Posts tagged driving
The Best iPhone Apps for Your Car [IPhone]
Sep 2nd
Whether it’s your daily commute or a random road trip, your iPhone can help you drive, park, and stave off passenger boredom. Here are our picks for the best iPhone apps for when you’re on the move. More »
The Best Android Apps for Your Car [Android]
Sep 2nd
Having an Android along for your daily commute or occasional car trips can make the ride a lot easier, safer, and simply more fun. Here are our favorite Android apps to have on hand when it’s time to hit the road. More »
Build a Cable to Control Your Android Phone While You Drive
Aug 23rd
I recently needed to replace my 5-year-old cell phone and my 3-year-old MP3 player simultaneously. So I bit the bullet and bought an Android-based smart phone, the famed Nexus One (N1). This was, hands down, the best electronics purchase I've made in the last few years…except for one annoying thing: The music app starts and stops randomly when a standard stereo plug is plugged into the 3.5mm headphone jack.
I did a bit of research and decided that I could solve the problem fairly easily.
First, I built a simple cable that disables (opens) the N1’s music control circuit, which solves the original problem nicely (see the schematic below). An alternative to building this simple cable is to wrap tape around the relevant section of the 3.5mm plug sleeve; this will also open the circuit but may leave unwanted tape residue in the jack.
Later, I realized I could go one step beyond and a make a cable that would connect my N1 to my car stereo and have Play/Pause and Skip Forward/Back functions just like the headphones that came with the smart phone. I would no longer have to turn the N1 on and look at the screen while driving in order to access these basic music player functions!
To build this device, you need to know a bit about the difference between a standard stereo plug and the N1’s plug (see the photo below). The standard stereo plug has three conductors, what are typically called the Tip, the Ring, and the Sleeve. These plugs can sometimes be referred to as TRS plugs. The N1, and other Android based phones, come with headphones that have a four-conductor plug with one Tip, two Rings, and one Sleeve. These connections can sometimes be referred to as TRRS connections. It follows then that the corresponding jack (what you plug the plug into) on the N1 has the same number of contacts. It is this extra ring, and the control circuit connected to it, that causes the problem.
On a standard stereo plug the sleeve is typically wired as circuit ground. But, on the TRRS plug/jack, the second ring is ground and the sleeve section is used as a control contact for Play/Pause and Skip Forward/Back functions. Unfortunately, when a standard three-conductor stereo plug is plugged into the N1’s four-conductor jack, the second ring and sleeve contacts of the jack become shorted by the sleeve of the standard plug. This shorted condition makes the phone think the Play/Pause button has been pressed (see Function Chart below). Further, if the plug is not an extremely snug fight in the jack, any sort of movement of the plug can cause the music player app on the phone to act squirrelly. This problem was so bad for me that whenever my car went over a bump of even smallish size, my music would stutter.
During normal operation, the control circuit is open; i.e., there is no connection between the second ring and the sleeve to complete the circuit. The control circuit remains dormant. When the Play/Pause or a Skip Forward/Back button on the N1 headphones is pressed, the circuit is closed, the phone reads the voltage of the completed circuit, and takes action accordingly.
The "Ideal Resistance" is what I measured across the second ring and the sleeve of the N1 headphones while pressing the function buttons. The "Resistance Range" is the range for which the functions would trigger when I tested my understanding of the N1 using a resistance substitution box connected to a push button and a TRRS plug (see photo below). The "Approx. DC Voltage" is the voltage I measured across the contacts when the button is pressed with the Ideal Resistances in-circuit. Your ranges and numbers may vary, depending on a few factors, so be prepared to experiment with different resistors.
I purchased most of the parts either online or at a local electronics store, but the Play/Pause button and the Skip Forward/Back limit switch were in my salvaged parts box. I’m therefore guessing their prices and origins.
You probably won’t be able to find the same exact parts I used, so be resourceful. For instance, the reason I had to test the ranges in the first place is that I couldn’t find a 600Ω surface-mount resistor at the local parts shop. So, I substituted a 470Ω, which they did have on-hand.
