This is a neat little gadget for you car and offers several solutions in on with this model in particular, We have seen several options of bluetooth transmitters available in the past that I have typically used and now they have advanced some more due to technology.
This is a simple plug and play solution to get calls, music and audio onto your current vehicles set up not only that it charges your phone too and also offer a USB port to plug in music from a flash drive etc and keeping you hands free too. To set up you simply tune into a free station on your current radio and connect via bluetooth via your smartphone and away you go it is that easy.
Using the device itself also offers all the functions you need with a twisty wheel up top that can control music and calls and works really well overall it is a simple to use product that makes like so much easier in the vehicle, it was a good test sample in my case as I have a brand new vehicle and cant connect my devices to it via bluetooth and awaiting a software update by the manufacturer which is unreal in this day and age and people cant here me but I can hear them but with this unit it all works fine, I tested this with an iPhone 12 and Google Pixel 5 and worked flawlessly on both phones and that includes my music too and calls are great. To top it off you get a bass button for the bass lovers.
Features
Compatible with most devices on the market.
● Dual USB charger with one PD 18W USB-C port and a QC 3.0 USB port.
● CVC technology is anti-interference performance and noise suppression.
● Bluetooth 5.0 for strong and stable connection.
● With bass booster button helps to add bass to songs fast and easy.
Volvo Cars engineers call it “the ultimate driving simulator”, but it is not just an excuse for them to indulge their inner basement gamer. Instead, the Swedish company’s ground-breaking mixed-reality simulator is used to make new strides in safety and autonomous driving technology.
A setup with a moving driving seat, a steering wheel with haptic feedback and a crystal-clear virtual reality headset would make any serious gamer jealous, but Volvo Cars’ simulator takes this concept to the next level, making it hard to tell reality from simulation. Which is exactly the point.
Using cutting-edge technology from the leading real-time 3D development platform Unity and Finnish virtual and mixed reality experts Varjo, the simulator involves driving a real car on real roads. It combines life-like, high definition 3D graphics, an augmented reality headset, and a full-body Teslasuit that provides haptic feedback from a virtual world, while also monitoring bodily reactions.
This combination of software and hardware allows Volvo Cars engineers to endlessly simulate traffic scenarios on a real test track road while using a real car, all in total safety. Engineers can gain important insights on the interaction between people and the car for development of new safety, driver assistance and autonomous driving features.
Testers can be exposed to imagined active safety and driver assistance features, upcoming autonomous drive user interfaces, future car models and many other scenarios. It can be used on real test track roads or in the test lab, and every scenario is fully customizable. The possibilities are literally endless.
Volvo Cars “ultimate simulator” was demonstrated yesterday in an event live-streamed from Volvo’s Open Innovation Arena and hosted by a team of its innovation experts. You can watch the event on demand HERE.
Last year, together with Varjo, Volvo Cars became the first car maker to make it possible to drive a real car while wearing a mixed reality headset. Now that collaboration has been expanded to include Unity and full-body haptic suit maker Teslasuit.
According to Casper Wickman, senior leader of User Experience at Volvo’s Open Innovation Arena and one of the hosts of the livestream, this enables Volvo Cars to study authentic human reactions in a safe environment and at a fraction of the cost of a real test.
“Working together with great companies like Varjo, Unity and Teslasuit has allowed us to test so many scenarios that look and feel totally real, without having to physically build anything,” says Casper Wickman. “It lets us test drive actual cars in through traffic scenarios that look and feel real, but can be adjusted at the touch of a button.”
When developing safety systems for cars, like collision-avoiding technologies, testing is crucial. But testing these systems in reality can be dangerous, time-consuming and expensive. Virtual and mixed reality simulations, however, allow for perfectly safe testing in authentic environments, without having to build any physical prototypes or set up complex scenarios.
“By using this cutting-edge technology, we are exploring and leading the development for creating safe cars in the future. It’s great to play a part in that,” said Casper Wickman.
Watch the full livestream recording here and download the summary video of the event here.
