Product Spotlight: Thinkware Q200 Dash Camera

Consumers typically have two schools of thought when it comes to dash cameras. Some want the most advanced technology and highest-resolution image sensors available. Others believe that any dash camera system is exponentially better than none. Sadly, the latter concept often leads to people buying low-quality, unreliable solutions. Sitting between these philosophies is the Thinkware Q200 dash camera system. With 2K QHD image quality on the front, 1080P FHD image quality on the rear, intelligent parking modes, and built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, this affordable system is anything but run-of-the-mill. It even includes a 32 GB microSD card! Let’s check it out!

Thinkware Q200 Front and Rear Camera System

The Thinkware Q200 dash camera system is based around the compact (3.9 x 0.9 x 1.3 inches) forward-facing camera with its Quad-HD (2506 x 1440-pixel) image sensor. The camera has a 125-degree field of view, offering a good balance of forward focus and side-approach monitoring. Videos are recorded in HEVC format using the H.264 codec to keep the file sizes manageable. As mentioned, the system includes a UHS-1 32 GB memory card but can accept cards up to 256 GB in capacity for over 800 minutes of storage.

The camera includes several video processing technologies to help improve image quality. First, Super Night Vision 2.0 helps ensure clear, low-noise images in low-light situations, capturing details like license plates or street signs when it’s dark. Advanced Video Clear Technology includes High Dynamic Range (HDR) capture technology that compresses washed-out highlights while boosting information usually lost in the shadows. Smart focusing and intelligent auto exposure enhance the system’s ability to store clear, sharp videos. Finally, de-warping technology reduces barrel distortion so objects at the extreme edges of the video don’t look misshapen.

The camera body has three connection ports: one connection is on top of the chassis for the power source, while one on the side is for the rear camera and one for the GPS receiver. The buttons on the rear panel activate the manual recording mode, and another provides control options for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. You can use Wi-Fi with the free Thinkware Dash Cam Link application to download videos directly from the camera. Alternatively, you can remove the microSD card from the bottom of the chassis and use the PC viewer software to view video files.

Rear and Optional Cameras

The rear camera included with the Q200 Front and Rear kit is even more compact (2.40 x 1.20 x 0.98 inches) and captures video in full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels). It shares the same 125-degree field of vision as the front camera and records at 30 frames per second. A 19.7-foot cable lets your installer connect the rear camera to the front camera.

Another option is the infrared interior camera from Thinkware. This compact camera (part number TWA-NIFR) is ideal for taxi, limousine, and rideshare applications where recording what happens and what’s said inside the vehicle is important. The camera includes two compact infrared transmitters so it can effectively see in the dark.

The Q200 is compatible with the optional multiplexer box. With this option, your installer can add three additional cameras to the system, bringing the total to five. The four cameras connected to the multiplexer combine their images into a single video feed that records on the rear channel of the Q200. Side-view and infrared interior cameras are just some options available for additional cameras.

Parking Mode

For those not up-to-date with dash camera lingo, the parking mode feature allows the camera to continue capturing what’s happening around your car when it’s parked. Depending on where you park, you can work with your installer to choose between two frame-per-second Time Lapse, Energy Saving, and Motion/Impact Detection options. In Motion and Impact mode, the camera monitors the image sensor for changes that indicate something or someone has entered the field of vision. When this happens, it stores a video file with 10 seconds of footage before and after the trigger. The built-in three-axis accelerometer also monitors the vehicle for motion from an impact, which triggers a similar recording.

Energy-saving mode foregoes image sensing, dramatically reducing the electrical energy required to maintain camera operation. This mode is ideal for longer-term parking recording.

Built-In ADAS Features

The Q200 is no slouch when it comes to bonus features. The camera includes Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in the form of Lane Departure Warning (LDWS), Forward Collision Warning (FCWS), and Front Vehicle Departure Warning (FVDW). These systems use artificial intelligence and advanced image processing to detect potential hazards and provide a warning to the driver. The GPS antenna must be installed for these features to function.

