Taking a road trip around some beautiful local countryside or on the way to a city escape, is the ideal type of journey to get us Brits behind the wheel. And with some top gadgets accompanying you along the way, you can drive with ease.
If you’re an experienced driver or have been learning to drive in Birmingham then you know the surrounding county is full of beautiful road trips, and the perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon.
Explore the heart of the countryside, as you venture on local car journeys such as the Cannock Chase route or the Midlands Tick. But for the ultimate road trip, you are sure to need some handy accessories and cool gadgets to make the experience even more enjoyable. Here’s our round up of the best, must-have gadgets that will only enhance those marvellous road trips.
We use our phones for everything when on a long journey, from playing our favourite playlist to navigation and maps. So, no road trip is complete without a good phone holder, to keeps things safe and hands free, as well as making sure your phone has got the juice to last the duration of your journey.
The best portable chargers have multiple USB slots, so you can charge multiple devices at once. Look for products that have a long cable length and a rapid charging option, so you can the best out of your gadget. The Jelly Comb USB Multi-Port Car Charger, for example, offers six ports for different devices. Whereas the Divi USB Charger only has the ability to charge two devices, but comes in a compact, slimline design made of out of scratch-free material.
If you want the best of both, then why not try the Vanmass Car Charger, which not only wirelessly charges your smartphone, but also doubles up as a phone mount. When considering a phone holder for your car to help you on your road trip, you should ensure that is the right size to fit your device, as well as including the correct fixtures to fit in your car.
Some holders have the added bonus of being flexible, enabling for 360° rotation of your device, so that you can adjust the angle to see the screen better, even whilst driving. Some even come with a few years warranty, so you’ll have no excuse to include a phone holder in your road trip kit.
The last thing you want when you’ve made those all-important pitstops along the way, is a car that won’t start. But with a handy, portable jump starter device in the boot of your car, you’ll be rest assured that you can get back on the road in no time.
The car jump starter from Arteck, for example, can jump start your car 20 times from a single charge, and features the necessary heavy-duty cables and clamps, all built in. Other products, such as the Clore Automotive Jump-N-Carry System, include advanced battery technology and automatic charging, with extra-long cables.
You might deem yourself a careful driver, but there is always the possibility that an accident could occur. If this happens, especially when on a long road trip, then a dash cam is the perfect gadget to record exactly where and what happened.
The top products can record footage in 4K quality, track your GPS and fit nicely on top of your dashboard. They should also allow for a quick and easy transfer of any data from the device to your computer.
The latest trend in these sophisticated bits of tech is the option to install a night vision camera system, that uses infrared or light magnification technology to show you the road ahead on the screen, whilst driving at night. Mirror devices are now also available which can be installed into your car, or go over your existing rear-view mirror, that can be operated by touch screen or voice control, easily offering you a view of the front or rear of the car. A great way to keep alert and safe when going on the next adventure in your car.