CES 2015: Coolest New Car Gadgets Revealed

As expected, there were some awesome gadgets revealed at CES 2015 in Las Vegas, and some of the best gadgets are coming to our cars. Not only are there a ton of new gadgets, but smarter cars are on the horizon. Here’s just a small look at some of the coolest car gadgets previewed at the CES 2015:

Harman ISZ

If you never want to have to listen to the latest Justin Bieber song on a road trip again, Harman’s Individual Sound Zones (ISZ) is for you. This gadget goes a long way to change the entertainment situation in a car from a dictatorship, where the driver chooses the radio station, to a democracy, where everyone gets a say. Harman’s ISZ creates different sound zones in your car that can each play something completely different without the need for headphones. The technology reduces cross-talk between sections by upgrading the processing of signals, and noise cancellation technology dampens the sound of the engine and other road noises.

Harman’s ISZ.

This technology is currently available, and with the smart car and infotainment trends, this technology may be a big player in your future road trips. And, I can envision it being adopted in airplanes to trains, too. That would mean crying babies would no longer ruin flight.

The Audi Q7 Tablet

A big trend this year was tablets or software that link up to your car’s internal systems. The Audi Q7, due to launch this year, comes with the Audi tablet, for example. The tablet can control many of the car’s electronic functions and acts as an infotainment center for passengers. You can access vehicle statistics like fuel consumption, mileage and even the expected range based on current statistics. Additionally, distracted drivers are one of the largest contributing factors to accidents, so this tablet forces you to hand over control of the cars entertainment to passengers so you can focus on the road.

Image via Engadget.

Hyundai Smart Watch App

Smart watches just got a lot more interesting and practical thanks to this app. Hyundai realized that not everyone needs a tablet for their cars, so their answer was this app. You can lock or unlock your car, start it, honk the horn or help locate it by flashing the lights all from the app.

Image via Autoevolution.

The app will be available in the next few months for Android devices, and it looks set to change the way we operate our cars in the future. One thing is certain—car keys are quickly going out of style, seeing as many cars now use keyless fobs, which means your key can always stay in your pocket.

BMW Self-Driving Technology

While 2020 might sound like it’s a ways off, it is only five years until we have some of the biggest car technology changes.

First, smart bumper technology will soon be a reality. This technology involves sensors placed at suitable intervals that engage when you are driving at less than 10 miles per hour. If they sense you are about to hit something, they will stop the car automatically, reducing the number of minor fender benders on the road.

Most impressively, the BMW i3 can find its own parking spot. All you need to do is go to the entrance of the parking lot and tell the car to park itself. When you’re finished with your errands, you just need to tap your smart watch and your car will come to you.

We’re pretty pumped by all these announcements. Which one are you most looking forward to?