I think I cannibalized the Play/Pause button from an old digital irrigation controller I found at work. I’m fairly certain the limit switch came out of a trashed CD drive I had laying around. I really liked including the limit switch in the design because it had some contextual functionality; flip it to the right and you skip forward, flip it to the left and you skip back, similar to swiping across the screen of the N1 for the same functions. You can see photos of the assembly in various stages of completion below. All the parts I used are shown on the parts list at the end of the article.
I felt it was important to make the assembly as compact as possible and easily accessible while driving. It ended up larger than I would have liked, but if it were any smaller it would have been hell to build and solder. And it wouldn’t have been very durable.
The best way to make the unit accessible (meaning I don’t have to hunt around the cabin for buttons while driving) was by ensuring it was in a consistent place in my car. I thought about attaching the button assembly to my phone cradle, which is a recently retasked music player cradle, but finally decided it would be easiest for me if I made the buttons part of the plug that fits into the AUX jack of my car stereo. This would allow me to mount it securely to the dash in a place where I could easily reach it without taking my eyes off the road.
You may have noticed that the stereo plug assembly is installed upside-down. This is because I wanted to make sure the plug was securely mounted without using glue. Glue is great, but I didn’t want the repetitive use of the controls to degrade the integrity of the assembly. So, the plug is held very securely to the circuit board by being wedged between a zip tie and the heavy ground solder of the cable. I also wanted ensure the force of pressing the play/pause button was transmitted to the jack in much the same way that it would be when a plug was inserted. I didn’t want to introduce any forces to the jack that the original engineers hadn’t thought of when designing the stereo. It looks funny, but I think this design will keep the jack from developing cracked solder joints or otherwise becoming damaged over time.
This unit was a lot of fun to figure out, design, and build. It has made my listening and driving experience easier and safer! I hope it does yours.
Guest Post Blurb:
This is a guest post by Rich Kappmeier. Rich is an avid electronics tinkerer, progressive rock musician, occasional writer, and obsessive gamer. He lives in Central California with his wife, Cecilia, and cat, Velcro. Read more by Rich:
What Must-Have Items Do You Keep Handy in Your Car? [Ask The Readers]
Aug 23rd
Personal finance blog Budgets Are Sexy pulls together a list of five things they always keep in their car (aside from a good emergency kit) that’ll save you time and money. Now we’re wondering: What must-haves do you keep in your car? More »
Three Handy Tasker Profiles From Our Readers [What You Said]
Aug 6th
You might have noticed over the past two weeks that we’re really into the Android automation app Tasker. We walked you through setup, then pushed it further. In the meantime, our readers have submitted their own great use cases for Tasker. More »
Push Your Automated Android to Awesome Heights with These Tasker Setups [Automation]
Aug 3rd
We’ve shown you how Android app Tasker can make your phone a fully-automated wonder. Now we’re digging in deeper and providing some clever step-by-step profiles, along with an explainer on how to export and import profiles others have patched together. More »
Off-Color Cars Offer Effective Theft Prevention [Theft]
Jul 29th
Want to reduce your chances of a thief making away with your ride? You could install a serious security system, but just as effective might be a car purchased with a pink, gold, or beige/brown paint job, according to a four-year study. More »
Skobbler Brings Free Turn-by-Turn Navigation to Your iPhone [Downloads]
Jun 12th
If you've been stricken with Android-envy thanks to Google's fantastic and free turn-by-turn Maps Navigation—well, Skobbler isn't the cure. But it is a decent free option for directionally-challenged iPhone users. More »
As Sure as Night Follows Day, You’re Going to Get a Traffic Ticket Soon
Jun 3rd
How soon? Well that depends on what kind of shape your state’s economy is in. But from the experiences I have been gathering from friends, relatives, co-workers, and of course my own life, I think it’s safe to say you’ll be paying some sort of penalty within one year.
