8 Ways to Tech Up Your Brand New Basic Car

While a lot of people buy cars that already have the bells and whistles built-in, some of us Filipinos get the thrill in upgrading our car one by one from its standard package. Here are some ways to tech up your brand new basic car.

1. GPS

For the road trip junkies out there, you know how GPS could save yourselves the stress and effort driving to an unfamiliar destination. Whether integrated in the car or using a smartphone with navigation apps, a GPS is an essential tool for finding directions in the fastest time possible.

2. Rear camera

A lot of mid-tier vehicles are now packaged with rear cameras that come handy while backing up. It helps the driver see the area behind the vehicle, estimating the space in tight places. If you want to kick it up a notch maybe you can tweak you ride with something like the new Nissan X-Trail that has all four sides covered with four different cameras, giving you a bird’s eye view of your car.

3. Built-in TV

We all know that here in the Philippines it’s not seldom that you experience a bumper-to-bumper ride moreso if you always traverse the roads of EDSA. For times like these, a TV installed in your car might be able to make traffic a little more tolerable as you watch your news or your favorite teleserye.

4. Tablet Board or Media Player

If you’re more of a media guy and you want your files right at your fingertips, you can install a tablet board/media player on your car so you have something else to do when you’re done watching the news. It usually comes with built-in apps like Waze, VLC Player, and Spotify for all your navigation and media needs.

Alternatively, you can just mount your very own tablet on your windshield since it also has the aformentioned features. Just make sure that you get a stable mounting system to avoid dropping and possibly breaking your slate while driving.

5. Dash Cams

A lot of mishaps and even rare occurences have been accidentally recorded by dash cams and its purpose doesn’t just end there. You can use it as a sort of security camera for the car when you leave it unnattended, as evidence if ever you’re involved in an accident, or as proof to your boss that you were really stuck in traffic and not just making up stories for being late at the office.

Seriously, though, it’s a fun little gadget to have around and can serve various purposes.

6. Car Wi-Fi

Always finding yourself taking a selfie inside the car to upload on social media sites? How about streaming songs for that perfect road trip music? Whatever your online demands may be, a car Wi-Fi is a good alternative to access the Internet if data connection is unavailable. (Note: We currently have the Huawei CarFi that’s made exactly for this purpose. Stay tuned for our review!)

7. USB Power Hub

Using your gadgets will surely exhaust your battery. So for your charging needs you can opt to get a USB power hub that lets you charge multiple devices all at the same time.

8. AC/DC Power Converter

If driving out of town and going camping is your thing, then you might not help but bring electronics that get their power not just from lighter plugs seen in your vehicle. Things like charging your night light, heating water for coffee, or maybe you just need to charge your laptop while you work inside your SUV require you to plug into wall sockets and this is where power inverters come into play.

It basically takes direct current (DC) from the battery of the vehicle and converts it into alternating current (AC) which is the same kind of power delivered to houses, so your electronic products is supplied with the right power in order to function. It’s like bringing a little portion of your house’s comforts wherever you go.

(Bonus) Power bank/Jumpstarter

So you’re stuck in traffic going to work and for some reason fate decides to give you a more challening task to start your day — by letting your car battery die. This specific power bank not only charges smartphone batteries, it also jumpstarts cars. It’s a handy tech gadget to have inside the car so you’re prepared whenever the gadget (or car’s) battery needs a little nudge.

How many of these do you already have in your vehicle? Additionally, what tech do you have installed in your car that isn’t listed here? You may share them with everyone on the comments section below.