With the holidays in full swing, the highways are busier than ever. That means an increase of families totting their little ones while long-haul truckers also make their way down the road. Since we’re still waiting for self-driving vehicles to hit the market, ones that can drive safely in snow or other turbulent weather conditions, we need ways to stay safe. Here’s four high-tech innovations to help you arrive at your destination safely.
Air Compressors
Nothing’s worse than having a flat tire in the middle of nowhere. It’s even worse if the temperature is 20 degrees and it’s snowing. Portable air compressors, ones made specifically for cars, are a lifesaver. It’s small enough to fit in your trunk and contains enough air to get you to the closest repair shop.
Blind Spot Eliminator
Whether you’re physically unable to turn that far around to see or another driver comes out of nowhere, not seeing what’s in your blind spot can have catastrophic consequences. Thankfully, this is easily eliminated with panoramic mirrors. Clipped over the pre-existing ones, these work well with AI dash cams. And if you manage a fleet, having HD footage backed up to the cloud means seeing real-time video of your driver’s actions on the road. This not only offers incident protection, but also gives you an inside look of your drivers’ behavior behind the wheel.
Enhanced GPS
Navigational apps have come way, however, not everyone uses them on their smartphone. Since some drivers may need specific accommodations while driving, there’s now enhanced GPS systems that help drivers avoid traffic jams, offer verbal assistance and also alert police if you’re involved in an accident.
Audio Backup
It doesn’t matter whether you’re driving an SUV or you’re trying to back up a large delivery truck, you need to see what’s behind you. And with the increased hustle and bustle of the holidays, you might want to just jump into your vehicle and go. Unfortunately, it’s also a time where we see an uptick of people being run over because the driver couldn’t see them when they were backing up. To make holiday driving and deliveries go as smooth as possible, you can add audio devices to your vehicle. These sensors are attached to the bumper and alert you if someone is behind your car or truck.
Mindful Listening
Although not technically a business innovation, mindful podcasts are innovating in their own way. The frantic nature of the holidays can stress even the most mild-mannered person out, so being able to feel grounded while on the road goes a long way. These podcasts help you focus on the present and avoid confrontation with other drivers who might be more aggressive behind the wheel.
Smartphone Apps
Locking your keys in the car is bad enough, but when it happens during the holiday season, it’s even worse. You can avoid this by making the most out of smartphone apps. You can program them to lock and unlock doors, keep track of fuel consumption and take note of traffic conditions en route to your destination.
