When you think about it, other than the move to hybrid and electric, cars haven't really changed that much over the years.
Obviously, there have been many constant improvements along the way, enhancing things like passenger comfort, levelling up performance and economy with what's under the hood and changing the aesthetics, both inside and out, to suit whatever look is trending at the time.
But at the end of the day, I reckon you could take a driver from the 1950s, put them in a modern car, and they'd figure out how to make it go without too much difficulty.
One thing that's definitely new, though, is the advent of the car infotainment system.
These days, you can access almost everything on your connected smartphone from your dashboard, via CarPlay or Android Auto - from maps and weather information, to streaming services and even your virtual assistant.
That's assuming your car HAS Android Auto or CarPlay.
If not, have I got the device for you...
The Laser 7-inch Portable CarPlay / Android Auto Touchscreen brings all that functionality to your car - and all your car needs is a charging port and a radio.
The idea is simple, really; just because your car didn't come with a fancy touchscreen doesn't mean you can't add one.
What can be even more frustrating is if your car DOES have a fancy touchscreen, but doesn't have CarPlay or Android Auto - or if it does, you have to connect using a cable every time.
Domestic Manager drives a 2019 Toyota Rav 4 - quite a late-model automobile, but apparently not quite late enough to have the latest connectivity options. Yes, it has a large touchscreen infotainment system, but it's only of limited use because the GPS map option hasn't been updated for six years - so we often find ourselves driving in the middle of nowhere on roads that didn't exist in 2019.
That's where the Laser 7-inch Touchscreen comes in. Apart from the screen itself, there's a car charger cable, a 3.5mm AUX cable and a high-quality, versatile mounting arm all in the box. The jointed and extendable mount attaches with a suction cup for the windscreen, and I've found this extremely stable.
The cables are both a decent length, so you can probably find a way to run them over or through your console so you don't end up with too much of a visible tangle.
Setup is as easy as pairing your phone's Bluetooth - the device will then figure out if it's an iPhone (for CarPlay) or an Android (for Android Auto) and fire up the appropriate homescreen.
Before it does, there is a generic home screen with a few icons and a clock, but you're not likely to spend much time looking at this so I wouldn't bother setting that clock - especially since it resets every time you turn your car off.
However, there are a few settings that might come in handy via that initial screen during setup. There's a fairly well-appointed EQ app - probably unnecessary given your car stereo is likely to have its own EQ. If you're playing music from an SD card (which I've never actually heard of anyone doing) you can search that card from here too. The most useful thing is the radio transmitter function - which is one way you can connect to your car's stereo.
The simple interface shows a selection of pre-set frequencies, or you can choose your own manually in order to find one that isn't already in use by an actual radio station. This works surprisingly well and is obviously a great option if your car doesn't have an AUX in port. The only downsides are you might have to change frequencies on long trips to avoid any region-specific interference and your car stereo will blast static at you for a few seconds when you first start up while the screen is booting.
The best option is to connect via the aforementioned AUX cable. In just a few seconds, the screen boots up, connects to your phone, flicks straight into CarPlay or Android Auto (depending what kind of phone you're using) and will start playing your music or podcasts right where you left off.
At this point, you now have enabled complete smart-screen capability in your vehicle, with touch-screen access to navigation apps like Waze, Google Maps or Apple Maps, not to mention streaming apps such as Spotify, Apple Music or Tidal.
Enjoy the safety and convenience of hands-free messaging via WhatsApp, SMS or Messenger, or just ask Siri or Gemini to make a call.
There's even a slightly less-safe option; you can stream content from your phone via AirPlay or Miracast, which is definitely not a feature you'll find in factory-fitted smart screens. Obviously, this is for passengers' use only and you should definitely not be watching the cricket while you drive.
Believe it or not, you don't even need a stereo at all. The screen has its own built-in speakers and they're not terrible - which is just as well because although I assumed they would be muted when the AUX cable is plugged in, not so, as you'll see me demonstrate in the video below. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, my motto has always been the more speakers, the better. Besides, your car stereo speakers are much more powerful and you probably won't even notice if you have the volume on the screen set to about half.
That one minor anomaly aside, I've been pretty impressed with this device. Setup is easy. The power and AUX leads are long enough to ensure a tidy installation and the windscreen mount is probably the best I've ever seen.
For around NZ$200.00, this might just be the most cost-effective upgrade your car ever had.
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