We recently wrote about Mapkin, the app for drivers that enables them to create customized routes for friends, making driving more social. Another app harnessing people’s networks of friends and family is ParkTag, which alerts users looking for a parking spot when someone they know has just vacated one near to them.

Created by Germany-based Digital Natives, the app works by letting drivers geotag their vehicle – whether it’s a car, bike or even a boat – when its holding a parking space in a busy location. Users can then share this location with family, friends or members of the local community, who can in return opt to take it when they’re leaving. A time is arranged between the two and an exchange happens at the location, helping to avoid the time and fuel involved in searching for a parking space in busy areas. The user posting the space is rewarded with in-app points that they will be able to use to give them priority when in need of a parking spot themselves.

The app is available for free on the App Store. How else can mass information sharing via smartphones help to make navigating a city more efficient?

Website: www.parktag.diginats.com
Contact: www.diginats.com/en/contact

Spotted by: Murray Orange

While apps such as Waze have harnessed the crowds to provide quicker routes for drivers, Mapkin is a new platform that lets friends send each other personalized directions, with custom instructions and voice recordings.

Once users have created a route from one point to another, they can begin to add elements along the way. Choosing from a list of popular stop-off points or creating their own, they can include points of interest such as restaurants, gas stations and parking spaces. Mapkin enables users to also add their own comments along the way – directing friends to avoid a particular junction or simply making instructions clearer or more fun. To replace the limited selection available with standard GPS navigation devices, directions can be complemented with users’ own voice recordings. Maps can then be saved and shared with friends over email, SMS or social networks.

Waze can help drivers get from A to Z with ease thanks to help from expert mappers, but – similarly to the automated Roadtrippers platform – Mapkin is more about finding parts of a route that others may not necessarily know about, making sharing directions fun. Could these two strands of community-based direction-giving be integrated?

Website: www.mapkin.co
Contact: www.twitter.com/mapkin

Spotted by: Leo von Wendorff

We’ve seen numerous mobile apps designed to improve drivers’ safety on the road, but Automatic takes what may well be the most comprehensive approach to date. With the help of a small device that plugs into the car, the Automatic app monitors that car’s health, makes money-saving driving tips, remembers where the car is parked and more.

Users begin by plugging the Automatic Link device into their car’s data port; it supports every gasoline-engine car made since 1996, its San Francisco-based maker says. Once that’s done, the car and smartphone will automatically connect wirelessly whenever the user takes a trip. Among the services Automatic provides along the way are driving suggestions for better fuel efficiency, trip timelines including miles per gallon, and automatic crash detection as well as sending alerts to 911 and loved ones. Also available are engine-health monitoring and parking reminders. Pricing is USD 69.95. The video below explains the premise in more detail:

Both the Automatic Link device and the accompanying app for iPhone 4S and 5 will be available to US consumers in July. For Android users, an app will be released this fall. Automotive entrepreneurs in other parts of the world: one to get involved in?

Website: www.automatic.com
Contact: support@automatic.com

Spotted by: Tracy Chong

Using a cell phone behind the wheel has largely been banned around the world, and we’ve even seen the RodeDog app help alert friends when drivers do try to pick up their device. However, Israeli telecoms company Accel has developed the Voyager, a car phone that aims to be more practical as well as safe for vehicle owners.

The device is designed to be a second handset that drivers can simply leave in the car when not in use. However, a twinned SIM card means that users can receive calls on the phone through their existing number. As well as noise reduction and echo cancellation to increase the clarity of speaker phone conversations, the Voyager comes with large physical buttons that are easier to accurately press from a distance than touchscreen keypads. It can be connected to the car’s diagnostics system via Bluetooth, meaning the device alerts drivers if something goes wrong. The phone also comes loaded with apps designed for use by drivers, such as GPS and parking spot locators. The following video explains the Voyager in more detail:

Traditional smartphones aren’t built with the specific aim of being used in vehicles and the Voyager goes some way to ensure that drivers can more easily operate their car phone in a hands-free manner. How could smartphones be adapted for other every day situations?

