Driving in this age of smartphones and connectivity it’s important to keep our eyes on the road and our hands off our devices and the Navdy Head Up Display can help you do just that.
The device sits on the dashboard in front of your steering wheel and projects all the relevant information for your vehicle, communication and navigation onto a small screen that’s in your direct eye line as you’re watching the road.
So this means you don’t have to look down at your instruments or at your phone or reach down to your car’s console.
It’s all right in front of your eyes and can be controlled without you even taking your hands off the wheel.
SET-UP
Set up is surprisingly simple and it’s just a matter of positioning Navdy in the right place and at the right height.
The unit is supplied with stands to cater for different vehicles so the driver can come up with the ideal height so you can see the display while you’re watching the road.
Navdy clips in to a pad that adheres to the dashboard and links it to power. If you don’t get the position right the first time the pad can be easily removed and repositioned.
That pad is also your power source and its cable needs to be connected to your car’s OBD-II port. Every car’s got one – you just need to find yours.
The Navdy companion app has a directory of cars, makes and models to locate where your car’s OBD-II port is located.
For us it was right below the steering wheel and we neatly ran the cable along the side of the dashboard and down the seal of the door to make the connection.
To tidy things up, we used a couple of cable ties and we had a nice clean connection.
The next step was installing the Navdy Dial on our steering wheel. This was the device that would help us navigate the Navdy system without taking our hands off the wheel.
It had a rubber strap and clip that made it easy to attach.
Next up we installed the Navdy app – which is available free on the App Store and the Google Play Store – and connected to the Navdy unit and the Navdy Dial.
Our next task was to tilt the small screen on the device to an angle that would direct the projected display so we could comfortably see it behind the wheel.
This is why it was important to have the unit at the right height so that you’re looking through the screen and seeing the road behind it rather than looking down at it.
HITTING THE ROAD
Our Navdy was mounted, our Navdy Dial was in place. We were ready to hit the road.
We could see the transparent image on the device’s screen but could keep our focus on the road as well.
Because it’s connected to your car’s OBD-II port it means it can draw not only power but also information from your vehicle like your speed, RPM and other telematics.
It not only tells you your current speed but also the speed limit and changes colour when you go over it so you’re always conscious about how fast you should be going.
The display is easy to read even in the brightest sunlight, while wearing polarised sunglasses and even at night.
There are a few ways you can interact with Navdy – through the dial, using gestures and with your voice.
The dial lets you navigate through menus and adjust exactly what you see on the screen.
Beside the speed reading you can choose to see your next appointment, compass, or the music you’re listening to, RPM or fuel range
Navdy Head Up Display powered by Google maps and you can start a trip just by speaking to the unit.
You can say “navigate to 21 Market Street” or “take me home” or “parking nearby” and it will find your directions and display them right before your eyes so you can literally see your next turn on the road ahead of you.
MESSAGES AND NOTIFICATIONS
Navdy is linked to your phone and the companion app via Bluetooth and can also display all your messages and notifications.
Text messages, emails and other notifications can be read out loud by Navdy and you can respond using Siri if you are an iPhone or Google Assistant if you’re using an Android device.
You can also jog through pre-prepared message replies using the Navdy Dial and send them with the present button.
Navdy can also link up to your calendar and keep you on track for your next appointment as well as display notifications from Facebook, Whatsapp and even keep you up-to-date on the weather.
It can also talk to you and let you know if you’re approaching a speed camera.
GESTURE CONTROL
The Navdy system also responds to gestures through its sensor that faces the driver.
If you receive a call you can choose to accept, dismiss or return a call without even touching your phone at all with a simple wave of your hand.
Gesture control also works to dismiss other notifications while you’re driving.
We love this feature but other drivers on the road thought we were waving at them and not the Navdy.
PRICING AND AVAILABILITY
Navdy is priced at $899 and at that price it is quite an investment but one you’ll be glad you made it especially if you spend a lot of time behind the wheel.
The product is available now from JB Hi-Fi and the Navdy online store.
VERDICT
The Navdy Head Up Display has reinvented the way we drive and connect with the outside world so we can still do both safely and easily. Now you can keep your eyes on the road and be connected to your car and your network at the same time at all without taking your hands off the wheel.
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