance could be something we reminisce about in the winter months thanks to a team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The team have developed a coating which is to be placed on the inside of a windscreen to to stop it steaming up. The coating absorbs water molecules before they can cause fogging or freezing. This in theory will totally eliminate the problem of an unclear windscreen. As we mentioned earlier, this is a small change that has the potential to make a big difference to our driving experience. The coating can be applied to front and rear windscreens so you will no longer have to wait for either to clear before setting off on your journey. This is a great development for both convenience and safety as impatience can sometimes get the better of drivers who will begin their journey before allowing the windscreens to fully clear. We can’t wait for this to become a common fixture in vehicles, can you? Let us know in the comments below.
Tired of being blinded by other drivers’ high beam lights disorientating you as you drive along at night. This disturbance could soon be a thing of the past with car manufacturer Volvo recently unveiling its latest development that it hopes will make driving safer and more comfortable.
The Volvo Active High Beam Control hopes to make it possible to drive with high beams continuously without worrying about blinding others. The new lights will utilize a camera found in the front of the vehicle. The camera will identify incoming vehicles and shade them whilst still illuminating the rest of the road. When a car in front is detected the detector relays info a projector module mechanism integrated into the headlamp. A tiny cylinder with metal pieces of different sizes allows shading of the beam to cover necessary areas. Check out the mock-up created by Volvo at the bottom of our blog.
This is an incredible development which could soon see the manual switching between high and standard beams become a thing of the past. It appears the motor industry is moving increasingly toward automation. We already supply a wide range of products that serve to make your driving experience a little easier, have a look: http://www.mobilecarkitsolutions.co.uk/
We all like to listen to our own music when we drive; there’s nothing on the radio and you have an urge to listen to your favourite song. If you have no CD’s you may be tempted to pop in your headphones to listen to music via ipods, phones etc. and although this is strictly not illegal it can still be a great hazard. Under current UK law there is no ruling that drivers must refrain from wearing headphones while driving. However the Highway Code does advise drivers to avoid distractions, including loud music. A recent study revealed that a massive 83% of adult drivers in the UK want this advice changed into a law. Remaining aware of your surroundings while driving is essential and you may forget that you rely on more than just your eyes to stay aware. Your ears can alert you to tyre screeches, sirens, horns and many other things that will require immediate attention when driving.
Luckily there are ways to listen to your own music without the use of headphones. Here at Mobile Carkit Solutions we supply a wide range of solutions to enable you to listen to and control the music you listen to while driving. So ditch the headphones and take back control of what you listen to safely. Check out our music solutions here: http://www.mobilecarkitsolutions.co.uk/Ipod-Iphone-And-Mp3
This week we saw a glimpse into the future of everyday motoring in the UK. Analysts and motor experts have predicted that internet capabilities will soon be offered on every major manufacturer new car! But this is not the prediction for the distant year 2100 when we’ll all be driving hover-carsanyway, this is predicted to happen as soon as next year! Cars have come a long way in the past 10 years alone with automated features and a wide array of car gadgets available to drivers. But the latest prediction, if true, could begin a new era in car technology as motorists utilise the latest apps and devices geared around driving online. In-car internet is already offered in some BMWs, Audis and Mercedes, among others; with more major manufacturers such as Ford and Vauxhaull set to follow suit.
Analysts told the BBC, Ford already has evidence that offering the internet in its US cars is helping it sell more cars. Research suggests that more than 50% of new car buyers would be swayed by an internet-capable car. What are your thoughts on internet in cars? Can you see yourself answering tweets and browsing facebook via modified in-car apps as you safely drive along? Would you be more tempted to buy a car knowing it has internet capabilities?The car is changing fast, that’s for sure!
It doesn't matter if you're taking short trips or driving at slow speeds, seatbelts save lives. On the 31st January 1983 by law it was required that all drivers are to wear seat belts. Last Thursday was the 30 year anniversary of this law being passed on seatbelt safety.
Since 1965 car manufacturers have had to install seat belts, however, the law requiring drivers to wear them did not come into force until 18 years later. The law changed again in 1991 making it a legal requirement for adults to wear seatbelts in the back of cars.
Not long after the compulsory driver seatbelt use law was implemented in 1983, it was found that 90% of car drivers and front-seat passengers were observed wearing seatbelts. Since this time the high rates of seatbelt wearing in the front seats of cars have been maintained.
In 1991 when it became compulsory for all rear-seat occupants to wear seatbelts, there was an instantaneous increase from 10% to 40% in observed seat belt wearing rates.
Always wear a seatbelt - evidence has shown that up to 300 lives would almost certainly been saved in 2007 if all occupants within a car had been wearing their seatbelt. That is approximately one life a day!
Driving is full of distractions, inside and outside the car. We often give thought to what is happening outside our vehicles but the items that litter the insides of our cars can be just as dangerous as those outside. You may think you can get away with fiddling with a mobile phone or a cup of coffee because you are a good ‘multitasker’ but a new report points out the surprising truth about multitasking and driving.