Protect Yourself with the Thinkware Q200

As is evident, the Thinkware Q200 dash camera system is exponentially more capable than most solutions you’ll find outside a professional mobile enhancement retailer. If you want premium image quality in the videos, advanced ADAS warnings, and easy Wi-Fi downloading, drop by your local Thinkware retailer and ask about the Q200 system. They can provide a package price for the dual camera system with expert installation to ensure reliable operation.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Revisiting Sealed Subwoofer Enclosure Stuffing with SPL Measurements

A while back, we looked at how adding stuffing to a sealed enclosure affects its performance. It was clear from our measurements that the addition of Dacron lowered the system’s Qtc (Total Q). The original theory was that adding stuffing made the enclosure seem larger and let the driver play louder at low frequencies. Let’s revisit this test and add several acoustic measurements to quantify any changes in efficiency and output.

Results from Our Original Testing

Our original article determined that adding different amounts of stuffing to our 1.358-cubic-foot enclosure lowered the system Qtc. Without stuffing, the Qtc with our audiophile-grade 12-inch subwoofer was 0.9532. That’s a bit high for our liking but offers good efficiency. With 0.25 pound of Dacron added to the enclosure, the Qtc dropped to 0.9148. That’s still on the high side but getting better.

Moving up to a half-pound of stuffing had minimal effect on the driver, and the system stayed roughly the same at 0.919. Cramming another quarter-pound of stuffing into the enclosure made a truly beneficial change. The Qtc was now down at 0.8397. The lower Qtc measurement is better as it results in less resonance and a tighter, more controlled bass perception. In this capacity, stuffing with Dacron does have the same effect as installing the subwoofer in a larger enclosure.

The driver’s resonant frequency in the enclosure barely changed throughout the test. Empty, the system had an F3 of 43.35 hertz. With all the stuffing in place (0.75 pound), the resonant frequency dropped to 41.68 hertz. The difference would be negligible and doesn’t support the claims of stuffed enclosures playing lower.

Sealed Enclosure — The results from our original article on adding stuffing to a sealed subwoofer enclosure.

Round Two of Subwoofer Enclosure Testing

In this test, we’ll use the same enclosure and subwoofer and take several acoustic measurements under strictly controlled conditions. We’ve set the enclosure up in the middle of our lab and placed the Clio Pocket calibrated mic on the floor 50 centimeters in front of the enclosure. This configuration is similar to a typical ground-plane measurement, except the closer proximity to the enclosure will help to reduce the effect the room has on the measurements. A “normal” ground-plane measurement would have the microphone 2 meters from the enclosure. We will continue buying lottery tickets in hopes of financing our own anechoic chamber, but that might take a while!

All measurements are at the same output level. We’ll use 4 volts representing 2 watts of power into the subwoofer’s nominal 4-ohm load. With a drive level any lower than this, the background noise from the HVAC system starts to mess with the very low frequency measurements. Again – anechoic chamber, please!

Sealed Enclosure Stuffing Findings

If you look at the graph below, you’ll see the SPL measurements from the four test conditions. The red trace is the enclosure without any stuffing. The violet trace represents 0.25 pound of stuffing. The black trace represents a half-pound of filling. Finally, the amber trace is 0.75 pound.

As expected, the more stuffing there is, the smaller the bump at the top of the response curve. Why does this happen? Because polyester fiberfill reduces the resonance of the system. With less resonance, the driver returns to rest faster after the signal stops, and less distortion is added to the output.

You’ll notice the difference between no stuffing and the tightly packed enclosure is relatively tiny. Indeed, the maximum difference is a total of 1.4 dB SPL, with the unstuffed enclosure being louder.

I generated a second graph referencing the first three measurements to the fully stuffed measurement. This analysis shows you how much louder the subwoofer is as there is less and less stuffing. While it might be noticeable, the difference is minute.

Sealed Enclosure Stuffing Summary

Unlike what many “old timers” will tell you, adding a large amount of Dacron (or similar) stuffing doesn’t significantly affect output, especially at lower frequencies. It certainly doesn’t cause the same improvement of the low-frequency production that you’d get from a larger enclosure. One consideration, though: If the crossover point for our subwoofer systems is, or should be, around 80 Hz, then a system with a flatter response will seem to be a bit louder at lower frequencies. With that said, we are talking about less than 1.5 dB SPL, so the whole thing regarding output amplitude is effectively irrelevant.

