Chevrolet introduces Smartphone air conditioners

Chevrolet active phone cooling smartphone air-conditioner

American automobile company, Chevrolet, has introduced an in-vehicle device called “Active Phone Cooling,” which is essentially an air conditioning system that keeps phones from overheating when engaged in high power requirement tasks like charging, music streaming among others.
The device basically keeps your phone cool for durability.

Occasional Smartphone overheating is normal, especially when you’re relying on your mobile device for streaming music, answering phone calls, and navigation. This can be disconcerting and annoying as it weakens battery lifespan and slows processing speeds.

Chevrolet

To stem this tide, Chevrolet otherwise called Chevy has invented the first Smartphone cooling device to avert the problem by simply redirecting cool air you normally have blasting your face in the car to your charging mobile device.
Chevrolet Impala brand engineer, Dan Lascu revealed “Innovation doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel. Sometimes simplicity offers the most elegant solution to a problem.

“The solution in this case is giving the Smartphone its own little handy-dandy super-cool compartment where it can rest easy.”

Factors such as heavy strain on device data and graphics processors, high ambient temperatures or simply charging the device can cause overheating in Smartphones. The problem can be worse inside vehicles during hot weather, as heat is trapped inside a vehicle during hot days causing interior temperatures to soar much higher than external temperatures.
Lascu who explained the intent behind the innovation noted that 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.
He further explained that most Smartphones have built-in thermal protection features to protect battery life, but that protection which can cause the phone to pause charging or turn off until it has cooled down – is inconvenient for customers on the road who rely on their Smartphones for various functions.
An air vent which is connected directly to the car’s air conditioning and ventilation system is directed to the charging bin where the phone rests for wireless charging. This sends cool air to help lower the phone’s temperature, the Chevrolet management explained.
Note that Active Phone Cooling operates only when the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning, HVAC, system is turned on by the user. No other automotive manufacturer offers a similar solution for in-vehicle Smartphone cooling.
No other automotive manufacturer offers a similar solution for in-vehicle Smartphone cooling yet.
Deputy Editor of Digital Trends, Jeffrey Van Camp, who commented on the development, acknowledged overheating of mobile devices as a major problem and advised Smartphone lovers on alternative ways of keeping your pricey gadget at a comfy climate for its longevity.

“Over time, regular overheating can do permanent damage to the lithium ion batteries that power our Smartphones. I always recommend keeping your phone in a cool, ventilated place, where it can stay at a comfortable room temperature, whether it’s charging or discharging,” he said.

Chevrolet disclosed that this little compartment and technology will be available first in the 2016 Chevrolet Impala, Malibu, Volt and Cruze models equipped with both wireless charging and Chevrolet MyLink.
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, by Louis Chevrolet and William C. Durant, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 115 countries and selling around 4.8 million cars and trucks a year.