Perfectionist Auto Sound and Security

Alaska's Most Award Winning Auto Customizer

  • About Us
    • Why Choose Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • Our Awards
    • Virtual Tour
    • Community Engagement
  • Signature Products
    • DroneMobile
    • SoundShield®
  • Services
    • Remote Car Starters
      • Vehicle Security
    • Car Audio
      • Sound Deadening
    • Custom Fabrication
    • Driver Safety
      • Bluetooth
      • Blind Spot Safety Systems
      • Camera Systems
      • Navigation Systems
    • Laser And Radar Detectors
    • Lighting
    • Offroad and Marine
      • Motorcycle Audio
    • Custom Interiors
    • Performance
      • Tires and Wheels
      • Suspensions / Lift & Lower
    • PRO Commercial Division
  • Gallery
    • Photos
    • Videos
    • Wallpaper Downloads
  • Contact Us
    • FAQ
    • Feedback
    • Join Our Team

Safely Using Your Smartphone in Your Car

01/03/2021 By BestCarAudio.com

SmartphoneIn 1982, Michael Knight was able to talk to his 1982 Pontiac Firebird and ask it for navigation directions. Of course, watching “Knight Rider” meant that we understood that KITT was make-believe. Fast-forward 35 years, and talking to our vehicles is now a reality, thanks to our smartphone.

Smartphone

The modern smartphone, be it an iPhone or a device running the Android operating system, is more of a computer than a phone. Sure, it has a speaker and a microphone, and you can indeed make phone calls with it. But more people spend time browsing Facebook, playing Candy Crush or texting their friends than making phone calls. Our society is simply addicted to the modern smartphone, and most of us can’t go more than a few minutes without having it at our sides.

Cell Phones in Automobiles

Early mobile phones were more of a walkie-talkie than a phone. You had to press a button to talk, then wait for the party on the other end to reply. This was called single-duplex communication. After a few years, full-duplex communication meant that you could talk at the same time as the person you were calling. As phones evolved, providers increased the number of communication channels available so that multiple phones could be used in one area. It wasn’t until the early ’80s that a standardized communication network dedicated specifically for phone use was put into place.

Fast-forward a few decades and the communication between our phones and the service provider is all based on digital communication. As important as voice calls are, data communication has become the top priority for many phone users. Cell phone service providers are constantly upgrading their cellular towers and technologies to increase communication speed and decrease latency.

Hands-Free Calling

SmartphoneLong before we had to worry about looking at maps on our phones, we had to deal with the issue of people talking on their phones while driving. Distracted driving is a serious issue and is the cause of many accidents and fatalities. In 2013, more than 3,000 people were killed because of distracted driving. In 2015, more than 391,000 injuries were caused by driver distraction.

The simplest way to prevent distraction is to not talk on or look at your phone while driving. Several global companies have strict rules about communication while in the car and strictly forbid any kind of phone usage.

If you have to talk, then a hands-free system that uses Bluetooth is a good solution. Bluetooth is a short-range digital radio communication protocol that works with a speaker and microphone to let you talk and hear the response from a caller without the need to hold on to your phone. Even the cheapest new cars include Bluetooth hands-free calling.

Existing Mobile Smartphone Navigation Applications

SmartphoneWe started talking about asking our phones for directions. Portable navigation devices with voice recognition have been available for more than a decade. Where using your smartphone differs is in the ability to retrieve real-time mapping and traffic flow information. Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps all provide navigation directions based on accident, road closure and flow information to help you reach your destination as efficiently as possible.

Map information is big business. Google has invested millions of dollars into developing its mapping information. Google claims coverage of 99 percent of the world, with an impressive 25 million updates each day. It has further enhanced that mapping information with data on businesses to make getting where you want to go even easier. Gone are the days of needing to purchase new maps to get the latest information.

Voice Recognition Systems

SmartphoneUnlike the voice recognition system built into portable navigation devices that listened for specific phrases or requests, Apple’s Siri and Google’s Voice Assistant can interpret common language communication to perform commands or execute requests. “Navigate to” has been replaced with “find me a,” “take me to” or “get directions to” whatever address or location you want. These systems capture what you say, analyze the content on their servers, then send the required commands back to the phone.

Smartphone Integration Solutions

SmartphoneApple CarPlay and Android smartphone integration solutions were developed to make using your smartphone safer while you drive. These software solutions run on the multimedia receiver in the dash of your vehicle and use your phone’s cellular data connection to listen to your requests and provide you with the information or entertainment you want. Asking for directions will launch Apple Maps or Google Maps. Asking to call a phone number or a business will initiate a hands-free phone call. You can send text messages and even have the systems read you the response from your friends, co-workers or family.

