Is Your Ride Up-to-Date with the Latest Features?
After you’ve owned your vehicle for a while, you start to wish for something new. But buying newer vehicles every few years can be unsustainably expensive for some people.
Aftermarket car electronics solve the issue by upgrading your ride so that it feels like a whole new car. And the latest car audio technologies are pretty amazing, so we hope to see more and more of them.
Speakerless Car Audio
It’s not out on the market to the general public yet, but Sennheiser, with tech specialist Continental, has developed a car audio system that doesn’t use speakers in the traditional sense.
Their new system uses surfaces in a vehicle’s interior to create sound. It’s a veritable soundscape that immerses passengers in audio, rather than plays music from set speaker locations.
It’s called Ac2ated Sound. These incredible speakerless systems require less under-dash space and weigh less than a standard stereo, which are really big benefits for people who like to customize their rides.
Hopefully we’ll soon see Ac2ated Sound as standard or options in everyday vehicles.
Wireless Cell Phone Streaming
If you own an Apple or Android phone, one of the most exciting pieces of technology to come out in recent years is cell phone streaming via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
This tech allows you to play your music straight from your phone, make calls, send and receive texts, and much more, through your vehicle’s speakers and stereo system.
In more recent years, as car technology has grown, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have increased their capabilities. Since iOS 9, Apple CarPlay has been functional wirelessly, meaning you do not need a lightning cable or USB-C to plug in your device to stream.
Android Auto, too, has gone wireless, using newer vehicles’ Wi-Fi functionality, sans cable, to stream to your stereo and speakers.
Bluetooth is another wireless streaming option, but you don’t get the maximal functionality of the Apple or Android-specific syncing.
Powerful Speakers in Smaller Packages
It used to be that if you wanted premium auto sound, you should expect to fill every open cavity in your ride with a speaker, subwoofer, or tweeter.
Today’s speaker technology has advanced, and today, you can find smaller-scale equipment that takes up far less space, but still packs a lot of power.
This new tech is especially great as standard vehicle sizes have changed, and auto manufacturers fit more and more tech under the dash than they used to.
YOU MAY LIKE: How Snow Damaged Car Roof Can Be Repaired
Floating Displays
New vehicles are rolling out of the factory with enormous touchscreens integrated into the stereo system and other technology at the dash. But if you aren’t lucky enough to own a brand-new vehicle, then you might not have the display that you want.
Not only can you add a touchscreen display to your vehicle, but you can get a floating display, which lets you adjust its position and tilt so you and your passengers can view and use it more easily.
These floating displays can tilt both horizontally and vertically and require a universal 1-DIN chassis for installation, making them compatible with plenty of vehicles.
Virtual Assistants
When you’re at home, you’ve gotten accustomed to asking questions aloud and having your virtual assistant answer it. In the car, with Alexa Built-In, you can do the very same thing, plus play music, make calls, listen to audiobooks, control your smart home while you’re away, and more.
Add skills to the Alexa app, just like you would with your Echo devices, and then provide instructions by saying, “Alexa,” and a command for what you want the device to do. For example, you might say, “Alexa, turn on the lamp in the living room.” Alexa will activate the lamp in your home, so you don’t walk in the door to a darkened room.
Car Audio Installation
As car tech gets more complex and layered, it’s vital to work with a professional on any new installations of equipment. Installations used to be more simple, as there were fewer complex systems under the dash as cars didn’t require microchips or other newer features.
Professional car audio installation gives you big benefits you won’t want to be without, including a warranty on the product as well as a warranty on the installation. If there’s ever a problem, you can have your technology repaired at no cost to you. If you do it yourself, you’ll be out of pocket.
And if you’re new to purchasing car electronics, it’s best to talk to someone in person about your options before making a very expensive decision.
You might be wondering, “How can I find a reputable store for car audio near me?” If you have friends who have upgraded their rides with the latest technology, ask them for referrals to businesses in your area.
Once you’ve found your expert, you can begin customizing your ride to be just what you want – and incorporate the hottest tech so you stand out.