CarPlay and Android Auto have been around for several years, but it's still impossible to say that they are wildly popular. It's not that they are inconvenient or not functional - everything is exactly the opposite - it's just that their installation is so problematic that it is much easier and safer to buy a car with a system already built into it. And since people are not inclined to change their car every couple of years, they often have to be content with a traditional on-board computer at best.
Dashbot is an ambitious Kickstarter project that aims to equip absolutely any car with artificial intelligence. It is a small column that is installed on the dashboard, connected to USB-outlet or cigarette lighter socket and connects to an iPhone or smartphone Android via Bluetooth. It is with its help that Dashbot will go online.
© kickstarter.com
The creators claim that high-sensitivity microphones are built into the speaker, which are able to hear the owner, even if the car is driving at full speed and music is playing in it. In this case, this is important - all Dashbot control is carried out using the voice.
The computer can voice messages coming to the smartphone and send dictated responses, launch navigation programs and warn about the need to turn, as well as search the Internet for music and albums and play them right there. The list of streaming services is extensive: from Spotify and Pandora, popular abroad, to Apple Music and Google Play Music, available in Russia.
© kickstarter.com
These are just the main features of Dashbot, because it runs Alexa, an Amazon -developed voice assistant designed specifically for smart devices. He knows how to search for information on the network, remember the schedule and habits of the owner, set reminders, and so on.
The second important feature of Dashbot is the lack of a traditional screen. The developers claim that this was done on purpose - so that the driver would not be distracted from the road. Instead of a display, there is an LED panel consisting of red "cubes": if, for example, according to the navigator you need to turn right at the next intersection, they will line up in an arrow pointing in the corresponding direction. The backlight level of the panel is automatically lowered at night to avoid irritating eyes.
The best part is that Dashbot costs only $ 65. You can order it on the project page on Kickstarter.>