Control Your Vehicle with Your Smartphone

Another popular use for a modern smartphone is as a remote control for your vehicle’s convenience system. In the most basic of functions, you can use an application on your phone to send a command to your vehicle to lock or unlock the doors, pop the trunk or remote start the engine. Of course, hardware needs to be installed in your vehicle to perform these functions.

In a premium solution, these smartphone cellular communication solutions include telematics solutions. When the vehicle hardware is equipped with a GPS receiver, the location and speed of the vehicle can be communicated back to your smartphone. Business owners can track their fleet of company vehicles, and parents will know where their kids are a few seconds after pushing a button in an app.

The Future of Mobile Communication

SmartphoneAutomakers are working to allow our vehicles to talk to each other in order to reduce traffic congestion and the chance of accidents. For this to happen, your car or truck needs to know where all the vehicles around it are located and where they are going. The hardware exists today to make this happen, but the communication networks aren’t fast enough to implement the system.

In 2020, the fifth generation of mobile communication protocols (called 5G) will launch. Cell companies already have 5G hardware and are busy testing and configuring it to provide communication rates as fast as 20 gigabits per second with less than one millisecond of latency. Interestingly enough, the desire to have automobiles communicate efficiently with one another is driving this technology.

Latency is the time it takes for a message to travel between two devices. Right now, cell phones take 20 to 30 milliseconds to communicate to a server. For a vehicle traveling at 65 miles an hour, this delay means that a vehicle could have travelled more than 3 feet between when the message was sent and when it was received.

Add to that the time it would take to transmit that information to another vehicle, plus any computer processing time, and our accuracy based on communication speed is greater than 10 feet. That’s not adequate for an intelligent collision prevention system. If we can reduce the latency to 5 milliseconds, we’d have an accuracy of about 7 inches – more than enough to prevent vehicles from colliding.

Stay Safe Behind the Wheel

Until our primary mode of transportation is no longer our personal vehicles, the need and desire to communicate while behind the wheel will remain an important safety consideration. If you are interested in upgrading the smartphone technology in your car, truck or SUV, we invite you to visit your local specialist mobile electronics retailer. Be sure to bring your smartphone with you, so you’ll know exactly how the features and functions they demonstrate will work.

(KITT photo: By Shane K from Mississauga, Canada (KITT) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Filed Under: ARTICLES, Car Audio, Smartphone Integration

Compustar Prime Remote Start Upgrade on 2019 Honda HR-V

09/17/2020 By John Schwartz

2019 Honda HR-V
2019 Honda HR-V
2019 Honda HR-V
2019 Honda HR-V

A client from Anchorage, Alaska, brought her 2019 Honda HR-V into our shop, looking for a new remote start. As with all of our projects, we started this install with a check-in using an iPad, which includes taking photos of the interior and exterior, checking the functions of the vehicle, and performing a battery test. We then put a battery charger on the vehicle with a fender cover to protect its paint from any scratches.

During the install, our techs solder every connection and wrap the wires in electrical tape, followed by using JK Tapes — a cloth tape similar to the type used in a factory — to clean up the install.

We installed the Compustar Prime G15 remote on this customer’s van, along with the Compustar Drone. The Prime G15 is a two-way remote with a maximum range of half a mile. “Two-way” means that the customer will be alerted when the vehicle is started, locked or unlocked through an LED notification — even through a push notification when using the Compustar DroneMobile app.

When our client came to pick up the vehicle, she was smiling and so excited to be able to continue to stay warm all winter, and stay cool in our hot summers.

If you need a new autostart, contact us here at Perfectionist Auto Sound and Security, or just stop by and one of our sales associates or technicians will be happy to help you.

Filed Under: INSTALLATIONS, Remote Car Starters, Smartphone Integration Tagged With: 2019, Compustar, Drone, DroneMobile, Honda, HR-V

Unlimited-Range Smartphone-Controlled Remote Start for 2019 Ram 1500

04/16/2020 By John Schwartz

2019 Ram 1500
2019 Ram 1500
2019 Ram 1500
2019 Ram 1500
2019 Ram 1500

Remote Starter with Unlimited Range

A customer recently came in with their 2019 Ram 1500, looking for an autostart. Since this customer travels a lot, he knew he wanted a remote with a long range to start his vehicle from the airport. We agreed on installing the Compustar Drone, a two-way remote start that you use from your phone with virtually unlimited range, as long as you and the vehicle are within cell service.