I’ve written about speeding tickets before, and parking tickets, too. There was a time when a traffic violation was a rare thing in your life. In fact, some people (like my own Father In-Law) have never once received a ticket. But the clock is ticking on his perfect record, and if you have one, it could soon be tainted.
The reason is simple. Money. Actually, a severe lack of money. Every state in America is feeling the ill effects of the past decade, and they are all desperately looking for ways to balance the budget. And time and again, one reliable source of income in tough times has been traffic tickets.
Check out this lovely fact, discovered by researchers from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and the University of Arkansas-Little Rock:
A 10% decrease in revenue growth caused a 6.4% increase the following year in the growth rate of traffic tickets.
That’s no coincidence. No way. What are the odds that when times are tough, and people have less money, they suddenly throw caution to the wind and start speeding more, or tailgating, or running red lights? It would have the opposite effect actually; the less money you have, the less likely you are to do anything to jeopardize it.
And yet, in tough times, tickets go up. Nationwide, the average speeding ticket is around $150. And in the U.S., 93,000 speeding tickets are issued every day! (That is an updated, and more accurate, number from the previous article I wrote.) Simple math will lead you to the princely sum of $5.1 billion! That’s not exactly a sum you can slash from the budget. In fact, it’s easy money for the state to collect. And now that the cupboard is bare, your Old Mother Hubbard state is looking at you for the cash. (Those and many other engrossing facts are listed here.)
As USA Today reported (and I myself recently experienced) the old 5-10mph cushion that officers used to allow for motorists is disappearing, and fast. Several officers I talked to in the course of researching this article told me that anything more than 2mph over the speed limit is a moving violation, and subject to a fine and points. That 2mph is basically a margin of error for their equipment, they are not saying 2mph over is ok.
At the same time I was being told this, I also learned about "ticket hauls." What are they, you may ask? Well, on the days that the officers assigned to traffic duty, they have to bring in as many tickets as possible in a certain period; usually around four hours. You will recognize a ticket haul when you see several police cars and bikes pulling over motorists on the side of the road, usually in a notorious speed trap for that area.
My recent incident involved an area that should by all accounts be a 55mph zone (I say this because across town there is an identical road, in the same urban surroundings, that has 55mph and 65mph posted limits). The road was a 30mph zone, rising to 35mph, which I find so odd as the roads around my home, a very suburban neighborhood, are 45mph. Anyway, I didn’t see the 30mph sign (thank you tree), stuck to a few over 35mph and got a ticket. The officer had to explain why I was pulled over as I was clueless, and even had to show me the exact point at which the road went from 30 to 35, and how they clocked me just before it. He said it looking down at the ground. I think it was shame, I can’t be sure. Now I have a $110 fine and 2 points on my license, not to mention a nice hike in my insurance rates.
And because of all of the above, it means everyone is now a candidate for a ticket, whether it’s speeding or something else. Even if you drive like Miss Daisy, you are in the crosshairs now.
You see, speeding may be the most popular form of traffic ticket, but it’s not the only one. Aggressive driving tickets are on the up (check out TACT for more information) and you will get a fine and 2-4 points on your license for driving aggressively. This includes cutting of other cars and trucks, tailgating, passing on the wrong side, staying in a truck’s blind spot and more.
Then there are the other violations that used to be just a warning. A headlight out, for instance, is a ticketable offence. Texting and driving, or any other kind of cell phone use, is very ticketable (with good reason). Technically, you’re not even supposed to eat or drink anything whilst driving, despite the cup holders. And then there are those red light cameras. They have been proven not to deter anyone from running a red, but there are more of them going up daily. The reason? Ticket revenue.
You can bet your bottom dollar that the authorities are now using every traffic violation available to increase their ticket hauls. And before you go cursing out the officers, don't. They have about as much choice in the matter as you do. These are orders, and are imposed because of budget issues. Basically, issue the tickets or watch jobs and equipment get cut. And it's all done under the banner of "making the roads a safer place." While that's obviously true, and we all want safer roads, why is safety so much more of a concern when your state has a budget crisis?
That’s the bad news. Now, what can you do about it?
