Head-up Displays (HUDs) are not exactly a cutting-edge technology any more. However, they still demand a great deal of space. A new HUD based on holographic projection could be squeezed into a space as small as a car’s side mirror.

Just imagine being able to see additional data, graphics or other warnings overlaid on what’s actually in your side mirror or perhaps your rearview mirror. What may be better or at least additional is a HUD display on the windscreen itself.

via Technology Review

Well your AT&T coverage and reliability may not be very good, but hey at least your iPhone is one amazing little smartphone. Automotive gadget maker Viper has taken advantage of that fact to create an iPhone app called Smart Start that pairs with one of their Remote Start products to let you start/stop/lock/unlock your car from your iPhone from virtually anywhere.

Before there were iPhones, Viper was making remote automobile starter systems that are installed in your car, and that you could then use the accompanying remote control to start your car from varying distances (some products are just local up to 2000 ft while others could go up to a mile). Read the rest of this entry »

We’ve put together a list of gadget gifts for the gizmo-lover in your life. These aren’t just great for the Christmas holiday season but any time of year. For the most part, we’ve tried to stay away from the usual and obvious electronic gadgets like MP3 players, phones and cameras, but instead bring you a variety of neat electronic gift ideas and in most cases useful items that are still worth their salt as far as gadgets go.

Perplexus

Let’s start with some toys/puzzles/games. Perplexus is a spherical 3-D maze with a ball bearing that you to need to navigate around a maze. Simply to learn, hard to solve and master!
Buy now!

Read the rest of this entry »

Got a Prius? Want a USB port built into the dashboard? No problem, just follow these 9 ’simple’ steps at Instructables.

Yeah, so seriously – unless you’re amazing with a Dremel and know a fair amount about car electrical systems, we wouldn’t advise it!

The mercury has already started to drop across most of the North American continent and you may be dreading another winter of getting into your cold car every morning to go to work.

If you opted to save $10,000 or more for a cheaper car that doesn’t have heated seats, then you might consider just $50 for this gem – a heated seat cushion that by itself might be worth the price alone. But this product from Wagan is also a massaging cushion with 5 motors and a remote control too.

It works via either AC or DC adapters and can of course be used in the home as well. This magnetic seat cushion may be the answers to your prayers if you drive a fair amount.

Buy now!
Price: $49.99
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

According to some leaked images and specs, the Lexus LF-A could become a reality next year in time for a 2011 model.

Specs: “The LF-A is powered by a 4.8 liter V10, capable of delivering 560
horsepower at 8,700 RPM. 0-60 time has been clocked at 3.7 seconds and
its top speed is a staggering 201.94 mph. Price is estimated at
$400,000.”

via Digital Trends and AutoBlog

In much the same way that certain diseases have been eradicated and we as a society have shed them from our collective consciousness, so one day we may forget that drunk driving was ever the scourge it is today. More than a few companies are working on solutions that will aid in this quest. Toyota is one of these companies.

They are developing anti-drunk driving equipment that would lock the ignition of a vehicle if high levels of alcohol are detected in the driver. The technology uses both a breathalyzer and photo recognition software. In the case of vehicles that are company/fleet cars, it will also alert the home office. Nissan is also working on similar tech. Kudos Toyota & Nissan.

via ChannelNewsAsia

This is one of our pricey gadgets, but boy is it a nice one. Lexus has just launched a brand new hybrid model, the HS 250h. You’ll probably have seen TV ads already, and will notice ads showing up in print and on billboards soon. The ad campaign’s slogan is “Hello Someday” as in someday your car can have all of these various advanced technologies and someday is today. Well at least in the HS, and sure enough, the HS is really chock full of gee-whiz features.

Here are just some of those features:

• Lane Keep Assist – helps keep your car in its lane by monitoring the lane markings via radar and micro video cameras.
• Lane Departure Warning – beep if your car wanders and gently steers it back if it does.
• Heads up Display – windscreen in front of the driver shows turn by turn directions as well as the buttons that the driver is touching on the steering wheel
• Dynamic Radar Cruise Control – help you stay a pre-set distance from the car in front of you, and automatically applies the brakes and/or accelerator to keep that distance.
• Pre-Collision System – uses radar to sense imminent collisions and applies brakes and pulls in seatbelts.
• Voice Command – voice-recognition system allows users to say commands. For example, control the temperature and call someone.
• Driver Attention Monitor – uses infrared sensors to monitor the driver’s face to ensure they’re paying attention

In addition to the features, the HS touts eco-friendly feature such as recycled materials, ecological plastics and reduced emissions. That is just a sampling of features. Lexus has put together a nice website that shows off these features nicely with videos and more.

The HS 250h starts at approx $35k.

Don’t you wish you had a convertible as summer is here, perhaps a Mini Cooper Convertible? If you don’t have that kind of cash, then how about a remote control Mini Cooper?!

Our recent round up of spy cameras inspired us to go find some new RC autos. This is the RC MINI Cooper Convertible – costing only $25 and an exact 1:43 replica (body work only – don’t expect to find a tiny BMW engine in there powering it!) of a real one it is almost as good fun as driving around in the real thing!

It has a top speed of 150mph 0.1m/s? plus special turbo boost on the remote and has fully functioning headlines – just like a real one!

Buy now!

Price: $25.00
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

How would you like to get behind the seat of a GTI from the comfort of your own computer? I recently wrote about a curious, and fun, little gamer made by strapping a camera to the front a scale model of a GTI in an adrenaling pumping Scalextric track – and its under your control. There are prizes on offer too for the fastest lap. Read all about in Feel The Need For Speed? The Race Is On! .