The Nextbase 622 GW is the latest on offer from the well known brand and we have covered just about all of their line up over the years, Once again I will say it, dashcams are a worthy investment so pick on up if you do not have one already it could save your someday and help out in a claim and also you would be often surprised what you capture on a dashcam.
The 622GW introduces a range of impressive image quality improvements to the Dash Cam sector, meaning you’re covered in all road conditions. Potholes may be the bane of your life, but ruined Dash Cam footage is a thing of the past thanks to world-first Digital Image Stabilisation in the 622GW. Normal vibrations and bumps in the road are smoothed out in this industry first. You also have super slow motion on board but not had the chance to use it yet but do watch my You Tube as I regularly upload videos there from incidents captured on my travels and you also have 4K image quality.
Additionally, Extreme Weather Mode keeps you covered thanks to inbuilt algorithms that provide the clearest image quality possible in all conditions.
Set up of the 622 GW is simple as with any dashcam from Nextbase and all the contents are provided with mounts pads and tools you will see all this in the video below as well as footage and how the app works. Once connected with their own app you can visit all your files and get the telemetry details within the app giving you direct access on the fly although I had connection issues as with many dashcams with Wi-Fi a stable connection is hard to find at times but once connected you can download files save them to your phone or you can connect to your PC as any other peripheral and check the files there.
The touchscreen is responsive and a decent size too and allows you to navigate easily through the settings and you can also just touch the screen to capture and instant photo on the go. You also have an emergency SOS which we covered before and this has been there since the 322GW and this has been upgraded further in the 622GW thanks to what3words. This geocode system pinpoints the user’s precise location within 3 metres, allowing drivers to relay their location to emergency services — even if they have no data reception or Wi-Fi. The popular geocode system has never been used before in a Dash Cam but will offer a critical, failsafe option for drivers globally.
You also now have faster downloads and excellent quality with the 622GW and it offers one of if not the best dashcams on offer to date. Parking mode gives you extra piece of mind to capturing any incidents whilst you have been away from your vehicle
1.3 million people die globally in traffic each year. Last year in Ireland there were *137 fatal collisions resulting in 148 fatalities on Irish roads. Leaders in safety, Volvo Cars,has saved a million lives since it first introduced the 3-point safety belt in 1959, which was invented by Nils Bohlin, a Volvo engineer. Now, Volvo Cars is committed to saving a million more lives and reducing road traffic deaths to zero through technological solutions.
Driver Monitoring Camera
Volvo Cars is working on new in-car solutions to help address intoxication and distraction in traffic, one of which is a Driver Monitoring Camera, which will be introduced on Volvo’s next generation SPA2 (Scalable Product Architecture) platform in 2022. The Driver Monitoring Camera, together with other sensors, will allow the car to intervene when a clearly intoxicated or distracted driver risks serious injury or death. This new system will keep track of the driver’s visual behaviour, (eye movements and control, pupil reactions, scanning behaviour), reaction times, and other driving control behaviours to monitor if the driver is engaged in driving. If the system detects a pattern of vision and attention impairment, (e.g. specific eye movements and eye closures), along with other serious loss of driving control, the car will then go through three phases of help.
Phase One: The car will first engage safety support systems to shield from consequences andencourage the driver to drive with care through information and warnings.
Phase Two: If there is no improvement for an extended period, the car will then interveneby slowing down and for example contacting Volvo On Call for assistance services, if it detects that the driver’s behaviour will lead to severe dangers.
PhaseThree: Lastly, the car will eventually intervene and safely park on the side of the road.
Please see further information below and a very moving campaign video which highlights the importance the safety belt and the fact that ideas that change the world are often the most controversial.
Data from the Road Safety Authority says that 2019 saw an increase in driver fatalities on the previous year, with the majority of fatalities occurring on higher speed roads. And, in a speed survey conducted by the RSA in 2018, *52% of drivers monitored were breaking the speed limit on urban roads, 27% on rural roads, and 23% on motorways. This year, to send a strong signal about the dangers of speeding, Volvo Cars has reduced the top speed of all new cars to 180 km/h, and it is looking at how smart speed control and geofencing technology could automatically limit speeds near schools and hospitals in the future.