So, is it worth asking the shop building your sealed subwoofer enclosure to add stuffing? Don’t add anything if you’re a bass head and want the system to play as loudly as possible. If you’re into sound quality and want to reduce distortion around the resonant frequency of the subwoofer system a bit, then go for it. It’s not like the cost of some stuffing is significant.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Product Spotlight: Thinkware Q850 Dash Cam

By now, you know that Thinkware is effectively a household name in North America when it comes to high-quality dash cam solutions. A while back, we took a look at their flagship U3000 model. In this spotlight, we are going to examine the two-channel 2K and Full HD Q850 model. Let’s check it out!

Thinkware Q850 Features

The Q850 2CH is a dash cam system with a 2K resolution (2560 by 1440 pixels) forward-facing camera and a Full HD (1920 by 1080 pixels) secondary camera. The front camera features a Sony Starvis image sensor that includes Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) contrast compression. This feature not only boosts objects in shadows when light levels are low but also prevents image blowouts when the sun faces the camera. The result is a clearer video with more detail.

Additionally, the Q850 offers Thinkware’s Super Night Vision 2.0 image processing. Just as with high-sensitivity film, image sensors are prone to adding noise in low-light levels. The Q850’s advanced image processing boosts overall brightness with minimal quality loss.

The front camera features a viewing angle of 125 degrees to help capture everything that happens in front of the vehicle. The secondary CMOS camera has a vast 160-degree viewing angle. It can be installed on the rear window or mounted to record activity inside the car, truck, or SUV. Interior monitoring is ideal for rideshare operators and taxi and limousine companies.

Thinkware Q850 — The compact rear camera in the Q850 set records at Full HD resolution.

Dash Cam Physical Design and Features

The Q850’s chassis is designed to install flat against your windshield. The camera sticks out the side and can be rotated to fine-tune the viewing angle. An array of four buttons enables voice recording, turns on the Wi-Fi feature, formats the memory card, and turns the camera off. The camera wakes up by default and starts recording when the ignition turns on.

A slot on top of the body accepts a UHS-1 micro-SD card. The system supports up to 256 GB capacities, allowing 1,272 minutes of storage for the primary camera alone, or 808 minutes with both the front and rear cameras. The system includes a 64 GB card, offering 318 or 202 minutes of recording.

Dimensions are 107 x 30 x 61 mm or 4.2 x 1.18 x 2.4 inches.

A built-in GPS receiver stores vehicle velocity and location information along with the video feeds. An accelerometer can also be configured to store event videos if there’s a sudden jolt or impact. The parking mode feature can also use the accelerometer to monitor your vehicle in the driveway at home or the parking lot at work.

Parking Modes

You have several options when it comes to dash cam parking mode operation. First, let’s explain how parking modes work. When you turn off the ignition, the camera can be programmed to continue monitoring your vehicle. Parking Surveillance Mode offers time-lapse, motion detection, or impact triggering. The Smart Parking Mode feature monitors the temperature inside the car. If it gets too hot, the camera will default to impact mode. Once cooled down, it can go back to motion or time-lapse recording.Your installation will require Thinkware’s OBD-II Cable to enable parking mode. The retailer you are working with can provide this.

Artificial Intelligence ADAS Features

The Q850 offers several integrated ADAS features to help make your commute or trip safer. Front Vehicle Departure Warning (FVDW) lets you know when a car or truck in front of you has driven away. The Forward Collision Warning System (FCWS) alerts you when your vehicle is approaching another too quickly or you are following too closely. This feature disables itself automatically below 40 km/h (25 mph), so it’s not a nuisance.

The integrated Lane Departure Warning System will sound an alert if you appear to be crossing a white or yellow line on the side of the road. This function operates above 50 km/h.

Safety camera alerts are provided for speed and red-light cameras in many areas to help ensure you arrive at your destination safely and efficiently.

Smartphone Wi-Fi Connectivity

Once the Q850 has recorded a video, the built-in Wi-Fi hotspot makes it easy to download that video to your smartphone. Simply connect your phone wirelessly to the Q850 and launch the Thinkware Dash Cam Link app. You can even fine-tune the camera settings to suit how and where you use your vehicle.

