Can't Afford a Tesla? 5 Ways to Make Your Car Feel Like the Future
By Emily Price, Popular Mechanics, 11 October 2014.
By Emily Price, Popular Mechanics, 11 October 2014.
So you can’t afford one of Elon’s new Tesla D all-wheel drive EVs. Yeah, we can’t either. But just because you don’t have US$120,000 to throw down on a new set of wheels doesn’t mean your car can’t drive like it's from the future. A few aftermarket add-ons can upgrade your car for far less cash.
1. Autonomous Driving: Cruise
Price: US$10,000
At US$10,000, Cruise is a pretty expensive add-on, but it's one that will change how you drive.The system doesn't offer fully autonomous driving, but it will allow you to take your hands off the wheel and watch the car maintain your speed, stay in your lane, and keep a safe following distance from other cars on the road. Cruise is available now for pre-order. At the moment, it works only with 2012 or later Audi A4 and S4 cars. Support for other vehicles is expected to come after Cruise's official launch in 2015.
2. Watch Your Speed: Mobileye 560
Price: US$849
Tesla is introducing a feature that will recognize and read speed limit signs so the car stays below the posted limit. You can add that feature to any vehicle with the Mobileye 560. The device won’t control your car’s speed, but it will let you know if you’re driving over the limit. The device can read other traffic signs as well, and it will let you know if you’re drifting into another lane, tailgating another car, or if a pedestrian or animal has darted into your path.
3. See Behind You: Magellan Wireless Back-up Camera
Price: US$149.99
Rear-view cameras are becoming standard on new vehicles, but you don't have to miss out if you’re driving an older car. Magellan’s wireless back-up camera works with Magellan’s GPS navigator, automatically switching from navigation to rear-camera mode when you throw your car in reverse. The tiny camera attaches above your rear license plate and provides a 45-foot wide-angle view.
4. Better Directions: Navdy
Price: US$499
Carmakers have been promising futuristic heads-up displays that put all your information in front of your eyes so you needn't take your eyes off the road. But you don't have to wait until you buy a car with this feature built in. Navdy is a heads-up display that puts everything from directions to notifications from your phone in front of you. You can be answer phone calls by using gesture controls, and use voice controls to send a tweet or share your location with a friend. Navdy is up for pre-order now for US$299; pricing will go up to US$499 when it launches in early 2015.
5. Smarter Driving: Automatic
Price: US$99.95
Automatic connects to your car’s computer and mines data to make you a smarter driver. If you're a lead-foot, for instance, the device could suggest new driving habits to save you some cash in gas. The gadget also monitors the health and can tell you why your "Check Engine" light is on. It also keeps track of your car’s location, in case you forgot where you parked.
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