Website: www.voyager.co.il
Contact: sales@accel.co.il

Spotted by: Murtaza Patel

If sensors can be placed onto motorcycle helmets to alert loved ones in the event of a crash, then it seems like the logical next step is to install such a device in cars. Enter splitsecnd, a GPS-enabled keyfob that instantly connects drivers to an emergency responder when an accident happens.

The device, which is small enough to fit onto a keychain containing car keys, can be plugged into the vehicle’s cigarette lighter socket. Once in place, the splitsecnd becomes active and can detect if there has been a serious impact or emergency stop. If so, the device automatically connects to a responder at the splitsecnd monitor center, who can converse with the driver via an embedded microphone and speakers. If the situation requires help – or if the driver does not respond – the device’s GPS location is logged and emergency services are sent out. Additionally, the splitsecnd mobile app enables users to allow friends and family members to access their GPS location to ensure they have arrived at their destination safely. The video below offers a demonstration of the product:

Purchase of the splitsecnd costs USD 199.95, while the required cellular plan is USD 14.95 per month. The device could be the difference between life and death on the road and – for those who believe a price cannot be put on personal safety – could be invaluable.

Website: www.splitsecnd.com
Contact: support@splitsecnd.com

Spotted by: Murtaza Patel

Safety features on cars are largely focused on reducing the danger of those inside and out getting hurt – and rightly so – but damage to vehicles can also result in large bills for drivers. With this in mind, the Hail Protector is an air-filled cover that can protect cars from the destructive force of falling ice lumps, with a tie-in app to alert drivers of weather changes.

The cover is made of a durable, resilient material that – combined with a cushion of air underneath it – is capable of reflecting even large pieces of hail away from cars. For drivers who don’t have roofed storage for their vehicle, the device can be strapped to the wheels like a standard car cover. Using the Hail Protector app, owners can be notified around 30-60 minutes before the US’s National Weather Service predicts hail to occur. When activated via a remote control, four inflators located on the side fill up the cover in time to protect the car in the case that heavy hail does fall. The Hail Protector retails for between USD 299 and USD 399, depending on car size. The video below gives more information on how the product works:

The company cites figures from the Highway Loss Data Institute, which show that around 250,000 cars in the US are damaged by hail every year. As a result, the Hail Protector could save consumers money, as well as numerous trips to the mechanic.

Website: www.hailprotector.com
Contact: www.hailprotector.com/contact

Spotted by: Tracy Chong

Consumers have been familiar with foldable bicycles for a while now thanks to brands such as Brompton. Now, eco-friendly Hungarian automotive firm Antro, has taken the logical next step and has created the Moveo, a lightweight electric scooter that can be collapsed and carried like a rolling suitcase.

The company has spent the last five years refining the prototype, getting the weight down to 25 kilograms and the top speed up to 45 kilometers per hour, with its battery charge able to take it 35 kilometers. The current model has stylish gold carbon-composite bodywork and sleek design, while a full scooter seat has not been sacrificed. When drivers reach their destination, the vehicle can be easily folded and carried around using the extendable handle and caster wheels. When folded, bodywork protects users from the machinery inside and the design means that owners don’t have to look for a parking space or lock up their vehicle. Rather they can carry it with them on alternative modes of transport.

Much like the Hiriko Fold, the Moveo reduces the amount of space vehicles take up on crowded city streets and gives drivers more options when the scooter isn’t in use. Antro hopes to get the Moveo into production early next year and is currently looking for investors. Once it hits the market, consumers are set to pay between USD 3,100 and USD 4,600, according to reports. Could your financial backing help bring this innovation to life?

Website: www.solo-duo.hu
Contact: info@antro.hu

Spotted by: Murray Orange

While the Japanese Honda Fit She’s is an example of automotive firms targeting the female market through aesthetic appeal, we haven’t seen many car-related products that combine style with functionality. However, Spain-based Nubhes has created a feminine shoe that is designed specifically to help women drive with ease.

