Cobra's bluetooth radar detector

Cobra revealed a new radar detector product that fits under the bonnet of the car and uses a smartphone as it's controller and display screen, all via bluetooth. Compatible with both Android and Apple phones, with the approriate app installed, the iRadar S-Series alerts users to speed cameras and radar devices, allowing them to share the information in real time with others. Price is said to be around US$300 in the states when it goes on sale this autumn.

How to pair up a Sub and Amp

So, first things first, we need to find out the specifications of the car subwoofer you're interested in. The key specification you'll be looking for is RMS power. Basically the RMS power is a rating of the ability of the subwoofer to handle a continuous power signal. Don’t pay too much attention to the peak power as this is not too important to us, this is often a way of marketing the subwoofer to sound better than it actually is.

Next step, find a car amplifier that has sufficient outputs for your subwoofer(s). For example, if you're going to power one subwoofer, a mono (single channel) amplifier or a 2-channel amplifier that can be bridged to a single channel is perfect. For two subwoofers, a 2-channel amplifier or a 4-channel that can be bridged to 2 channels is appropriate. However to get the best performance from your subwoofer (budget pending of course) I would recommend having an amp for every sub!

Ensure that the power output of the amplifier is a good match for the sub(s). As in Step 1, examine the RMS power output of the amplifier, not peak power. Match the power output as close to the RMS power, it doesn’t have to be exact, and it is always better to try and give the subwoofer more power rather than not enough, especially if you like your music loud!

Look for options that will make your amplifier work better with a subwoofer. These include subsonic filters, which eliminate distorting ultra-low tones, and variable low-pass filters, that let you fine-tune the signal coming in from your car stereo. If you like extra "thump" in your tunes, look for a bass boost feature as well.

It is also worth pointing out that if you over power a subwoofer, or of course under power, you will run the risk of damaging your subwoofer, and most likely voiding your warranty! 

Taxi CCTV Offers Vital Evidence

Evidence Gained From Taxi CCTV

Revealed in Brighton’s local newspaper The Argus, CCTV cameras in taxis have been used to provide evidence 18 times, including in a hit and run case and for footage in a firearm attack.

Initially Brighton and Hove City Council were criticised for ordering that cameras had to be installed in private hire and Hackney carriages in 2010. But six months after they were made mandatory in April 2012 they have proved useful, despite only 72% of Hackney carriage and 54% of private hire drivers agreeing with them.

At the end of June this year, a taxi was shot at with an air rifle after a gang of men refused to pay and the driver was also threatened with a knife – all of which was caught on camera.

Taxi CCTV also captured a driver being hit with a hammer at the end of May, as well as numerous non-payments and car crashes.

At the end of July this year a group of young people ran off without paying. The driver grabbed hold of one of them, but his friends ran back and started throwing stones at the driver.

The council admitted that “anxieties continue to be expressed within the trade around the principal of installing CCTV and some of the detail”.

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokeswoman said: “The presence of CCTV in taxis is designed to keep both passengers and taxi drivers safe. The indications are so far that it is proving effective and we will continue to keep it under review.

“CCTV can be an important means of detecting and deterring crime and the council only looks at a relevant piece of footage if there has been a reported incident to a passenger or driver, and it must follow strict guidelines set out by the Information Commissioner.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NTMxHZBjtMs

Autosounds helps cyclists safety...

Crossrail contract helps Autosounds progress within the vehicle safety sector...

Back in February 2012 one in ten lorries were turned away from Europe’s biggest construction project for failing safety standards imposed to protect cyclists.

Crossrail inspectors refused entry to 31 of 253 vehicles bringing building materials to sites along the planned £15 billion commuter railway.

 

A freight industry source said that hauliers were being turned away fully laden because their lorries had not been fitted with proximity sensors, alarms, extra mirrors or safety bars to guard against fatal collisions with cyclists and other road users. 