The Thinkware Connected app takes communication a step further. If your camera is connected to a mobile hotspot, you can access it and the stored videos online. The live view mode lets you see what the camera sees. You can view stored videos on your smartphone from driving or parking events. Better yet, you can configure impact notifications while driving or when parked, so you’ll always know if something is wrong.

Camera Multiplexer Compatible

The Q850, along with the Q200, F200 Pro, F790, X700, X800, XD250, and XD100, is compatible with Thinkware’s four-camera multiplexer accessory. Imagine having four additional cameras connected to the Q850, all of them recording to the secondary camera input channel. You can monitor the area behind the vehicle, in the interior, and on either side of the car or truck all at once. Multiple cameras are a great way to ensure the driver is safe if you have a limousine.

Premium Protection from Fraud and False Accusations

If you are concerned about a staged accident, fraud, or being found at fault for an accident, investing in a dashcam like the Thinkware Q850 2CH is wise. Visit Thinkware’s website for more information about its products or to find a retailer near you. You can learn more about the U3000 and other impressive products they offer by following them on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Thinkware U3000 Dash Cam: Innovating Vehicle Safety with 4K Clarity and Radar Technology!

It’s no exaggeration to say there are hundreds of dash cams on the market. Many are budget models plagued by low-resolution sensors, excessive image compression, and contrast issues. Others offer upgraded optics but still lack state-of-the-art convenience features. However, leading the way in surveillance technologies are dash cams like the Thinkware U3000. Equipped with a Sony image sensor, radar-based parking mode, and Wi-Fi connectivity, this dash cam offers nearly everything you could ask for. Let’s dive in.

Thinkware U3000 Image Sensors

Image quality is paramount when purchasing a dash cam. Clarity and detail largely depend on the choice of image sensor and its resolution. However, data compression settings also play a crucial role in capturing vital information, such as a license plate. The U3000 features a 4K UHD front-facing Sony IMX678 Exmor R Starvis 2 image sensor with a 152-degree lens. With 3840 by 2106 pixels, it captures impressively subtle details.

The most popular U3000 package includes the U3000R rear-facing camera and a cable. The rear camera uses an IMX335 Exmor R Starvis 2K QHD image sensor with a 128-degree lens angle. Although this sensor is higher in quality than most forward-facing sensors on the market, it doesn’t offer the same low-light capabilities as the Starvis 2.

Thinkware U3000 Dash Cam — The most popular U3000 kits include the 2K QHD U3000R rear camera.

Speaking of night recording, Thinkware’s Super Night Vision 4.0 technology reduces sensor noise at high gain levels, allowing for brighter, sharper images after sunset. Capturing clear images in low-light conditions is essential for comprehensive protection.

In addition, Thinkware includes a circular polarizing filter to reduce glare during the day, further enhancing image quality and clarity.

Compact Chassis Design

The U3000’s chassis was designed for discretion. The image sensor mounting position allows the electronics to fit neatly into the space typically blocked by the sun visor at the top of the windshield. Four buttons across the body’s center control manual emergency recording, power down the camera, activate the dash cam’s Wi-Fi connectivity, and toggle audio recording mode on and off. To clarify, the camera begins recording automatically when you start your vehicle, so you never have to worry about forgetting to turn it on. The power button is simply an option to turn the system off, if desired.

All electrical and peripheral connections are located along the rear edge of the chassis, near the top of your windshield. This design reduces clutter and ensures a clean installation. The most popular camera kit includes Thinkware’s OBD II power cable. However, some retailers may use the dealer-exclusive hardwire kit for integration into the vehicle. Both cables automatically enable parking mode when the vehicle ignition is turned off.

Adding an external battery pack like the Thinkware iVolt Mini or iVolt Xtra is a popular upgrade. These packs prevent the main vehicle battery from heavy discharge if the vehicle isn’t driven for a few days, thereby extending battery life.

Thinkware also includes a piece of heat-blocking film and a second piece of two-sided adhesive. The film is ideal for hot climates like Florida or Texas, where interior temperatures can easily exceed 140 degrees. It also simplifies removing the camera if you decide to purchase a new vehicle.

