These days, technology is evolving at a rapid pace and things that were considered expensive or too high-tech are now well within the reach of an average buyer. Fortunately, these trends are taking root in the automotive industry as well so if you are planning to extend the lifespan of your reliable and low-mileage four-wheeler and make it trendier, you now have plenty of options to choose from.
Let us take a look then at a couple of tech upgrades that will make your good old car more efficient, easier to drive, more practical, or simply more beautiful to look at.
Backup Cameras
Yeah, when we talk about affordable tech upgrades for a vehicle blind spot cameras are usually the first mentions that pop up, and for a good reason too. Not that long ago these devices were reserved only for the premium car models released by the most famous brands. Now, though, the basic setup consisting of a backup wireless camera coupled with a monitor can be obtained for no more than $50.
However, these upgrades can save you a lot of trouble when parking or navigating busy traffic, especially if you own a taller SUV where the rear visibility is seriously compromised by the vehicle’s giant dimensions.
Blind Spot and Cross-Traffic Warnings
Every year in the United States, blind spot issues cause nearly 840,000 traffic accidents and claim more than 300 lives. All these life-threatening situations can be easily avoided since radar-based blind spot systems that will alarm you whenever you are changing lanes while some other car is sneaking behind you have become incredibly affordable these days.
As a matter of fact, some of the most basic systems can be bought for about $200 hundred dollars plus the money you will need to pay for the installation. The level of safety and environmental awareness you will get, on the other hand, is truly priceless.
Bodyworks and Styling
These interventions can drastically affect the performance of your vehicle, set it up for other tech upgrades, provide higher protection to your car, and, plain and simple, make it look fresh and trendy again. All these things are made even better by the fact that these bodywork technologies are undergoing rapid development.
If we take Australia as an example of a country where this market is booming, we will see that professional car customisation in Sydney now uses the latest-gen hydrophobic thermoplastic urethane film with self-healing properties that can keep the car protected for up to 10 years.
Dash Cameras
If we take a look at the latest car insurance industry trends we will see that this business is becoming extremely meticulous and data-driven. With things as they are, you will have a very hard time making any sort of claims if you don’t own hard evidence of the issues you have encountered.
So, the idea of upgrading your car with a dash cam that will record all the problems you experience in the traffic does sound good. But that’s not all. Some of the high-end units you can find around are also capable of vehicle surveillance or sending you notifications if someone bumps your car which is a real treat.
Heads Up Displays
Checking your engine, notifications, speed, gas and other critical info always requires that you take your eyes off the road. Even though they are very short, these brief moments can make all the difference in the world and drastically compromise your on-road safety. Well, not if you simply install a heads-up display that will put all the important information you need right in your line of sight.
In most cases the installation of these things is incredibly easy – you only need to attach the device to a computer connection usually located under the steering wheel while the main unit easily attaches to the windscreen.
Seat Heater and Massager
Last but not least, we would like to remind you that no matter how stacked your car might be with the safety equipment your safety will ultimately depend on your ability to efficiently get the vehicle from point A to point B. There is no way you will be able to do that if you are feeling uncomfortable while you are in the seat.
So, feel free to treat yourself with one of those seat massagers that were once reserved only for high-end vehicles. They are reasonably affordable, they keep you heated up in the bad weather, and, most importantly, they do an excellent job of reducing fatigue during prolonged road trips.
In Conclusion
So, there you have it – top six tech upgrades that will make your reliable four-wheeler more up-to-date and your driving sessions far safer and more enjoyable. What’s even better, most of these things really don’t cost a fortune so you will be able to check most, if not all of these boxes, without breaking your bank. Keeping in mind the current state of traffic these moves won’t be so recommended as much as required.
Written by Mike Johnston