The report revealed how those who profess to being able to multitask while driving are actually the most likely to be the least capable of multitasking. As part of the study psychologists examined 310 drivers to measure their actual and perceived multitasking ability. Lead researcher Professor David Sanbonmatsu, from the university of Utah said of the research: “"We showed that people who multi-task the most are those who appear to be the least capable of multitasking effectively”. The research also highlighted people’s overconfidence in their multitasking abilities with 7 out of 10 participants considering their multitasking abilities above average.
Multitasking while driving is extremely dangerous and should be avoided. There are devices out there to help drivers with their needs without causing them to become too distracted. We stock a great variety of products designed to ensure drivers can focus all their attention onto the road while enjoying the use of their mobile phones, sat navs etc.
For this week's blog post we thought we’d take a look at the potentially surprising news that four out of five young drivers cannot read a map!
A questionnaire, carried out by NetVoucherCodes, questioned 2000 drivers about their driving habits which drew some interesting conclusions. Listed below are some of the results the questionnaire returned:
Two out of three participants in the survey admitted to preferring to use a satnav to a paper map when navigating journeys.
Drivers between 18 and 30 years old were the most reliant on gadgets to help them get from A to B.
Four out of five young drivers confessed to not being able to read a map.
The results of the survey certainly provide an insight into the popularity of satellite navigation devices. It is never wise to place all faith with technology so we advise keeping a map in the car in the extremely unlikely event that the sat nav fails you, it’s better to be safe than sorry after all.
Satellite technology is constantly improving as new developments are made. Very recently scientists took another step toward eliminating the problem of losing satellite navigation signal, developing new technology that will combine satellite signals from different satellite navigation systems in a single receiver. For our full range of satellite navigation devices please follow this link.
Better late than never, snow has finally arrived in the UK. It remained at bay for the Christmas period but has now arrived to the usual mixed reaction. Everyone knows we love to talk about the weather especially when snow arrives, it’s already making headlines across the country. You may dismiss the warnings as scaremongering but snow does present a very real threat. On snowy or icy roads stopping distances can be over 10 times those on normal dry conditions, driving in snow requires a great deal more precaution. Here are some handy tips for driving in the snow:
Ensure your car has the following items in store. These are all essential should crisis strike in the snow.
A simple but important piece of advice. Wait for your windscreen to completely clear before you attempt to drive. It may take a little longer but it will be much safer than peering through a football sized hole.
Tyres are they only part of your car that should be making contact with the snow and so it is essential they are up to scratch. A tread of 3mm is necessary and whatever you do don’t reduce tyre pressure to get more grip. It simply doesn’t work.
Learn how to drive in the snow with these helpful driving tips.
If you are lucky (or unlucky depending on your point of view) enough to have snow we hope you stay safe. Don’t forget to check back here next week.
Everyone gets a little distracted when driving. Afterall it’s impossible to keep your eyes on the road for every second you spend in your car; but a recent study has shed light on just how distracted drivers really get when behind the wheel.
The study revealed that drivers are not looking at the road 18 per cent of the time they spend driving. Revealing that drivers also take their eyes off the road every nine seconds the study gathered the results from special eye-tracking glasses. Amongst the distractions listed were clouds, scenery, passing pedestrians, adverts, mobile phones and many others objects inside and outside the vehicle.
Another survey supporting the findings found that one in 10 driving convictions were for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving. Here at Mobile Carkit Solutions we carry a wide variety of hands free kits, perfect for allowing you to talk without breaking concentration. The majority of our kits can be run without any fiddly wires or set up, once they’re installed by one of our experts they can be used straight away. Check out our selection of hands free car kit here: http://www.mobilecarkitsolutions.co.uk/Hands-Free-Car-Kit
We would like to begin our first blog of the year by wishing a Happy New Year to all our readers! Wherever and however you celebrated Christmas and the arrival of the New Year we hope you enjoyed it. Did you receive any new car gadgets? Let us know! Now, on with the blog!
This week saw reports emerge which suggest that millions more motorists could soon face reduced speed limits across the country. Research by The Independent suggests that more than a third of local authorities have introduced, or are planning to introduce, measures to stop drivers exceeding 20mph on certain local roads. The proposed introductions are well backed by both the public and statistics, and so it is possible a change could soon be made near you.
Here at Mobile CarKit Solutions we have a wide variety of Speed Camera Warning devices available to help you drive safely. Ideal for those unknowingly living near a 20mph road is the ‘Snooper My Speed’ device. If the road has recently become a 20mph road then you needn’t fear. Snooper My-Speed alerts you to the speed limit of every road you travel on as well as the speed you're travelling at! Never again will you have to check around for signs to confirm what speed you should be travelling at, this device increases will tell you; increasing the safety of those inside and outside the car. For our full range of Speed Warning Devices please follow visit our website: http://www.mobilecarkitsolutions.co.uk/Speed-Camera-Warning