Radar Parking Mode

One of the U3000’s most important features is its radar-based parking mode. Parking mode allows the U3000 to continue monitoring the area around the vehicle after you’re parked. Historically, cameras would monitor the image sensor’s signal and store recordings when motion was detected. This feature, however, consumes a noticeable amount of power from the vehicle’s electrical system.

Uniquely, the kit’s front and rear cameras include radar transceivers. If someone approaches behind to steal your license plate, you’ll have it on video.

Thinkware’s radar-based monitoring solution consumes just a fraction of the energy compared to video monitoring. This allows the camera to monitor the area around your vehicle for days rather than hours. When it detects someone or something nearby, it records a 20-second video. You can fine-tune the radar detection range to suit your parking location.

The U3000 features a built-in supercapacitor. This energy storage solution ensures that recorded video files are saved and closed correctly when power is removed from the camera. In the unlikely event of a severe accident, having a small onboard power source greatly increases the likelihood of retaining evidence compared to a low-cost dash cam.

Video Storage

The popular U3000-2CH kit includes a 64 GB microSD memory card, though the camera supports cards up to 256 GB. Data storage bitrates are selectable between 24 and 30 Mbps. Less compression results in a clearer image and more detail. Best of all, videos are encoded using the MPEG H.265 codec, which offers impressive file compression without significant detail loss.

Connectivity Features

The U3000 supports 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to download video files to your smartphone via the Thinkware Dash Cam Link App. Once connected, you can adjust menu settings and view camera images in real-time.

The Thinkware Connected App provides a suite of remote monitoring solutions. From viewing what the dash cam sees to receiving alerts from the built-in impact or radar sensors, it’s like being in the car. You can even access an image from when you last parked the vehicle. If you’ve ever lost track of your car after a day of shopping, this is a huge time-saver and stress reducer. By connecting your U3000 to the Internet using a vehicle or mobile hotspot, you maintain complete control.

ADAS Features

The U3000 offers a full suite of Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS), similar to those found in lane-keeping assist and even self-driving cars. Lane Departure Warning (LDWS), Forward Collision Warning (FCWS), Front Vehicle Departure Warning (FVDW), and Rear Collision Warning (RCWS) are all included. These systems act as a computerized copilot, monitoring what other vehicles are doing around yours. Unlike many other dash cams, the U3000 uses the rear camera’s monitoring capabilities for these features. You can fine-tune which systems you want to activate and at what speed they are enabled via the smartphone apps.

The system supports both GPS and GLONASS global navigation systems. Location and vehicle speed information is stored along with the video. When you play back videos using the PC/MAC viewer software, the vehicle’s location is displayed on a map on the right side of the screen.

Class-Leading Dash Cam Technology

If you’re in the market for the best dash cam to protect your pride and joy, visit a local authorized Thinkware retailer and ask about the U3000. For more information about Thinkware products, visit their website. You can learn more about the U3000 and other impressive products they offer by following them on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and of course, YouTube.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Don’t Suffer with Slow Smartphone Vehicle Control Solutions

If you’ve been in the market for a new car, truck or SUV recently, you’ve likely encountered the convenience of smartphone control options. These features allow you to perform tasks like locking the doors or starting the vehicle remotely from your smartphone. However, the reality is that many of these factory-installed systems can be frustratingly slow – a common pain point for many of us. You’re not alone in this: A member of our team has two brand-new vehicles in their driveway, both with comparatively sluggish smartphone control systems. Let’s delve into how these systems function, why they’re slow and, most importantly, what solutions can alleviate this frustration.

What Is a Smartphone Control System?

It should come as no surprise that computers control modern cars and trucks. Decades ago, a fuel-injected vehicle might have had a computer to control the spark plugs and fuel injectors. Today, everything from the headlights and infotainment system to the suspension, collision-avoidance systems and engine is controlled by computers. These computers are typically linked through a network data bus. In the not-so-distant future, vehicles will be able to communicate with each other, opening up a world of possibilities. The intention is to reduce accidents and traffic congestion using machine-learning software and your vehicle’s real-time location. These are called vehicle-to-vehicle systems, or V2V for short.