Volvo Driver Assistance System
“It is easy to think that phones and screens are the only scourge of the modern driver, but life as a whole is distracting,” said Malin Ekholm, head of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre. “We know people do not get distracted on purpose, but it happens. You could be late for daycare and somewhat stressed. Or you get behind the wheel after a bad day at work. All this affects you as a driver. The reality is that people want to engage with friends, family, work and entertainment, and everyone responds differently to distraction. So, we want to meet our customers where they are, not where we want them to be. That is why our focus is on using technology in the right way, so we can use it to help you stay safe behind the wheel.”
The Volvo driver assistance system can detect and help avoid a collision with other vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists. The systems support drivers with audible, visible, and brake pulse warnings when needed, and if a collision is imminent or if the driver should turn into the path of an oncoming vehicle in an intersection, the car can brake automatically.Also, inside the cabin of the new XC40 Recharge (expected in Ireland mid 2021), is an advanced voice control on Volvo Cars’ new Android-powered infotainment system, which allows drivers to control the temperature, set a destination, play their favourite music and podcasts or call their mum on her birthday – all while keeping their hands on the wheel.
“Being able to control key features on your Volvo by voice allows you to keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road,” said Malin Ekholm. “Active safety systems such as City Safety, Run-off Road Mitigation and Oncoming Lane Mitigation with steer assist can act as an extra pair of eyes watching over you.”
Under its new company purpose, Volvo Cars aims to provide customers with the Freedom to Move in a personal, sustainable, and safe way. This purpose is reflected into a number of business ambitions: for example, by the middle of this decade it aims for half of its global sales to be fully electric cars and to establish five million direct consumer relationships. Volvo Cars is also committed to an ongoing reduction of its carbon footprint, with the ambition to be a climate-neutral company by 2040.
The electric vehicles market across land, sea and air will be 24 million unit sales this year, which represents a decline of roughly 19% year on year from the impact of COVID-19. Urban vehicles such as electric cars and two-wheelers have the highest unit volume, battery demand and motor demand, and, as consumer-driven markets, bear the brunt of the pandemic’s impact. Ireland has a pretty ambitious plan going forward when it comes to EVs however the infrastructure is not there yet, pricing is another factor and range anxiety is still a thing for many also the lack of incentives is another struggle for Irish consumers despite the push towards them the uptake is not really great by any stretch.
Chart represents BEV and PHEV cars, vans, trucks, buses and E2W, and BEV, PHEV and HEV boats, ships and aircraft. Source: “Electric Vehicles: Land, Sea and Air 2021-2041” (www.IDTechEx.com/EV)
The volume of the electric two-wheeler market, which is just over 90% of the 24 million sales, may seem surprising. This volume comes from China, where the market is not growing. In fact, the S- curve is already over: the market peaked at roughly 30 million sales in 2016 after twenty years of growth and has stabilized at a slightly lower level (some 26 million were sold in 2019).
Since consumer purchasing power has surged, China’s urban mobility preference and future growth is now with the car. However, due to the sheer volume of Chinese electric two-wheelers, it will take a while for other motorcycle-dominated regions with a will to electrify (like India) to make a dent in the global market (we predict the 30 million mark will be surpassed again in 2029). Despite making up over 90% of unit sales today, Li-ion battery demand from two-wheelers takes only 11% of the market due to small battery sizes per vehicle and the dominance of lead-acid batteries in Asian micro-mobility segments.
In contrast, electric cars have the second-highest sales volume alongside relatively large battery capacities per vehicle, making up 7% of unit sales but over 70% of the battery demand in the new IDTechEx report “Electric Vehicles: Land, Sea and Air 2021-2041“: a share which increases for the next two decades.
