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1. OnTheWay
A little bit of planning goes a long way. On theWay shows you routes toward your destination and culls data from Foursquare, Yelp, Google Places and Lonely Planet to find interesting stops en route to your final destination. The pit stops can be added to your trip itinerary to create custom maps.
A little bit of planning goes a long way. On theWay shows you routes toward your destination and culls data from Foursquare, Yelp, Google Places and Lonely Planet to find interesting stops en route to your final destination. The pit stops can be added to your trip itinerary to create custom maps.
2. GasBuddy
Thousands of people regularly post gas prices on GasBuddy.com. This data fuels the website and its smartphone apps (for iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows devices) to help you find the cheapest gas nearby. No more second guessing yourself when you’re on the road wondering if the station you just passed is too expensive or actually a fair price.
Thousands of people regularly post gas prices on GasBuddy.com. This data fuels the website and its smartphone apps (for iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows devices) to help you find the cheapest gas nearby. No more second guessing yourself when you’re on the road wondering if the station you just passed is too expensive or actually a fair price.
Image: iOnRoad
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| gas hog |
It’s great to see new places, but I can’t help but feel a tinge of guilt every time I fill up. It’s not just my wallet that hurts, but the gas-pumping ritual makes polar bears sad, with their world melting underneath. I try to remind myself to drive efficiently. The surest way to know your hypermiling is working is by tracking your miles per gallon. It doesn’t get simpler than the iOS app GasHog, which keeps tabs on costs and offers tips to improve fuel economy.
4. iOnRoad
When your smartphone is mounted above the dashboard, the iOnRoad Android app, pictured left, uses your phone’s built-in sensors and camera to map objects in front of the vehicle while calculating speed in real time. When you might be in a precarious driving situation, the app will display visual and audio alerts.
When your smartphone is mounted above the dashboard, the iOnRoad Android app, pictured left, uses your phone’s built-in sensors and camera to map objects in front of the vehicle while calculating speed in real time. When you might be in a precarious driving situation, the app will display visual and audio alerts.
5. Pandora
Do you have the time to burn a CD? Do you even have a spindle of blank discs lying around? Didn’t think so. Every road trip needs an awesome playlist. That’s where Pandora comes in handy.
Do you have the time to burn a CD? Do you even have a spindle of blank discs lying around? Didn’t think so. Every road trip needs an awesome playlist. That’s where Pandora comes in handy.
These days, new cars are outfitted with infotainment systems that parallel a tablet experience. But if you’re like me and drive a car reaching clunker status, automatic windows and a multi-disc CD player are your car’s bells and whistles. A few simple accessories can offer small but noticeable updates.
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| smartphone window mount |
6. Smartphone window mount
If you don’t have a dedicated GPS device, it’s probably time to get one. After all, it’s 2012. But smartphones do a pretty decent job too. Using navigation while fussing with your phone on the freeway is a lousy idea. An easy solution? A smartphone mount. Bracketron’s universal GPS window mount, pictured left, fits most handheld devices and includes a 360-degree rotating head.
If you don’t have a dedicated GPS device, it’s probably time to get one. After all, it’s 2012. But smartphones do a pretty decent job too. Using navigation while fussing with your phone on the freeway is a lousy idea. An easy solution? A smartphone mount. Bracketron’s universal GPS window mount, pictured left, fits most handheld devices and includes a 360-degree rotating head.
7. USB car charger
Cars have adapted to meet our changing needs. Practically a staple in all newer cars, USB ports are sorely lacking in older models. USB car chargers, such as XtremeMac’s InCharge Auto Series lets you power up devices by way of the cigarette lighter when you’re on the go.
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| interactive backseat window |
8. Interactive backseat window
If you think driving can be boring, think about antsy, sugar-fueled kids in the back. A new GM technology attempts to transform the backseat window into an interactive screen. The Windows of Opportunity project produced a prototype that can run various apps, including an app called Foofu, which simulates fogging up the mirror so you can draw with your fingers. Other apps include Pond, which lets you stream and share music with other cars on the road. Screaming “I’m going to turn this car around if you …” might be a thing of the past.
If you think driving can be boring, think about antsy, sugar-fueled kids in the back. A new GM technology attempts to transform the backseat window into an interactive screen. The Windows of Opportunity project produced a prototype that can run various apps, including an app called Foofu, which simulates fogging up the mirror so you can draw with your fingers. Other apps include Pond, which lets you stream and share music with other cars on the road. Screaming “I’m going to turn this car around if you …” might be a thing of the past.
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| touch screen wheel |
9. Touchscreen steering wheel
A touchscreen wheel prototype from Germany is attempting to make driving safer. Gestures on the wheel’s surface lets the driver control radio or navigate a map. The professor who came up with the device says the wheel could also work in tandem with head’s up display technology, which projects information onto the car’s windshield.
A touchscreen wheel prototype from Germany is attempting to make driving safer. Gestures on the wheel’s surface lets the driver control radio or navigate a map. The professor who came up with the device says the wheel could also work in tandem with head’s up display technology, which projects information onto the car’s windshield.
10. Driverless cars
Human error accounts for 95 percent of car accidents. You might not want to accept it, but a robot can drive a lot better than you. Though we’re still about a decade away from seeing driverless cars in dealerships, prototypes thus far have found them superior drivers. Their reaction is a whole lot faster than yours. Can you see 360 degrees? Not to mention that robot cars don’t get sleepy, drunk, or distracted by text messages. Personal chauffer? Yes please.
Human error accounts for 95 percent of car accidents. You might not want to accept it, but a robot can drive a lot better than you. Though we’re still about a decade away from seeing driverless cars in dealerships, prototypes thus far have found them superior drivers. Their reaction is a whole lot faster than yours. Can you see 360 degrees? Not to mention that robot cars don’t get sleepy, drunk, or distracted by text messages. Personal chauffer? Yes please.
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