Rachel Miller from moneysupermarket.com reviews the best car gadgets on the market!
Tom Tom Go Live 1000
The Tom Tom Live 1000 is a sat nav which will no doubt be on the top of the Christmas list for people who love car gadgets. No matter how good a sense of direction we believe we have there comes a time when you will need a little help with how to get somewhere. This Tom Tom has proved that the sat nav is still a must have car gadget, despite clever phone apps which claim to do the same thing as the traditional satellite navigation technology. One thing that Tom Tom has managed to improve greatly is their navigation efficiency. It has never been easier to create your route- you can now build your own menu of your favourite functions, making it easier to use. Tom Tom fans will be instantly at home with menu and
directions as their icons are still the same but formatted to be easier to use. The voice recognition makes this process even quicker, without the need to actually touch the device.
The stand out feature of the Go Live 1000 is the HD Traffic Service that comes with it. Your sat nav will be able to warn you about congestion and traffic queues before it’s too late. The HD service tracks the signals of mobile phones in cars, meaning that increasing volume in signals in a specific area will indicate a traffic queue. The Go Live has been said to have the most accurate Traffic Service on the market at the moment, and is definitely worth investing in if you commute or drive a lot.
Breathalyzer Key Ring
Most of us like a few glasses of wine when we meet up with friends or go for a meal, which imposes the problem of transport. It’s probably a lot safer to drive to your destination than to wait in dark train stations or bus stops, and can be cheaper than a pricey taxi at the end of the night. However, drink driving laws have never been stricter and for your own safety, as well as others it’s advisable not to drink any alcohol when driving. However if you do fancy a drink this gadget will be on hand to tell you when you’ve had too much. The Breathalyzer key ring is a nifty, portable way to make sure that you’re under the limit, and will light up either red or green depending on how high your alcohol levels are. If the key ring shows the red light, that indicates that you should look for an alternative way of getting home, but if it stays on green you’re good to go.
Electric Windscreen Scraper
We’ve all been there- it’s cold, dark and icy and all you want to do is get in the car and turn the heater up. But first you need to get all the ice off the windscreen before you can go anywhere meaning you need to get out the car scraper or the credit card; if you don’t have a scraper. As well as making your hands like ice, we of the fairer sex are much likely to be shorter than our male counterparts and reaching the centre of the windscreen can be tough. In comes the electric scraper- one of the best winter car gadgets out there. The electric scraper has an in-built heater which will help to melt the ice, making it easier to scrape off. You can also extend the length of the scraper to tackle those hard to reach spots. And the cherry on the cake has to be the light so you’ll be able to see on those dark mornings. No need for batteries either- you can charge this gadget in your cigarette lighter socket!
Car Finder App
If you’ve got a smart phone and drive a lot and sometimes struggle to remember where you have
parked, this is the app for you! Most drivers have been in a position where they’ve parked their car,
gone shopping and come back to find they can’t remember where they left their car. This is particularly
difficult in big car parks at busy times. It’s not a sign of premature memory loss- car parks can be
confusing. The Car Finder app gets switched on as you leave your car and locks your positions via GPS
in its system. There is even an opportunity to make notes like what floor you’re parked on, or your
parking space number. When you return from your activity you simply scan your smart phone over the
sea of parked cars and it will tell you how to get to your car- magic. You’ll never lose your car again. Or
embarrassingly report your car as stolen to the police…
Car Gadget Holder
This one is a must have for anyone who has an iPhone or a smart phone which they use while driving. Whether you use your smart phone with a Bluetooth connecter to make calls when driving, or whether you have an iPod Car Kit to listen to your music, you’ll want your iPod, iPhone or smart phone to be visible when driving. There are hundreds of gadget holders for cars on the market and you can buy them relatively cheaply. Just remember to take the holder off your window when you’re not in your car so potential thieves don’t think you have valuables in the car.
Remember that buying new tech and gadgets for your car can provoke thieves and vandals, so always be sure to hide your kit when you’re not using your car. Always check with your car insurance provider that your tech will be covered on your policy. You can compare car insurance at moneysupermarket.com.
