Cars are getting smarter, or so it seems. These days, automatic parking, voice-command music and interactive GPS mapping software are all standard issue on new models. But these changes, impressive though may be, are still limited by the fundamentally dragging pace of large institutional progress.
A multinational auto-company churning out yearly models is too bulky to keep up with the feverous rate of technology innovation.
Clickdrive is more flexible than that, and better poised to bring the digital revolution to the car.
The 1Ghz CPU, 512 MB RAM devices come equipped with a mobile GPS, accelerometer, compass and portable wifi network that allows the Clickdrive to connect with other mobile devices and the cloud. The idea is to track stats like fuel efficiency and overall vehicle performance to help car enthusiasts or people simply trying to get the most out of their automobiles maximize their cars’ longevity and driving experience.
“After experiencing issues with my own car, I was personally inspired to create a solution to the lack of data available on my car,” says former Lehman Brothers trading systems designer and Clickdrive founder Mark Sutheran. “Wifi and highspeed networks have become ubiquitous, but why aren’t our cars taking advantage of the situation?”
The Clickdrive comes equipped with a number of interesting apps, including a blackbox function and digital dashboard. The true draw, however, is an open software design platform that keeps the technology current and pushes the device’s functions in new directions.
“We have installed a number of apps on the device, but the real game-changer is that the device provides the technological infrastructure to run new or custom-made apps to improve your car’s performance,” says Sutheran.
With that in mind, and Clickdrive on the dashboard, cars may just be able keep up in the race with technology.