Chevy Gives Your Smartphone Its Own ‘Chilled’ Crib For Wireless Recharging
Nobody likes it when their smartphone gets hot. High thermals can lead to processor throttling and reduced battery life, and while most phones have built-in mechanisms to prevent the latter, they can cause the phone to pause charging or even turn off completely. To prevent such things from occurring while in transit, Chevrolet is unveiling an in-vehicle phone caddy to keep your phone cool.
The system is called Active Phone Cooling and it will be available in several Chevy vehicles, including 2016 Impala and Malibu models. Not only does it keep your phone cool, it also wirelessly charges your handset, assuming you have a phone that supports wireless charging.
This is something that's totally unique to Chevy at the moment. It consists of an air vent connected directly to the car's air conditioning and ventilation system, which is directed to the charging bay where the phone sits for wireless charging. The influx of cool air decreases the phone's temperature, though if you don't want active cooling for whatever reason, you don't have to turn it on -- Active Phone Cooling only operates when the HVAC system is turned on by the driver.
"Several factors can cause or worsen overheating in smartphones like heavy strain on the device’s data and graphics processors, high ambient temperatures or simply charging the device," Chevy says. "The problem can be worse inside vehicles during hot weather. Heat is trapped inside a vehicle during hot days causing cabin temperatures to soar much higher than outside temperatures."
This where Active Phone Cooling comes into play. This can be especially helpful if pairing a compatible phone with Chevy's MyLink radio, which allows users to stream music and make phone calls through steering wheel controls and voice command.
In addition to the 2016 Impala and Malibu models, Active Phone Cooling will also be available in the Cruze and Volt.
The system is called Active Phone Cooling and it will be available in several Chevy vehicles, including 2016 Impala and Malibu models. Not only does it keep your phone cool, it also wirelessly charges your handset, assuming you have a phone that supports wireless charging.
This is something that's totally unique to Chevy at the moment. It consists of an air vent connected directly to the car's air conditioning and ventilation system, which is directed to the charging bay where the phone sits for wireless charging. The influx of cool air decreases the phone's temperature, though if you don't want active cooling for whatever reason, you don't have to turn it on -- Active Phone Cooling only operates when the HVAC system is turned on by the driver.
"Several factors can cause or worsen overheating in smartphones like heavy strain on the device’s data and graphics processors, high ambient temperatures or simply charging the device," Chevy says. "The problem can be worse inside vehicles during hot weather. Heat is trapped inside a vehicle during hot days causing cabin temperatures to soar much higher than outside temperatures."
This where Active Phone Cooling comes into play. This can be especially helpful if pairing a compatible phone with Chevy's MyLink radio, which allows users to stream music and make phone calls through steering wheel controls and voice command.
In addition to the 2016 Impala and Malibu models, Active Phone Cooling will also be available in the Cruze and Volt.