The benefit of linking all the features and systems in a car or truck is that one can respond to another. For example, some luxury vehicles will lower the air conditioning or heater fan speed to make using Bluetooth hands-free calling easier. Some advanced collision-avoidance systems produce warning sounds through different speakers in the vehicle, depending on where an object is. A turn-signal activation might trigger the infotainment system to display the image from a camera on the side of the car. A parking sensor on the vehicle’s rear might apply the brakes to prevent a collision.

We love the simplicity and ease of troubleshooting electrical systems that use mechanical switches and relays. However, the benefits of computer control can’t be denied.

Smartphone Vehicle Control — The ability of the multitude of computers in a vehicle to communicate with each other improves convenience and safety.

Smartphone Control Integration

So, how can an app on a smartphone communicate with the computers in your car or truck? It uses cell phone towers and cellular radios or modems. Unlike an old cell phone optimized exclusively to transmit and receive voice information, modern cellular radio modules are just as good at sending massive amounts of data. Those of us who like to watch YouTube on our phones understand this. Essentially, the phone acts like a modem connected to our home’s cable or phone service provider. However, rather than a wired connection, the information is broadcast over the air to a nearby cell phone tower. From there, it’s on the internet, and you can reach whatever server and website you want.

Most new cars and trucks include a cellular data radio to communicate with a centralized server to provide vehicle information. This connectivity allows commands from the app on your smartphone to be relayed to the vehicle and vice versa.

Say you want to use your smartphone to make sure your truck’s doors are locked before you go to bed. You launch the app on your phone, then press the lock button. The app will send a message, along with your username and password, to a server operated by the vehicle manufacturer or a third-party company contracted to provide the telematics service. The message is already on the internet if connected to your home Wi-Fi. If you aren’t home and are using a cellular data connection, the message is sent to the cell phone tower, which then passes it along to the cell phone provider’s connection to the internet.

After the server has authenticated the message, a new message with the command is sent to your vehicle. This message travels through the internet to the cell phone service provider tied to your car. From there, the message goes to a cell tower near your vehicle. The message is broadcast digitally to the cellular radio in your car. That radio will recognize the command and send a digital message to the body control module to lock the doors.

Once locked, the process reverses. The vehicle confirms that the door lock request has been executed and returns that confirmation to the smartphone app along the same path.

These messages might travel the entire length of a state or province or even across the country to authenticate and execute commands. It is truly fascinating that any of this can happen in a reasonable amount of time.

Benefits of Smartphone Vehicle Control

Having smartphone control of some of your vehicle’s features is extremely convenient. For example, being able to check to make sure the vehicle is locked from your home or office is excellent. With that said, this isn’t a time-sensitive process from the perspective of waiting for the information. However, if you’re walking out of a store or your home and you want to pop the trunk or open the hatch, it would be nice if that were done by the time you got to the car. The same goes for unlocking the vehicle. Sure, most vehicles with smartphone apps also have keyless entry systems. Nevertheless, the app should work fast enough that you are never waiting.

In reality, the choice of cellular data providers and the companies that host the authentication services plays a considerable role in determining the time it takes for your vehicle to respond to commands. If Mazda wanted to reduce operational costs on the MyMazda service, they could select a less expensive, lower-priority service from the cellular data provider. We’ve seen smartphone control systems that take more than a minute and others under two seconds. That’s a significant difference.

Testing Smartphone Apps on Modern Vehicles

We’ll examine smartphone app responsiveness with the MyNissan app and a 2023 Nissan Rogue. After the vehicle had been sitting idle for a few hours, we sent an unlock command from the smartphone. It took 10.8 seconds for the vehicle to respond. We followed this by sending a lock command. That took 3.7 seconds.

Next, we have the MyMazda app and a 2025 Mazda CX-70 PHEV. The test criteria are the same. The vehicle has been sitting idle for several hours. The delay between sending the unlock command and the vehicle responding was 16.6 seconds. The delay to relock the vehicle was 4.7 seconds.

As you can see, sending a second command is much faster. We hypothesize that some of the account authentication processes on the server have already been completed, and your information is now in the cache rather than buried on a storage device.