Not much. For those who say "don't speed then" you are making a more complex issue way too simple. Sometimes, you genuinely believe you are obeying the speed limit, hence the name "speed trap." You may even be so careful that you go too slow, and once again the ticket book can come out. But here are a few tips you can use above and beyond your usual driving ways. They probably won't prevent the inevitable, but they may help delay it significantly.
Use Your GPS to Monitor Your Speed
If you have a GPS in the car, and it’s any good, it will tell you not only how fast you are traveling but what the posted limits are for the roads you are on. I switch mine on whenever I’m driving now, and keep my speed in the green bar, which occasionally turns yellow (you’re a few mph over). If it goes red, even for a second, I take my foot off the gas.
Do Not Just "Go With Traffic" and Expect to Be Safe
It’s a common excuse that used to carry water, but not any more. If you are doing 65mph in a 55mph zone, because everyone else is doing it, then you can still get a ticket. True, it may be harder for the officer to single you out, but it doesn’t mean they won’t do it. Use the slow lane if you have to. And that leads nicely to my next point.
Do Not Give in to Road Hogs and Bullies
I was doing 41mph in a 40mph zone today. The pick-up truck behind me was so close, I could see the driver hadn’t shaved in a few days. He was weaving around, putting his hands up in the air, making obvious gestures that I was a slow coach, before finally leaning on his horn and then overtaking me on a blind corner. It’s not easy to drive under that pressure, but you are doing nothing wrong. And the people who tailgate you, they’ll be getting their ticket, and financial lesson, long before you will.
Watch Your Speed at all Times
It can creep up on you, especially if you use cruise control. Keep your eyes peeled for signs and stay at the speed limit or just a fraction above it.
Do Not Be an Aggressive Driver
TACT is being enforced now, in various states. If you get too close to a truck or car, or cut one off, you could see a ticket. Give every car on the road plenty of room. I think one car length for every 10mph of speed is good.
Keep Your Vehicle in Top Shape
If you don’t have a modern car, it may not inform you that a light is out. Check the lights regularly, you do not want a ticket for something as small as a $15 bulb change. Also, poorly maintained vehicles stick out like a sore thumb. You want your car to be something that does not attract attention.
Avoid Driving on Public Roads
Not easy this one, but try taking a bicycle to the library or coffee shop. Take the bus or light rail to work. Those are ways to virtually eliminate the chances of a traffic ticket.
Wear Your Seatbelt At All Times
Seems like a "duh" suggestion, but if you get pulled over for a traffic violation and your seatbelt is off, that's another ticket. Of course, you have no reason not to ear a seatbelt anyway, so "click it or ticket."
Stay Away From the Fast Lane
This is reserved for overtaking, or at least it should be, but is usually inhabited by drivers who like to floor it. And if you keep up with these guys, you’re in the ticketing zone.
Watch for the Police
They will park their cars in similar spots each day, and will drive unmarked cars that are covered in mirrors and aerials. Keep your eyes peeled. Don’t rely on a radar detector either, they are not reliable and only serve to really annoy a cop if you’re pulled over.
Pay Attention to the Headlight Flash
Other motorists will warn you if they notice a cop car ahead of you by flashing their lights. If you notice it, they’re not being friendly, they’re telling you to slow it down.
Watch Motorists Around You, Especially Ahead
If you notice more brake lights coming on than usual, there may be a speed trap ahead. Truckers also communicate with each other, so if the trucks around you slow down, do the same. They may already know of a police car in wait.
I’m sure you can think of more ways to stay alert, so please, leave them in the comments area. Now, I’m not advocating speeding in this article, I am against anything that is unsafe driving. But I think that we are now, as a society, having to pay for our government’s shortfalls by getting these tickets that are completely unnecessary. Drive safe everyone.
Bing Maps Trip Planner Finds Gas and Parking Along Your Route [Maps]
May 20th
Why use Bing Maps over Google? Bing’s Map Apps provide some fairly intriguing reasons. Among them are map add-ons that show the best parking spots and cheapest gas along your route and around your destination. More »