Some gadgets to boost your car's technology this summer

When the good weather arrives, we are more inclined to take the car out to enjoy the sunshine and the pleasant temperatures. This use of the car may make us think we could have more technological equipment in the car, even if it is not fitted as standard. Nowadays, any mid-range model can come with a good number of gadgets fitted as standard, but if it does not, we can count on them and add them later, without the need for large outlays or complications.

Let us start our review with the navigation system. Until fairly recently, cars did not come with a navigation system, so we had to buy one and keep it mounted on the dashboard with a holder. Today, there is hardly any sense in using a conventional GPS, since most, if not all, smartphones have one built in. All you need is a suitable holder to secure the phone or tablet and enjoy the benefits of having navigation.

If what you want is to enjoy a connection to the various online radio stations, it is also a good idea to use the smartphone or tablet to access the internet via the mobile connectivity of these devices. The sound can be improved by fitting wireless speakers to the playing device, tablet or phone, so you can comfortably listen to the music you prefer through internet services such as Spotify or Ivoox.

If you do not want to use up the mobile data plan, or if there are several tastes in the car that make controlled and considerate listening impossible, the best option is to have a Wi-Fi router in the car, through which each person can access the internet and use their own device. There are several routers of this type on the market, and they can make the journey more relaxed, with the younger occupants entertained and with no desire to cause trouble.

Another way to keep the rear passengers happy is to fit screens on the back of the front seats. In this way, the occupants of those seats can watch their favourite films without having to disturb the front passengers. There are kits with this type of screen that can be used individually, with headphones so the sound can be heard without any problems.

In terms of safety, it is also possible to fit the car with a rear parking sensor, with or without a rear camera, which allows you to keep control while parking. These devices can be fitted later if the car does not come with one, and they improve safety because the rear of the vehicle is kept under control.

A front camera can also be very practical. In some countries, such as Russia, it has become almost essential. It records everything that happens in front of the car and, if necessary, can serve as evidence to establish fault in an accident, or for less dramatic purposes, such as recording a particular route that you want to keep and look back on later.

The gadgets we use in the car can help us a great deal when driving, and are also useful for making longer journeys less tiring, but they have one small drawback: battery life. So it is important to always have a charger ready to avoid these problems. This charger plugs into the car’s cigarette lighter socket, but if there is only one and you have several devices… the problems begin.

Fortunately, there are multi-device chargers, so you will not have the problem of having to unplug the device every so often so that everyone can keep it charged and enjoy it. A good ally for those family trips lasting several hours, where everything has to work properly and allow us to arrive relaxed and safely at our destination.