One MyMazda function regularly used on the Mazda is checking the battery charge status. Oddly, this process takes an abnormally long time – we measured 31 seconds. It’s faster than walking to the vehicle, but not much.

To put these wait times into perspective, the average adult walks about 17 meters or almost 56 feet in 17 seconds. If you are leaving a store and want to remote-start the vehicle, you might be halfway across the parking lot before it gets the start command.

Drone Response Time

Let’s compare this response time to an aftermarket vehicle control solution like Drone from Firstech. You should be familiar with Firstech, which manufactures Compustar remote car starters and Momento dashcams. Sending an unlock command to a vehicle requires less than two seconds. The lock command was executed in under two seconds. We’ve seen a few instances where, just like the OE systems, the first request takes a bit longer than the subsequent, but they are always a fraction of what the OE systems we’ve tested provide.

When the Drone updates, it also provides battery voltage and the temperature inside the vehicle. All of that takes only 2 seconds.

What about Bluetooth Control?

Some OE and aftermarket smartphone control solutions can communicate with your vehicle using a Bluetooth data connection. Tesla uses this technology in many of its vehicles. Once in range, your smartphone will connect to the vehicle using Bluetooth, and pressing a button in the app will result in a near-instantaneous response from the vehicle. The drawback here is range. Bluetooth might work up to 100 feet under absolutely ideal conditions. This will work as an entry authentication solution but not for something like a remote starter when you are far away.

Shopping for Smartphone Control Solutions

If you want to be able to control and monitor your car, truck or SUV from anywhere in the world where you can access the internet, visit a specialty mobile enhancement retailer and ask them about the solutions they offer.

Before committing to purchasing anything, ask for a real-life demonstration. How long does it take for the vehicle to respond to commands from the phone? Is it a second or two, or slow? Next, ask what functions the system can control in your vehicle. We would expect that door locks are a minimum and that you will likely add this control system to a remote car starter. Beyond that, you may have the option of automatic rear window defroster, heated seat and heated steering wheel activation if your vehicle has those features. Hatch or trunk release is another popular feature, along with sliding door control on minivans.

These days, we need to do everything in our power to keep our vehicles safe. Ask if the control system has geofencing options and if it will provide towing alerts. Find out if you can upgrade the system with a security sensor to monitor for impacts, motion, tilting or glass breakage. Advanced security features are never offered on factory-installed smartphone control systems.

Once you have a clear image of the options available, you can choose those that meet your needs. Of course, features and pricing aren’t all that matter when selecting a shop to upgrade your vehicle. Do your research to make sure that the technicians working on your car or truck are appropriately trained, use reliable connection methods and pay attention to the details when integrating the system into your vehicle. Look to see if the shop uses seat, steering wheel and fender covers while working on the vehicle. Find out if they put the vehicle battery on a charger to keep it topped up while they have the doors open. All these small items seem simple, but they are signs that the shop you are researching cares about their work and your car or truck.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Monday	9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday	9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday	9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday	9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday	9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday	Closed
Sunday	Closed

Thinkware Q200 Front and Rear Camera System

Rear and Optional Cameras

Parking Mode

Built-In ADAS Features

Protect Yourself with the Thinkware Q200

Results from Our Original Testing

Round Two of Subwoofer Enclosure Testing

Sealed Enclosure Stuffing Findings

Sealed Enclosure Stuffing Summary

Thinkware Q850 Features

Dash Cam Physical Design and Features

Parking Modes

Artificial Intelligence ADAS Features

Smartphone Wi-Fi Connectivity

Camera Multiplexer Compatible

Premium Protection from Fraud and False Accusations

Thinkware U3000 Image Sensors

Compact Chassis Design

Radar Parking Mode

Video Storage

Connectivity Features

ADAS Features

Class-Leading Dash Cam Technology

What Is a Smartphone Control System?

Smartphone Control Integration

Benefits of Smartphone Vehicle Control

Testing Smartphone Apps on Modern Vehicles

Drone Response Time

What about Bluetooth Control?

Shopping for Smartphone Control Solutions

Customer Reviews

Subscribe to Our Website

Quakertown Showroom and Installation Facility

Hours

Services

Connect With Us