As a self-respecting motorist, you’re likely to appreciate having everything you could conceivably need in order to make your life on the road easier – including not just ‘cool’ luxuries, but also those essentials for the worst that could happen, such as a crash or a breakdown.
Basically, what we’re saying is that the world of car gadgetry definitely isn’t restricted to the more ‘sci-fi’ or Bondesque stuff. We’re talking about items at all manner of price points that could be genuinely useful, and even literal ‘lifesavers’.
What, then, are some of the fancy accessories and gadgets we reckon you should be buying for the next time you get behind the wheel, if you don’t possess them already?
A USB charger
Let’s start our rundown with something straightforward and affordable – a USB car charger. If your car does unexpectedly grind to a halt in the middle of nowhere and you need to call someone else for help, you won’t want to look down at your smartphone and see you only have 1% of battery life remaining.
So, why not instead plug your device into a simple charger – such as this Scosche number – so that you can nicely charge your devices as you’re going about your day in the car?
A full HD dash cam
No one ever intends to get involved in an accident that might give rise to an insurance claim – or we certainly hope not – but we all know that in the ‘real world’, shunts happen from time to time. And if you get caught out in such a situation, you may be thankful for having installed a full HD dash cam that can capture whatever happens in the necessary level of detail.
Looking in the Currys online store, for instance, we found this NEXTBASE offering. It incorporates a 140-degree wide-angle lens, and even the ability to send out an SOS to the emergency services communicating your exact location and relevant medical information, using the built-in GPS.
Having a dash cam can seriously help your case in the incident of a collision, but making sure your car is completely serviced and up to date is vital to avoid any collision. Terry, owner of Advanced Service Centre, who offer car servicing in Grays, Essex, advises “having a car service regularly can make sure your car is working exactly as it should be, reducing your risk of a crash down to driver fault or weather conditions almost exclusively”.
A sat nav
The world of satellite navigation systems can be a bewildering one for those of you who don’t exactly do ‘tech talk’ (which is probably most of you – no worries, we’re just the same). But it’s well worth investing in a sat nav, as even if you spend most of your driving time on familiar roads, you can never rule out the possibility of getting lost at some point.
All the above is why we’ve picked out a fairly simple, but well-sorted device for this category: the Garmin Drive 51 LMT-S. At the time of us writing this blog post, it was available for less than £100 from Amazon UK – and for that outlay, you get a really easy-to-use system with a clear five-inch screen, but which doesn’t distract you with any unnecessary ‘frills’.
Cleaning gel
This one might seem a bit of a ‘weird’ one, but we prefer the word ‘brilliant’. We’re referring to this TICARVE cleaning gel putty, which should set you back barely a tenner if you purchase it on Amazon. In return, you’ll receive a convenient-sized pot of cleaning slime that’s excellent for picking up random bits of dirt and dust in the ‘nooks and crannies’ of a car interior.
Combine this sticky goo with a responsible hoovering routine, and you’ll be going a long way to ensuring the cabin of your vehicle – encompassing all those awkward areas like the steering wheel, the air conditioning vents, and the spaces between buttons – stays immaculate.
A travel coffee maker
There can’t be too many of us who don’t feel the need for a caffeine boost from time to time, especially when we’re living extremely busy lives. Well, you don’t need to be in the office canteen or even at home in order to enjoy your favourite coffee, when you invest in a great travel coffee maker machine such as this Handpresso Handcoffee Auto 21000.
This device can be plugged into your vehicle’s 12V cigarette lighter socket. You could be sipping on a satisfying 800ml drink in your car in just four minutes, with nothing more than this coffee maker, water and a Senseo pod. And as of the time we were writing this article, it was available for just £89 at Amazon UK.
Equip yourself with just the five gadgets we’ve described above – never mind any of the other great gizmos out there – and you’ll be getting even more out of your time spent in your car in the months and years ahead.
As for if you don’t yet have a car at all but are worried about how your credit score may stop you from obtaining the set of wheels you need, consider speaking to a bad credit score specialist, such as Car Finance Genie. When you apply for finance through us, you may be surprised to discover what kind of vehicle you can actually afford with the help of our specialist lenders.
Filed Under: Auto News, Technology News
Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals
Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.