Tried and tested: the best car gadgets to upgrade your ride

Technology can make your car smarter, from streaming songs to recording accidents. These are the gadgets that can make it happen.

Technology can make your car smarter, from streaming songs to recording accidents around you. These are the gadgets that can make it happen.

NAVMAN MIVUE 1200 SENSOR XL

A full-featured dashcam that can see in the dark

$469, navman.com.au

PROS

– Great lowlight footage

– Updated speed camera alerts

– Drive efficiency rating

CONS

– Lots of parts to install

– Alert updates require app

– Screen on small side

This dashcam is surprisingly well suited to night owls. The newly released flagship model from Navman packs in a much larger image sensor than that of its rivals, allowing it to capture more detail in subjects like licence plates during challenging light conditions. The camera attached to the main unit of this device also features a 150-degree, wide-angle lens, while its rear camera captures 130 degrees of the action, and footage from both can be wireless transferred to your phone. Along with footage, its display shows your car’s speed and alerts about speed cameras and school zones.

VERDICT: ★★★★½

AMAZON ECHO AUTO

The easiest way to hold a conversation with your car

$79, amazon.com.au

PROS

– Simple, handy voice commands

– Streams songs from many services

– Provides audio navigation

CONS

– Car needs an AUX port

– Some cars are incompatible

– Short cable supplied

If you’ve ever wanted to talk to your car, this inexpensive gadget can make it happen (kind of). The Amazon Echo Auto can connect to a car stereo through its headphone jack or Bluetooth, and provide a link to the Alexa app in your phone. This means you can ask for weather forecasts, listen to news bulletins, solve trivia questions, call up navigation, or request songs from streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. The microphones in the device can be turned off when you need privacy, and it’s by far one of the handiest places to use a voice assistant.

VERDICT: ★★★★

TWELVE SOUTH AIRFLY PRO

A wireless audio gadget that’s smarter than it looks

$90, twelvesouth.com.au

The Twelve South AirFly Pro device can connect to your car stereo to play songs from a phone.

PROS

– Works in cars and planes

– Can make games machines wireless

– Surprisingly easy to use

CONS

– Strange dangling design

– No battery indicator

– No auto off function

This gadget is smaller than a pack of chewing gum but it could make all the difference to entertainment on the road. Simply put, the AirFly Pro is a Bluetooth gadget that can send or receive signals. Plug it into the headphone port of your car stereo and this device will let you stream songs to your car’s speakers. Plug it into the headphone jack of a Nintendo Switch, and this device can work the other way, sending audio to your favourite wireless earbuds. It can also work with a plane’s entertainment system, and can stream audio for up to 16 hours on a charge.

VERDICT: ★★★★½

UNIDEN iGO CAM 90R

A smart dashcam with front and rear angles covered

$350, uniden.com.au

PROS

– Includes front and rear cameras

– Slide bracket for easy removal

– Large screen for viewing video

CONS

– Rear camera install a challenge

– Extra cables for parking alerts

– Only 1080p on rear camera

This Uniden dashcam kit feature two cameras — the ‘R’ in its name means it’s packing a rear camera as well — for a fulsome picture of what’s happening as you head off on a big adventure (or just your daily commute). Despite its sub-$400 price, the iGo Cam 90R captures 4K video and uses a 135-degree lens to record video in front of the car, as well as a full high-definition, 150-degree view from behind. Its main unit also features a 3.1-inch screen and Wi-Fi so you can quickly transfer footage to a smartphone.

VERDICT: ★★★★

BELKIN MAGNETIC CAR MOUNT

A simple, attractive solution for keeping your phone safe

$55, belkin.com.au

PROS

– Requires minimal installation

– Attractive, rounded design

– Inexpensive option

CONS

– Covers an air vent

– Doesn’t charge device

– Only works with iPhone 12, 13

Whether you use your phone for navigation in the car or just want a spot to keep it secure while driving, Belkin’s solution for the latest iPhone models is slick. The Magnetic Car Vent Mount, as its name suggests, has a clip that fits on a standard air vent and a MagSafe-compatible magnet that will hold an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 smartphone firmly in place while you drive. The phone can be viewed vertically or horizontally and, while it won’t charge the device, it does feature a groove into which a charging cable can stashed.

VERDICT: ★★★½

Originally published as Tried and tested: the best car gadgets to upgrade your ride