Latest and greatest in hands-free calling and other car niceties?
September 8, 2014 7:00 AM Subscribe
My husband's birthday is coming up! For work, he drives and talks on the phone A LOT. How can I make make it safer - and nicer - for him to make and take calls while driving? I would also love to hear recommendations for other car-life luxuries that make a difference.
For the phone, I would prefer something better than just a mount - ideally something that has a speaker of its own and background noise cancellation so the calls are extra crisp, plus voice control so he can accept and initiate calls hands-free.
I know nothing about cars so if there are options that involve installation by a mechanic, I would appreciate a little hand-holding.
His current phone is iPhone but I know he's been thinking about Android, and his car is an Audi, about 10 years old, if that matters.
Lastly, I don't mind spending a little more if it's something life-changing.
For the phone, I would prefer something better than just a mount - ideally something that has a speaker of its own and background noise cancellation so the calls are extra crisp, plus voice control so he can accept and initiate calls hands-free.
I know nothing about cars so if there are options that involve installation by a mechanic, I would appreciate a little hand-holding.
His current phone is iPhone but I know he's been thinking about Android, and his car is an Audi, about 10 years old, if that matters.
Lastly, I don't mind spending a little more if it's something life-changing.
I just installed the GROM-BT3 bluetooth hands free kit from Grom Audio in my older pre-bluetooth car, and it works well. It integrates with the existing steering wheel controls, and adds a microphone for hands free calling. All the music, phone calls and navigation instructions from my phone play through the car stereo. It was around $140.
The major issue is installation -- it can be a DIY project, but you do have to be able to pull the stereo unit from the car to plug the Grom unit into the back. I was comfortable doing it to my car, but you might want to contact a local car audio installer and see if they can order and install it.
posted by shanewtravel at 7:48 AM on September 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
The major issue is installation -- it can be a DIY project, but you do have to be able to pull the stereo unit from the car to plug the Grom unit into the back. I was comfortable doing it to my car, but you might want to contact a local car audio installer and see if they can order and install it.
posted by shanewtravel at 7:48 AM on September 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
Depending on the exact year/model/stereo option of his Audi, there may be a very clean - if very pricey - option for putting in bluetooth, with integration to the steering wheel controls and a microphone up above. You could check with a very reputable local stereo shop.
posted by ftm at 8:10 AM on September 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by ftm at 8:10 AM on September 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
For what it's worth, there's virtually no difference between a hands-free setup and holding the phone in terms of road safety -- the division of attention required by carrying on a phone conversation for any type of phone is equivalent to driving drunk. I don't think you should enable/encourage him to continue doing this! Maybe you can find a way to help him set up an in-car office so that he can pull over from time to time to make his calls...
posted by acm at 8:17 AM on September 8, 2014 [6 favorites]
posted by acm at 8:17 AM on September 8, 2014 [6 favorites]
But there is a difference in terms of the legality in many jurisdictions. Where I am the cops are cracking down lately on people talking on cell phones in a big way.
posted by quaking fajita at 8:22 AM on September 8, 2014
posted by quaking fajita at 8:22 AM on September 8, 2014
Best answer: I did this on my 2001 Jeep and it worked wonderfully. Go to Crutchfield, input your car info and it will give you a selection of compatible stereos for it. The great part with Crutchfield, is they give you the adapters and plugs to truly make this a plug and play project. With very detailed instructions.
Choose a receiver that has bluetooth capabilities and (very important) a remote microphone. If you do not feel comfortable or confident installing, going to your local garage or handy-person the install should be minimal.
Something like this should work great for his needs. The added benefit for me was to get my music collection on my phone to play wirelessly in my car as well.
posted by wile e at 8:25 AM on September 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
Choose a receiver that has bluetooth capabilities and (very important) a remote microphone. If you do not feel comfortable or confident installing, going to your local garage or handy-person the install should be minimal.
Something like this should work great for his needs. The added benefit for me was to get my music collection on my phone to play wirelessly in my car as well.
posted by wile e at 8:25 AM on September 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
the division of attention required by carrying on a phone conversation for any type of phone is equivalent to driving drunk.