The question is, against the backdrop of COVID-19, how have plug-in electric cars (BEV + PHEV) fared in 2020? The logic is that COVID-19 and a global recession increases consumer price sensitivity, which is a setback for more expensive electric cars. However, due to a backlog of orders from popular models, less price sensitivity from today’s electric car demographic and the continued commitment of governments to emissions targets, sales have shown resiliency in Europe and the US and were mostly flat during national lockdowns. IDTechEx expects H2 to show a modest recovery, but uncertainty remains high against the backdrop of a ‘second wave.’ In contrast, China’s growth has been negative, but this was the trend before the pandemic with purchase subsidy reductions of up to 60% from July 2019: COVID-19 amplified but did not set-off this trend.
Moving to the seas, Li-ion battery adoption on ships has flourished in recent years as start-ups have capitalized on falling battery cell prices from automotive battery suppliers. However, while the industry is used to much longer sales cycles and a decline is less immediately visible, the impact is likely to be less fundamental and isolated to specific subsegments. For example, the cruise sector has seen passenger demand evaporate due to the risk of being confined out at sea with thousands of passengers: IDTechEx has learned of some major orders for hybrid cruises being delayed, whilst other projects have stayed on track.
For more information, the new IDTechEx report “Electric Vehicles: Land, Sea and Air 2021-2041” puts IDTechEx’s core electric vehicle forecasts in one place: unit sales, battery demand, market sizing and more. Each chapter summarizes the main drivers, trends and forecasts for a vehicle subsegment (two-wheelers, cars, vans / LCV, trucks, buses, leisure boats, commercial short and deep-sea ships, manned aircraft) or enabling technology (Li-ion batteries, electric motors).
By providing a clearer understanding of relative market sizes, battery demand and the fastest-growing electric vehicle markets beyond cars, our aim is to give those in the industry the knowledge to make more informed decisions on their investments and focus into the electric vehicle industry.
For more information on this report, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/EV or for the full portfolio of Electric Vehicle research available from IDTechEx please visit www.IDTechEx.com/research/EV.
Dashcams are a must and a message I keep driving home to people and they should be part and parcel when you buy a new motor but it has not happened yet and this is why we have a huge market with plenty to pick from today,having reviewed countless models of them here today we have a dual dashcam that can be used on any vehicle, you can chose to use the second camera as an internal view or external view so either way you are covered..
A simple set up and simple UI is what makes this dashcam a win with no hardwiring required all the pieces required come in the box and it is just plug and play, We go through the UI in the video review below.. You do have a small screen to work with but works well under good lighting conditions, you can toggle between front and rear and have a dual display too which is handy albeit small, you can also turn off the screen but its best to have them on in case you might be watching something,there is 4 buttons on the front for navigation and setup and one button is for instant record which works well..
There is no app required here either so you can remove the SD card which you will need to buy and place it into a phone,tablet or PC to extract files but you can view them on the dashcam itself. This is a great simple to use dual dashcam that costs the same a single unit dashcams and is worth a look.. Check out the video review for more..
Features
Clear video: The DR02 D is a complete front and rear camera system that secures any road traffic accident. Sony Exmor sensors in both cameras can record super-sharp 1080p video (accompanied by optional audio in the car) and be well-suited for night driving too
Full 6-lane field of vision: The wide-angle lenses cover more and capture crucial peripheral action. 170 ° front and 152 ° rear viewing angles can monitor movement and other situations front, back or even to the side
Emergency recording & GPS supported: Thanks to the G-Sensor, emergency recording is automatically activated in the event of cornering or sudden braking and protects against data loss. When connecting the AUKEY GM-32 GPS antenna (sold separately), the dashcam can record the GPS coordinates and speed data in videos
Extreme temperature operation: Power supply via the included dual ports car charger and internal super capacitor. And the super capacitor can withstand extreme heat and cold (-30 ° C – 75 ° C) better than a battery and has a much longer service life
Parking mode: Triggered by motion detection, the dashcam automatically records the vehicle or the person in front of the dashcam. (requires continuous power supply). Scope of delivery: Dual dash cam (front and rear camera), dual ports car charger, 4m / 13ft USB mini-B cable, 7m / 20ft USB mini-B cable, two sticker holders, six 3M stickers, six cable clips, operating instructions, 24 -Monthly replacement guarantee and friendly customer service
I have countless phone accessories here in the house some of which still to be reviewed but this one tops the list including some of the reviews I have done before due to several factors, It has a top notch build quality and it has something missing from many phone holders as such which is the ability to manoeuvre. Yes others do have the ability to do so but this has ball joints both ends,it is not made from plastic not does it have expandable grips or dials to tighten or loosen the gadget to get that right fix not will it break in a few weeks use,even days as some have done.
