Automotive Gadgets

It's a lot harder to develop a breath test for marijuana and opioids than it is for alcohol. But that hasn't stopped a lot of people from trying.

By Alia Hoyt

Soon we might rely on flexible wearable monitors to replace breathalyzers and analyze sweat, notifying us if we've had one too many - or are near the limit.

By Laurie L. Dove

Keyless entry systems have become standard equipment on most new cars and trucks. But if these systems are so common, is it possible for someone other than you to remotely open your car door?

By Patrick E. George

You're ready to hit the open road and you want to take some tunes along with you. But what happens if you have a stack of CDs, yet your car only has a cassette deck?

By Josh Briggs

In-car entertainment has come a long way over the years. Thanks to built-in headrest monitors, road trips seem to breeze past when you're watching movies on DVD or playing the latest video gaming systems.

By Jamie Page Deaton

Watching a DVD of your favorite movie or television show is something that everyone enjoys. Why not take that great experience with you wherever you go? But how much is that luxury going to cost?

By Jamie Page Deaton

Sure, all iPhone apps are accessible from your car, but we're not really interested in those apps right now. Our list of 10 apps is specifically designed around your car's operation.

By Josh Briggs & Christopher Lampton

Most automotive electronics can be powered using the cigarette lighter in our cars and trucks. However, if you want to power something more complicated, like a laptop, you'll need an inverter. What is an inverter? Read on to find out!

By Ed Grabianowski

You can fine tune it all day, but here's the reality: Your old car stereo is simply not going to give you the level of performance you're looking for. So, what are your options?

By Patrick E. George

Are you ever tempted to install your own car audio or video equipment? After all, how hard could it be to tear out that factory-original car radio and replace it with a state-of-the-art stereo system?

By Christopher Lampton

Factory-installed navigation systems have become a popular option on newer cars and trucks. But is this high-tech automotive gadget an affordable option for most car buyers? What options do new and used car buyers have?

By Jamie Page Deaton

Falling asleep at the wheel can be dangerous, if not deadly. Thankfully, anti-sleep alarms will help drivers stay awake.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

Over the years, factory original car audio systems have become highly advanced. But for some car owners, these manufacturer-installed audio systems simply aren't enough. What are the options for an on-the-go audiophile?

By Patrick E. George

You're driving down a road when your GPS device suddenly urges you to turn right. The sign ahead suggests otherwise. As does the oncoming traffic. What makes your otherwise useful device so wrong sometimes?v

By Maria Trimarchi

A few auto manufacturers are adding night-vision systems to the vehicles they build in an effort to make driving at night safer. Will night vision become the next got-to-have-it gadget for the automobile?

By Josh Briggs

Most people like to stay connected -- even while on-the-go. It's not difficult when you have access to so many mobile communication technologies. Wouldn't it be great if your car was just as connected as you?

By Ed Grabianowski

There's more than one way to keep track of your teenage driver while he's on the road. But few of them will call you if he's driving recklessly.

By John Fuller

If your high-tech car can dial up your best friend at your command or navigate you out of a maze of city streets, then surely it can tell you what the applicable speed limit is. Or can it?

By Robert Lamb

You're packed and ready to go to Disney World, but you live in New York -- can you keep the kiddies entertained? Sirius Backseat TV relieves beleaguered parents by streaming video clips onto your car's television.

By Akweli Parker

Car dashboard displays are useful tools, but they're increasingly complicated. Let's take a look at what you need to know about car dashboard displays.

By Molly Edmonds

Thinking of outfitting your car with every electronic add-on the market has to offer? Inspector Gadget would approve. But let's make sure you do it in style.

By Molly Edmonds

You know the calculation: number of miles on your trip odometer divided by your tank capacity. Mileage monitors claim to one-up such simple estimates with real-time feedback. Are such monitors really accurate, and does it even matter if they are?

By Julia Layton

Carmakers say RFID ignition systems are unbreakable -- at least by your average thief of average means. But what are the technology's flaws, and should you really protect your ride by wrapping your key in tinfoil?

By Julia Layton

Some Bluetooth users simply clip a headset on their ear to talk on a cell phone without the need to hold the actual phone. Others take advantage of the full line of Bluetooth technology, such as installing a Bluetooth car stereo.

By Jessika Toothman

A roadside sobriety test of touching one's nose or walking a straight line cannot rule out a high blood alcohol concentration. That's why the Breathalyzer is such a game-changer. But how does a Breathalyzer work? Read on to find out!

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.