This is misinformation and a great way for people to trivialise drunk driving. The vast majority of research says that hands free texting is the same level of distraction as drunk driving (physically texting is even worse). Not the actual talking to someone part. Yes, making the call initially has a degree of distraction, but once the call is connected and assuming no texting (voice activated or otherwise, so no reason to be reading a screen) the danger from just being on the phone talking is nowhere near as dangerous as drunk driving. With being on the phone you can shut up and concentrate for a bit. With drunk driving you don't have that option.
Hands free talking (once the call is made) is no different than talking to a passenger and the people that come into every one of these threads and make wild claims as to how inherently unsafe it is are not helping. Do your research better before making these claims. talking hands free is not the same as hands free texting. It is the operating the phone (handling, reading, checking voice commands etc) that is dangerous. Once the call is connected it is a different matter.
posted by Brockles at 8:31 AM on September 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
This is misinformation and a great way for people to trivialise drunk driving. The vast majority of research says that hands free texting is the same level of distraction as drunk driving (physically texting is even worse). Not the actual talking to someone part. Yes, making the call initially has a degree of distraction, but once the call is connected and assuming no texting (voice activated or otherwise, so no reason to be reading a screen) the danger from just being on the phone talking is nowhere near as dangerous as drunk driving. With being on the phone you can shut up and concentrate for a bit. With drunk driving you don't have that option.
Hands free talking (once the call is made) is no different than talking to a passenger and the people that come into every one of these threads and make wild claims as to how inherently unsafe it is are not helping. Do your research better before making these claims. talking hands free is not the same as hands free texting. It is the operating the phone (handling, reading, checking voice commands etc) that is dangerous. Once the call is connected it is a different matter.
posted by Brockles at 8:31 AM on September 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
The key difference is that a passenger is there with you and presumably will modulate the conversation to allow you space to maneuver/merge/etc. A caller will not know to do this.
Tom Vanderbilt's Traffic covers this topic in detail, and backs this up. Talking to someone on a cell phone, even hands-free, is nothing at all like talking to a passenger - the brain even processes the input completely differently.
posted by anderjen at 9:49 AM on September 8, 2014 [3 favorites]
Tom Vanderbilt's Traffic covers this topic in detail, and backs this up. Talking to someone on a cell phone, even hands-free, is nothing at all like talking to a passenger - the brain even processes the input completely differently.
posted by anderjen at 9:49 AM on September 8, 2014 [3 favorites]
My new (to me) car has an integrated bluetooth, and I love it. Not just because it makes talking on the phone safer, but because I can stream Pandora through my car's audio system.
posted by KathrynT at 10:37 AM on September 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by KathrynT at 10:37 AM on September 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
Yep, check out crutchfield.com ifnonly for research. You want either a bluetooth kit OR an aftermarket stereo with bluetooth. A great solution can be as cheap as $120
3 options:
If he likes soldering wires, he might like to I stall it himself.
You can order the model you kike from Crutchfield and take it to a car audio shop where they will install for an additional $100.
You can go to the audio shop directly and plau with their stereos on display. They may try to upsell you, so know what you want (to talk on the phone) and your budget ahead of time.
here are other cool things blue tooth stereos can do:
Skip forward and backward in your audio
Allow you to listen to podcasts or internet radio.
Tell you who is calling on the stereo display
Some can read your text messages to you (I dont like this feature because it tempts me to answer while driving)
posted by jander03 at 7:08 AM on September 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
3 options:
If he likes soldering wires, he might like to I stall it himself.
You can order the model you kike from Crutchfield and take it to a car audio shop where they will install for an additional $100.
You can go to the audio shop directly and plau with their stereos on display. They may try to upsell you, so know what you want (to talk on the phone) and your budget ahead of time.
here are other cool things blue tooth stereos can do:
Skip forward and backward in your audio
Allow you to listen to podcasts or internet radio.
Tell you who is calling on the stereo display
Some can read your text messages to you (I dont like this feature because it tempts me to answer while driving)
posted by jander03 at 7:08 AM on September 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
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That's what I'd aim for. My latest car (2006 BMW) has bluetooth integrated and having lived with it for several months I would, without question, have fitted a bluetooth car kit in my previous cars if I'd known how much easier and safer it is.
posted by Brockles at 7:16 AM on September 8, 2014 [1 favorite]