The customer also requested we add a kill switch to his vehicle so that he could turn the autostart off if he plans on leaving for a couple of weeks. We installed the kill switch near his steering wheel, which will give him the ability to turn the autostart module on and off easily.

Our customer was over the moon when he came to pick up his vehicle, knowing that he had a reliable remote start that will guarantee he stays warm all winter long, and can even cool down his vehicle on hot summer days.

Professional Remote Start Installations by Perfectionist Auto Sound and Security

If you or anyone you know is in need of an autostart, our team here at Perfectionist Auto Sound is experienced and can accommodate all of your needs.

Filed Under: INSTALLATIONS, Remote Car Starters, Smartphone Integration Tagged With: 1500, 2019, Compustar, DroneMobile, Ram, Two-Way Remotes

Push-to-Start 2013 BMW X5 Gets Two-Way Remote Start Upgrade

04/09/2020 By John Schwartz

2013 BMW X5
2013 BMW X5
2013 BMW X5
2013 BMW X5
2013 BMW X5

 

2-Way Remote Car Starter Installation

Here at Perfectionist Auto Sound, we work closely with many car dealerships in Anchorage to service their vehicles. One of the dealerships recently came in with a client’s 2013 BMW X5, looking for a new remote start. Not only is this a complex vehicle on its own, but it also happened to be a push-to-start. Our techs are extremely experienced with European vehicles and are skilled and experienced in working with the complex wiring of a push-to-start button as opposed to standard key starts. We walked through many options for remotes while guaranteeing a clean and reliable install, as always. Eventually, we decided on the RFX-2WG15-FM, a two-way remote with a half-mile range. Two-way means that the remote will notify the client once the car starts through blinking LED lights and an audible tone, and even through their phone if using the Compustar Drone car-starting app.

We started the install with our standard procedure of doing a battery test, plugging the vehicle into a battery charger and checking all of the functions of the vehicle. We then finished up the install with our standard procedure of double-checking all of the functions of the vehicle and vacuuming the interior.
The dealership picked up the vehicle and delivered it to their client, who was so excited not have to go out into the cold any longer to warm up their car.

Servicing Car Dealers and the Public

If you or anyone you know are looking for a new remote start for your complex European vehicle, you can trust our experienced and knowledgeable technicians here at Perfectionist to take care of you. Contact them here.

Filed Under: INSTALLATIONS, Remote Car Starters, Smartphone Integration Tagged With: 2013, BMW, Compustar, Two-Way Remotes, X5

New 2019 Volkswagen Atlas Gets Two-Way Compustar Remote Start

03/26/2020 By John Schwartz

Volkswagen Atlas
Volkswagen Atlas
Volkswagen Atlas
Volkswagen Atlas

Perfectionist Auto Sound and Security installs a 2-way Remote Start for an Anchorage, Alaska Resident

A client came in with their 2019 Volkswagen Atlas looking for a new remote start. Here at Perfectionist Auto Sound, our techs are extremely experienced with European vehicles, so we walked through many options with our client while guaranteeing a clean and reliable install. We decided on the RFX-2WG15-FM, a two-way remote with a half-mile range. Two-way means that the remote will notify you once the car starts, through blinking LED lights, an audible tone and even your phone if you use the Compustar Drone car-starting app.

We started the install with our standard procedure of doing a battery test, plugging the vehicle into a battery charger and checking all of the functions of the vehicle. We then finished up the install with our standard procedure of double-checking all the functions of the vehicle and vacuuming the interior.
The customer picked up the vehicle and was so excited to no longer have to go out into the cold to warm up their car!
If you or anyone you know is looking for a new remote start for a complex European vehicle, you can trust our experienced and knowledgeable technicians here at Perfectionist to take care of you.

Filed Under: INSTALLATIONS, Remote Car Starters, Smartphone Integration Tagged With: 2019, Atlas, Compuster, DroneMobile, Volkswagen

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 6
  • Next Page »

HOURS

SundayClosed
Monday9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Perfectionist Auto Sound and Security

801 East 82nd Avenue, D1
Anchorage, Alaska 99518
Phone: 907-563-8112

Contact Us

Copyright © 2021 | Site design by award-winning creative agency D'zine Alaska , with site support by 1sixty8 Media and Modern Media Geeks.