"It's great for Autosounds as a company who can begin to diversify into areas that require specialist auto electrical knowledge for the installation of safety equipment. We will continue to seek work in this sector and have all of the relevant suppliers in place to enable us to provide our customers with side warning alarms, left hand turn speakers, vehicle cctv and reverse camera systems which all goes a long way to provide even more safety for cyclists on the UK's roads." 


About Crossrail:

Crossrail will run 118 km from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 21 km tunnels under central London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. It will bring an additional 1.5 million people within 45 minutes commuting distance of London's key business districts.
When Crossrail opens it will increase London's rail-based transport network capacity by 10%, supporting regeneration across the capital, helping to secure London's position as a world leading financial centre, and cutting journey times across the city.
Crossrail will deliver substantial economic benefits for all of London and the South East. Latest economic forecasts suggest that Crossrail will add £42bn to the economy. Previous estimates were that Crossrail would deliver up to a £36bn boost to the UK economy.
Up to 14,000 people will be employed at the peak of construction in 2013/2015.
Crossrail is being delivered by Crossrail Limited (CRL). CRL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Transport for London. Crossrail is jointly sponsored by the Department for Transport and Transport for London.

Parrot ASTEROID: A world of infotainment for vehicles

Parrot ASTEROID: A world of infotainment for vehicles

Parrot once again establishes its technological leadership and its unique vision of in-car infotainment with three new innovative and connected solutions for consumers:
Parrot ASTEROID Mini (Apps, Music and Hands-Free Telephony),
Parrot ASTEROID Tablet (Apps, GPS, Music and Hands-Free Telephony)
And Parrot ASTEROID Smart (Apps, Navigation, Video, Music and Hands-Free Telephony).

These three systems, forming part of the Parrot ASTEROID development platform of connected products running on Android™, provide access to a world of services and contents in car.
With ASTEROID range, Parrot revolutionises in-car infotainment and establishes itself as a leading player on the market by offering a high performing range of in-car communication systems that match and take advantage of Smartphone functionalities.




Parrot ASTEROID range: a lot of functionalities

The results of over four years of research and development, Parrot ASTEROID Mini, Parrot ASTEROID Tablet and Parrot ASTEROID Smart run on Android™ and benefit from Parrot technological excellence in hands-free telephony and multimedia systems.

The three solutions include the following functionality:
- Infotainment
- Access to numerous Apps and content via a 3G, 4G key or via Bluetooth or USB tethering from a mobile phone or tablet.
- Download new Apps from the ASTEROID Market online store.
- Music
- Search for an artist or album by voice and on all connected devices.
- Connection to various musical sources: iDevices, USB key, SD card, MP3 player…
- Transfer music files from a mobile phone or tablet in Bluetooth® stereo A2DP.
- Navigation / GPS solutions (vary by Parrot ASTEROID model).
- Hands-free telephony
- Compatibility with all brands of Bluetooth mobile phones on the market; automatic phonebook synchronization; user-independent voice recognition; text-to-speech; simultaneous management of two mobile phones thanks to ‘Parrot Dual Mode’ technology; noise reduction and echo cancelling…

Parrot ASTEROID Mini: Apps, Music and Hands-Free Telephony



With a 3.2in colour screen, the Parrot ASTEROID Mini installs on the vehicle’s dashboard and comes with a GPS antenna and a wireless remote control to be attached to the steering wheel.
Connected to the Internet via 3G, 4G key or a tethering mobile phone connected by Bluetooth or USB, Parrot ASTEROID Mini accesses the ASTEROID Market in order to download Apps and other services like a simplified GPS system, a music library…
Availability: November 2012
MSRP: £249.99




