Chevy Develops In-Car Technology That Will Cool Your Smartphone
We all know our phones run hot from time-to-time, but did you know that even the occasional overheating can drain your battery life and slow down your phone’s processes. Yes, normally your smartphone has a built-in mechanism that will shut down the phone if it becomes dangerously overheated, but this can be quite the nuisance for those travelling on the road who rely heavily on the livelihood of his or her cellphone.
Chevrolet has invented an in-car technology to combat the issue which will appear in some of its future vehicles. The Active Phone Cooling system will debut in Chevy’s 2016 Impala, Malibu, Volt and Cruz vehicles (which will also come equipped with wireless charging features).
At the time, no other automotive manufacturer has implemented the feature which operates using the car’s air vent that is directly to the car’s air conditioning and ventilation system. The vents are directed to the charging bin where the phone rests for a wireless charging session and sends cool air to help lower the phone’s temperature. The system will only operate when the HVAC system is turned on by the driver.
Engineers regularly subject vehicles to the most extreme climates to ensure subsystems work properly. While testing a smartphone wireless charging feature, they noticed some smartphones would suspend charging or shut off altogether after only a few minutes in high temperatures inside a car’s cabin.
If your smartphone’s data and graphics processors are working in overdrive, or it is experiencing high ambient temperatures or even just sitting on the charger, it can make heating conditions even worse, and strain the device – especially on hot days.
“Innovation doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel,” said Impala engineer Dan Lascu. “Sometimes simplicity offers the most elegant solution to a problem.”
Watch the video for more information.