It is made with 7000 series aluminium and Neodymium magnets which are at both ends and boy they are strong and have a great grip,this can be used anywhere you have a flat surface, You get extra tags and 3M stickers in the box so you can place them wherever suits and use it in more than your home you can use in your car,the back garden in the shower if you are one of those,use it for selfies or videos,put it over or beside your cooker or even place it beside your laptop or pc if you have a set up at home where it works it is that portable.
What I like best is the pivot movement both ends which makes it simple to set at any angle so it suits everyone and one fixed its not going to budge once placed,it is best to let the magnet settle for a day or so for ultimate grip and the more of these you have the better you can move it around the house and bring it into your car too, I have just bought two new vehicles and it will be a welcome accessory replacing the window mount because they do not last are too messy and clunky and you just need to rest your mobile on the magnet with no hassle at all and it has not fallen off yet having tested for a few days. See their own video here and check out ours below.
Click to enlarge
Tech Specs:
Powerful Neodymlum magnets on both ends
Height 3,25in Diameter 1,5in
Made of 7075 Aluminum
Two Articulated base
Rubber padding top avoid scratches
100 Degrees Pivoting Movement
Weight 5oz
WIPLABS sent us this product to review and no copy approval given nor influence and are seeing this the same time as you..
In the past two decades, the car market has declined twice: first due to the 2008 economic crisis, and then due to falling sales in China. Most recently, the lockdowns implemented to combat the coronavirus pandemic, causing auto-production plants to close globally and a loss of consumer spending will lead to an unprecedented 23% decline in 2020 (IDTechEx prediction).
In the following decade (2030 – 2040), things will not improve: the global car market will be blindsided by the rise of autonomous vehicles, which greatly reduces the need for private car ownership. Within this scenario, it is electric cars which will remain a beacon of growth, satisfying both the governmental drive to clean air in cities whilst also working more readily with autonomous vehicle technology.
Source: IDTechEx with historic data from industry associations. For more information, please see the IDTechEx report, “Advanced Electric Cars 2020-2040”.
In their simplest form, an electric car consists of an energy storage device powering one electric traction motor, which spins wheels via a transmission. First invented in the 19th century, electric cars ultimately lost the battle to the internal combustion engine, unable to compete with the energy density of gasoline. Over one hundred years later, the Li-ion battery is enabling their meteoric rise as a solution for reducing local emissions and green-house gases.
Once derided as toys, today electric cars with barely 15 years of development offer cutting-edge automotive technology and performance, from sub 2.5 second 0 – 60 mph acceleration, to autonomous driving functionality and solar bodywork. Battery-electric vehicles (BEV) are the endgame: zero emissions at point of use and the focus of automotive start-ups (and China). On the other hand, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) provide a short/mid-term solution, soothing initial fears of range anxiety.
The brand new IDTechEx report, “Advanced Electric Cars 2020-2040”, provides a long-term outlook for the car market and enabling technologies in the wake of COVID-19. The key sections are summarized.
Forecasts and COVID-19 Impact
In the report, IDTechEx provide long-term forecasts to 2040 for electric passenger cars by region (China, US, UK, France, Germany, Norway, Netherlands, Denmark, RoW) and by powertrain (battery-electric, plug-in hybrid, fuel-cell). Forecasts are presented in number of vehicles, battery demand (GWh) and market size ($ billion), with historic data back to 2015.
