Adding the right technology to an older vehicle can make it feel brand new. Upgrade your old vehicle with these high-tech car accessories for a dramatically different ride.
1.STEREO SYSTEMS/INTERFACES
The smartphone is the first screen most people turn to—even while driving. Making that a simpler, safer proposition is big business. It’s why Apple created CarPlay and Google made Android Auto. Each offers a way to connect your phone to your in-car entertainment system for easy, hands-free access to calls, messages, and a slew of apps like GPS, music, and podcasts. It’s what we’d recommend you use in any car. The interfaces created by the car companies for their stereos are, usually, garbage. (Tesla appears to be the exception.)
Lots of new cars support Android Auto and CarPlay from the get-go, but older vehicles are not entirely out of luck. Many aftermarket systems support them, with prices ranging from expensive to even more expensive. The brains of such systems are the box in the dash that we used to just call “the radio” or maybe “the stereo,” but is now called the stereo head unit. It’s what you access to play music and a whole lot more—phone and text communication, GPS, you name it. What you need to look for, typically, are double-DIN head units. A double-DIN unit goes in a 7-by-4-inch slot in the dash, which is relatively standard now. It can get pricey, as professional installation is recommended, and can cost big bucks for parts and labor on top of the head unit. We recommend some below.
2.Android Auto
Google-made Android Auto is our top choice for taking over your car’s infotainment system. It brings voice control, Google Maps, hands-free access to calls and messages, and a slew of apps like GPS, music, and podcasts, all to your car’s dashboard.
Prior to Android 12, Android Auto didn’t require a head unit or a car for full support. You simply could mount your phone or tablet on the dash and skip the fancy hardware by using the Android Auto app(Opens in a new window). But Google killed that function as of Android 12 for safety reasons. Instead, it wants you to use Google Assistant’s driving mode(Opens in a new window) if you can’t get a vehicle with integrated Android Auto support.
3. SONY XAV-AX8100
This receiver’s 8.95-inch touchscreen will make you think you’ve taped an iPad mini to the dash. The Sony XAV-AX8100(Opens in a new window) fits a single-DIN opening—the kind that’s only a couple inches tall, found in older cars. Of course, it has all the cool features you’d expect in a head unit: Bluetooth, SiriusXM, HDMI input, rear camera support (with an additional camera sold separately), MP3s playback, support for wired CarPlay and Android Auto, and it can do a Weblink Cast (via the cable) to mirror what’s on your smartphone screen. There’s even a wireless remote if you’re not close to the dash. The only thing it won’t do is play CDs.
JVC KW-M865BW Digital Multimedia Receiver
The JVC KW-M865BW supports a direct Wi-Fi connection to your smartphones to offer wireless access to Android Auto or CarPlay. Of course, the 6.8-inch resistive touch screen also gives you full access to plenty of other stuff, including AM/FM radio, an antenna for built-in GPS, Bluetooth for calls, and Bluetooth support for up to five audio sources, called “Streaming DJ.” There’s a reason this $599.95 unit topped the list of Crutchfield’s Best Car Stereos for 2021(Opens in a new window).
Retro Manufacturing Hermosa Radio
Do you want a classic look for the radio of your classic car, but with a few modern digital amenities hidden within? Retro Manufacturing delivers exactly that. This Hermosa gives you push-button tuning for AM/FM radio, but also secretly adds Bluetooth support and USB input of flash drives full of music files. This Hermosa model(Opens in a new window) is made for certain 1960s Chevrolet models, but you can find plenty more at retromanufacturing.com(Opens in a new window).
HEBEDINHO TRIBUNE 