Many women often change from high heels to a flat pair of shoes when they get behind the wheel, only to change again once they stop driving. However, the extra set of shoes aren’t usually designed with driving in mind. The startup has used “extensive biomechanical research” to create its Nubhes shoes, which are flexible and feature an anti-slip sole to keep feet on the pedal. The shoes have a firm fit, but don’t use laces or Velcro so they can be slipped on and off easily. They are supple so that the pedal can be better felt through the shoe, enabling drivers to be more responsive to the vehicle. They also feature reflective material on the front in case wearers need to exit their car at night.

Nubhes hopes to make driving a more comfortable and safe experience for women and are hoping to offer a practical and stylish shoe to save women having to carry extra pairs around with them. Are there other traditionally male-oriented industries that could cater for the female market?

Website: www.nubhes.com
Contact: www.nubhes.com/atencion-al-cliente

Spotted by: Wences Garcia

We’ve already seen license plates used as a source of pricing information for prospective car buyers, and now CurbTXT aims to use these plates to provide driver’s contact info for others on the road, allowing anyone to easily text the car’s owner.

Passersby who see a vehicle with its lights left on, blocking an exit or being vandalized, usually feel helpless to do anything about it. CurbTXT allows drivers to register their vehicle’s license plate and phone number, which is stored on its database. They also receive a bumper sticker to alert passersby that they are registered. When someone needs to get in touch with the owner of a vehicle, they can send a text — which should begin with the state code and license plate number — to the CurbTXT number and the service will forward it on to the driver. The texter is alerted if the vehicle is not registered with CurbTXT. Evidently, the system may be open to spammers, but CurbTXT customers can text ‘#block’ if they no longer want to receive messages from a particular sender.

Currently available in San Francisco, CurbTXT hopes that communities will adopt the idea and begin looking after each others’ cars. Is this an idea that could spread around the globe?

Website: www.curbtxt.com
Contact: info@curbtxt.com

Spotted by: Murray Orange

We’ve seen plenty of car-rental innovations over the years, including FlightCar, which rents out vehicles left in airport parking lots. More recently, however, we came across Silvercar. In a nutshell, the Texas-based company plans to rent out just a single color, make and model of car – the silver 2013 Audi A4 – and use mobile technologies to take the hassle out of the rental process.

Now gearing up for an end-of-year launch, Silvercar’s goal is to “reinvent the airport car rental experience by addressing critical friction points with advances in Web, wireless, mobile and vehicle technologies,” in the company’s own words. What that translates into is not just removing the variability in the car models offered – focusing exclusively instead on the premium-minded 2013 Audi A4 in silver – but also basing its service on streamlined operations and a seamless smartphone user interface. No check-in lines or traditional counters will exist at Silvercar locations. Rather, a Silvercar app will serve as a booking platform and manage personalized vehicle settings and preferences via a cloud-based profile for each customer. Those using the service will select and unlock their Silvercar at their travel destination by scanning the vehicle with their smartphone. Then, preferences previously stored in the customer’s profile – reportedly including not just payment and contact details but also favorite satellite radio stations and hotel locations, for example – will automatically push to Audi’s in-dash multimedia interface. “Ultimately, this ever-growing set of preferences and customizations means Silvercar’s Audi A4 becomes the traveler’s own vehicle, whenever and wherever they drive it,” the company explains. Costs, meanwhile, will be comparable to those of standard or full-size cars from other rental companies, it says.

Before launching Silvercar, company CEO Luke Schneider was most recently CTO for Zipcar, which we’ve covered on numerous occasions before. Launch dates and locations will be announced soon, the company says. Mobile and auto-minded entrepreneurs: one to get in on?

Website: www.silvercar.com
Contact: info@silvercar.com

Spotted by: Raymond Kollau