Parrot ASTEROID Tablet : Apps, GPS, Music and Hands-Free Telephony




The Parrot ASTEROID Tablet has a large 5in colour capacitive multi-touch screen with an integrated GPS antenna. It installs easily to the vehicle’s dashboard or windshield thanks to a repositionable foot.
In the manner of a multimedia tablet, navigation of the menu is tactile via the screen, and a wireless remote control with a sensitive panel also enables the drive to manage functionality including hands-free telephony, selection of music source and music search by the voice…
In addition to accessing Apps and services via 3G, 4G key or by tethering from a mobile phone or tablet connected by Bluetooth or USB, the Parrot ASTEROID Tablet can connect to a proximity Wi-Fi network. It is then possible to download a GPS solution and a large selection of applications from the ASTEROID Market.
Lastly, the Parrot ASTEROID Tablet offers many audio settings thanks to the Virtual SuperBass2 and Sound Spatializer systems.
Availability: November 2012
MSRP: £349.99



Parrot ASTEROID Smart : Apps, Navigation, Video, Music and Hands-Free Telephony




With its wide 6.2in colour multi-touch screen, the Parrot ASTEROID Smart is a comprehensive connected multimedia car head unit. Its 2-DIN format fits perfectly into the central column of the dashboard in many vehicles.
Control of the menus of the Parrot ASTEROID Smart is tactile via the touch screen.
Equipped with a GPS antenna, the Parrot ASTEROID Smart includes a complete onboard navigation system.
Numerous applications adapted to the size of the screen of the Parrot ASTEROID Smart and to its specific functionalities are downloadable on the ASTEROID Market via 3G, 4G key, by tethering from a mobile phone or tablet connected by Bluetooth or USB or by connecting to a proximity Wi-Fi network. These applications include radios and podcasts from all over the world; driving assistance solution; tourist information…
Equipped with various connectors (6 RCA, 1 video input & 1 video output), the Parrot ASTEROID Smart can be connected to a rear camera or to a rear seat AV system.
Availability: November 2012
MSRP: £549.99

Autosounds partner with TomTom Business Solutions through TTI

Autosounds have specialised in the fleet tracking industry for nearly 12 years now and in this period we have been a distributor for a number of tracking and telematics brands including Tracker, Road Angel, Mix Telematics, Box Telematix and Quartix.

By dealing with all of the above companies we have gained a very good understanding and independent view of which tracking solutions are best for our customers. We were approached by TTinterlink to become a reseller of the TomTom Business Solutions system which we believe is a system that the majority of our customers will be using for many years to come.

We were immediately interested with the Brand alone as it is arguably one of the most well known brands in the world with very few people that would never have heard of TomTom so coupled with this and the fact that the system itself is so easy to use yet complex at the same time lends itself to companies with 1 vehicle up to companies with thousands.

It can be used as a simple track and trace product and report speeds, locations, exception reports, scheduled reports or can derive in-depth information for driver behaviour.

If you are interested in finding out more information about TomTom Business Solutions please visit us at http://www.ttbs.autosounds.co.uk/

Best regards
Steven

Cost of insurance preventing young people finding jobs says Cobra

Cobra UK believes that unless motor insurance costs come down over the coming years younger drivers will avoid learning to drive, which will drastically reduce their ability to get their first job.
The Departments of Transport's National Travel Survey 2010 issued last year revealed the scope of the problem. It said only one in three (35%) of 17-21 year olds have full license, and out of the 65% who don't have a license , 34% said insurance costs were preventing them from learning to drive.
"With young male drivers being hit the hardest with premiums of £5,000 commonplace for their first car, something must give soon or a generation of youngsters between 17 and 21 will simply not be able to afford to drive even if they want to", explained Andrew Smith, managing director of Cobra UK. Cobra already provides the technology that powers the Co-Operatives's Young Driver Insurance, which along with similar schemes should give insurers the ability to drastically reduce the cost of insuring the car.

Autosounds are also involved as in installer for the young drivers insurance scheme with the AA and a few other major insurance companies, if you require further information please don't hesitate to contact us on 0191 2736100 or email info@autosounds.co.uk

Best regards

Steven Coates