Published on April 17th, 2020 | by Sunit Nandi

New-Car Tech: 5 Must-Have Additions For Your Old Car

While technological advances have come thick and fast over the last decade, we are still a long way off having self-driving cars and hoverboard flying around our towns and cities. However, that’s not to say there haven’t been any automotive advances – there have, just not quite to the same scale as Back To The Future predicted 2020 would look like.

Today’s car manufacturers are constantly refining and improving the designs of their cars, kitting each new vehicle with some of the fanciest technological features available. Whether it be plumbed-in fire extinguishers to improve safety or smart heads up displays to enhance the overall entertainment value, there are a number of ways in which technology has improved car manufacture in recent times.

However, that’s not to say you need to rush out and buy a new car to make the most of this new technology. For many of us, we simply can’t afford to buy a brand new car – so what can we do instead?

Well, the good news is you can upgrade your existing car to have the same technology relatively inexpensively. Join us as we take a look at five ways in which you can give your car a technological face-lift without breaking the bank.

1. Bluetooth

No matter how old your car is, it can be Bluetooth enabled. Regardless of it’s make, age or condition, as long as your car has a stereo, it can be equipped with Bluetooth connectivity.

Bluetooth installation can enable your phone and other devices to wirelessly sync to your car’s sound system, meaning you can use your phone hands-free while out and about. No longer do you need to worry about missing phone calls or texts – thanks to Bluetooth connectivity, you will always stay connected.

Depending on whether you feel comfortable enough installing the system yourself, you can replace your stereo with a Bluetooth-enabled alternative for less than £100.

2. Smart Displays

Using a phone while driving has been illegal in the UK for years now, but a number of people still do it anyway. It was for this reason why Apple and Google decided to do something about it, to encourage people to look away from their smartphones and focus on the road ahead instead.

Giving birth to Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto, these two in-car entertainment systems offer easy, hands-free access to calls, messages and a number of other applications such as GPS, music and podcasts.

While installing these systems into older cars can be difficult, it’s isn’t impossible, but it can come at a price. To install one properly will require your radio to be taken out and a whole host of new wiring to be put in. In other words, if you want one in your car, you’re going to need to hire a specialist rather than do it yourself.

3. Parking Sensors

Image source: https://pixabay.com/photos/auto-pkw-vehicle-dare-streets-1819164/

Parking in tight places can be incredibly frustrating and challenging for even the best drivers – so why not get a helping hand? By installing parking sensors in your car, you can get into even the tightest of spaces with ease.

Parking sensors become activated whenever you shift into reverse gear. They then use a combination of sound waves and sensors to detect any surrounding objects and let you know via increased beeping how close you are to hitting something.

While this may all sound complicated and expensive, installing parking sensors is actually fairly cheap and easy to do. For as little as £50, you can pick up and install parking sensors in your car, regardless of how old it might be.

4. Rearview Cameras

Back in 2018, rearview blind spots were found to account for more than 15,000 injuries each year – meaning something needed to be done. Since then, rearview cameras have reduced this blind spot by approximately 90% and subsequently caused the number of related injuries to plummet as a result.

While rearview cameras are included in pretty much every new car nowadays, it’s actually fairly inexpensive to install them in older cars as well. Whether you’d rather install them yourself or trust a professional to do it, you can pick up a set of decent rearview cameras for under £50.

5. Luxury Seating

Image source: https://pixabay.com/photos/seat-cushion-auto-accessories-1099616/

Whether it be leather, suede or heated, if your car doesn’t already come equipped with luxury seats, you no longer need to miss out.

Websites like Amazon and Argos stock various seat covers to suit your exact needs. From heated massage seat covers for under £50 to protective waterproof covers for less than £20, it doesn’t necessarily need to cost a fortune to transform your old car’s level of comfort.

Tags: additions, car, car tech, must have, new car tech, old car, tech

About the Author

Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.