All forecasts are adjusted to reflect the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic: amid economic uncertainty and unemployment, the auto industry has been one of the hardest hit as car purchases, typically the second largest consumer purchase (the first is a house), are now more difficult to justify for millions of consumers worldwide.
Li-ion Batteries
The IDTechEx report identifies and explains trends in Li-ion batteries for electric cars. For example, nickel content is increasing while cobalt content is decreasing: why is this important for automakers and the overall sustainability of the industry? It also provides historic market data on the Li-ion technology mix based on our database of electric cars in top auto markets: China has phased-out LFP from over half its car market to less than 2% today; why will Tesla contradict this and adopt LFP for Model 3 sales in China?
Electric Traction Motors
All electric motors have the same purpose of converting electrical energy to mechanical energy, but there are many types of motors that derive their names from their construction, principles of operation, or even from the control technique employed on them. The IDTechEx report explores why automakers are converging on permanent magnet motors, multiple motors, provide a benchmarking analysis of the different motor types, and finally, an outlook for how IDTechEx expects the motor market to evolve over the next ten years.
Autonomous Vehicle Technology
IDTechEx predicts that the rise of autonomous vehicles will have a profound impact on the global car market as it enables mobility-as-a-service to become cheaper than private-car ownership. The report shows forecasts of autonomous passenger car miles, revealing how this will lead to a fundamental peak-car scenario. IDTechEx appraises the key underlying technologies such as LiDAR and camera-based systems: is the camera-only approach a high-risk gamble or a winning strategy that will be copied?
Wireless charging is not for all but for me at home it is an in my vehicles and plus the fact they save your charge port and cables they are an option you should consider, Qi charging however is not the fastest in the world in most instances but does the job and to bring it to the car is a good idea, Yes we do have some vehicles now that have wireless charging pads built in but the same theory still applies.
This charger can offer several levels of charging device dependent and works on several devices I have test and is one of the faster ones,this one two also sports some lights not that you will see them when there is a phone in the holder but looks nice, I am not a huge fan of vented phone holders yet this one seems robust and clips on with a clip on the rear, many I have used in the past have just broke the vent or broke full stop,this one also offers you a good deal of movement to get it fixed in the right position that suits you best or even your passenger can place their compatible phone in it, the unit holds the device quite well and secure and yet has to loose my phone going over bumps, It will also charge with most cases on your device so be sure to check out the thickness level and materials used if you sport a case on your mobile phone,check out the video below for more..
BUY HERE get a 10% discount with the code GL15WVideo
Serve as a car phone holder as well as wireless charger. Once the phone is placed on the mount, the charging station automatically holds the weight. The anti-scratch and anti-slip rubber material base design allows for a secure and safe grip, allowing for a worry-free travel. Integrated smart chip resists this wireless car phone holder from overheating, over-voltage and short circuit, ensure ultimate safety for your car and device.
【360°Adjustable Rotation 】Unlike other fast car chargers, this wireless car charger mount can be rotated 360 degrees. Thanks to the flexible ball joint, you can choose vertical or horizontal or the tilt mode for a more comfortable view. Even on the bumpy roads there will be no power failure and it will be very stable.
【Easy Operation & Gravity Sensor】Our wireless Qi car holder is super easy to use. Simply slide your phone into the holder where it uses gravity to securely lock. Protects phone from sliding off dash or seat onto the floor. On pressing sides button the clamps retract, you can easily take your phone out. One hand operation, very convenient and safe for driving.
【3 Charging Modes 】10W fast wireless Qi car charger for Samsung Galaxy Note 9/8, Note 5, S6 Edge+, S7 and S7 Edge; Speedy 7.5W charging for iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, XR, X, 8 Plus. 5W charging in standard mode for most other Qi enabled phones. Note: It doesn’t work with too thick (≤ 5mm) and includes magnetic or metal phone case.
