The Kiwi Factory Debuts First In-car Smart Mount for Phones

While it is true that a lot of carmakers are piling onto smartphone integration systems such as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, other vehicles both old and new are left with weak or no connectivity between their mobile devices and vehicle’s infotainment systems.

Just recently, The Kiwi Factory has unveiled a bit of hardware and software for those who are missing out on in-car smartphone functionality. Called Bluejay, it is touted as the globe’s first in-car smart mount for phones. Made from high grade CNC carbon fiber and aluminum, the state-of-the-art smart mount boasts Bluetooth Smart technology and comes with an app that activates when the mobile device is placed on the mount.

According to Nicholas Bartlett, co-founder and CEO of The Kiwi Factory, the automotive and technology industries are rapidly advancing to create a connected car revolution that better understands how people drive. He added that drivers are still using their phones too much while driving, so they created Bluejay to be the smartest in-car gadget that not only better connects drivers to their cars, but also restricts phone distractions while driving.

As for the mount itself, it employs a nano-pad and magnet to hold the device, and adjusts through a three-axis system. The attach point is a choice of a sticky pad, suction cup, or air vent clip.

Apart from acting as a portable infotainment system, the Bluejay app also offers a number of other tools such as:

Meter Notifications: Bluejay sends automatic notifications when the parking meter is about to run out.

Find My Car or Phone: Using GPS data or Bluetooth, users can locate their car even without cell reception

Call and Messaging Shortcuts: These include pre-programmed messages to simplify responding without much distraction

Accident Prevention & Assistance: What’s more, Bluejay can detect when a road accident has occurred and employs a pre-programmed SMS/Emergency call.

Navigation and Smart Places: Users can also use a point-of-interest system with turn-by-turn navigation to get them to nearby gas stations, parking, restaurants, or repair shops.

Smart Home and IFTTT Integration: These include control smart home functions, including Hue, Nest and more

Driver Data: This tracks the number of miles further users can drive before running out of gas, when to change the oil, or even recommended tire pressure

Music App and Internet Radio Integration: Through this, users can stream and control music from other apps

While the new app boasts the safe nature of these functions, it is worth noting that even fewer distractions can still be distractions when driving. Any step to get drivers to keep their heads up and their hands off their mobile devices is a good one, but eventually, fully-integrated and voice-activated systems are still the safest options.

The smart mount is offered in two versions: the classic which is made of plastic and aluminum and the premium which is made of carbon fiber and aluminum.