Automotive Gadgets

Hybrid vehicles are always welcome in my book, since the earth is already being overloaded by too many people, too much waste and an imbalanced system of wealth distribution. Encouraging people to take public transport instead of just riding around in their fuel guzzlers for fun does take some getting used to, since most folks prefer the privacy of their car. What happens when you try to prick their conscience from another point of view? What if they know that if they were riding on a hybrid bus that does it’s part in reducing carbon emissions, will they take the plunge then? Until these plug-in hybrids are well distributed all over the world in congested cities, that answer remains theoretical. I’m not here to talk about that though, but will concentrate instead on this efficient and pollution limiting plug-in hybrids.

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While driving down the highway one day, I had this fantastic idea for an inter-auto communication device. This way, you can communicate with the guy in front of you and sent messages like “you’re driving too slow”. I had this idea that all license plates could be something like phone numbers to communicate between cars.

However, since most people have cellular phones now, you could probably just call the car in front of you. How would you know the phone number? Just suction cup the CallMe Prism-I to your rear window.

This device is simply a programmable LCD that is solar powered, and can store about ten numbers. Apparently, the CallMe Prism-I is probably not designed to be an inter-automobile communication system. It is a way for desperate guys or girls to proudly display their digits to anyone passing by.

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Darkness not only removes light from the scene when you’re driving, it also takes out contrast, leaving a night driver with the bright spotlight cast by the car’s headlights, and any other place where light is cast by streetlights, a full moon, billboard lights, etc. It’s a light/dark world with no degree of shade or contrast. High-end sports watch maker Tag Heuer has recognized that the ability to see varying degrees of light and dark can add that contrast and have created a pair of Night Vision glasses to help drivers to see – even when no light is cast. Here’s how they work:

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Pioneer wants to get its hands in the auto navigation and auto multimedia market with the creation of the AVIC-F500BT. Pioneer calls the F500BT a “hybrid”, and that word is getting thrown around a lot within the auto industry, it applies to this automotive device as well.

After all, the AVIC-F500BT is a mix of many devices. First of all, it is a fantastic navigation system. There are mapping functions that can be viewed in both overhead and moveable 3D. The screen is a 5.8 inch touchscreen, and the directions are text-to-speech enabled by street. The database includes maps of the United States, Canada, Alaska, and Hawaii.

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