Photo credit: Josiah BondySmall innovations in cars can make a world of difference.
And, they point to a future where cars can keep up with changing tech trends.In a recent test of the redesigned 2018 Jeep Wrangler Sahara, a seemingly minor upgrade provided a hint of things to come, even as we tried to stay focused on a muddy back-road and popped the vehicle into 4-low.Tech and mudslinging might seem mutually opposed.
Curiously, they actually complimented each other nicely.Theres an incredibly unique feature in the new Wrangler, which now has a new front grill and rides more like a crossover on the highway (we mean that in a good way).Photo credit: Josiah Bondy(Image: Josiah Bondy)Of the last 20 or 30 cars weve tested, not a single one had a USB-C port.
Jeep would not confirm this, but its likely the Wrangler is the first car to offer one.The main benefit USB-C charges faster than normal USB, which we confirmed with a Google Pixel 2 XL.On one commute, starting with zero charge, the Pixel 2 XL was fully charged after about two hours.Some cars with standard USB ports will trickle charge, but USB-C pushes out more consistent power about 20 volts or 100 watts.
Normal USB ports in a vast majority of cars only pump out five volts of power.Photo credit: Josiah Bondy(Image: Josiah Bondy)It also provided a stable, high-speed connection for audio.
With some phones over normal USB, theres an occasional hiccup when playing high-fidelity audio files, such as those that use the WAV format.There might be a slight pause on a song, but the Wrangler and the Pixel 2 XL worked perfectly.
You can even tell when you first connect up, because Android Auto seems to pop up faster on the screen that Apple CarPlay using an iPhone X that connects with USB.Photo credit: Josiah Bondy(Image: Josiah Bondy)These might seem like minor factors, considering how we actually tested the Wrangler.Theres a large shifter for changing traction modes.
We used a 4-low mode on a road caked with heavy and wet mud, and never had any issues pushing through a soggy mess.Again, its minor, but having the USB port streaming reliably and charging consistently is helpful because its consistent and reliable, which means no annoyances as you focus on driving.New roadsThats the main trend here.
USB is a seriously outdated technology, so the fact that Jeep is embracing USB-C is a good sign that there is more to come.If car companies can keep tabs on trends, they might be ready to offer newer wireless standards like 5G or an improved version of Wi-Fi that maintains a steady and fast signal for streaming to an iPad or your phone.
(Many current cars offer Wi-FI hotspots, but use older and outdated standards.)And, as tech matures even further and we start to see driverless car tech emerge more and more, car companies will have to stay much more current.Photo credit: Josiah Bondy(Image: Josiah Bondy)An outdated USB port that doesnt charge your phone fast enough wont work.
The best example of this is when cars use 4G LTE for navigation and sharing a hotspot in the car.Its great to offer this tech, but in most cases, the speed isn't fast enough for anything but YouTube videos and music.If we let cars drive themselves and we want to work or relax, well want more ancillary tech 4K movies streams, high-def video-conferencing, bots like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
In short, cars will need to keep pace with advancements much faster than they do now.The Wrangler Sahara costs $37,845.
We wont say the USB-C port is going to make anyone spring for this new road-monster alone, but its definitely a handy perk.Take a closer look at the 2018 Jeep Wrangler in the gallery below:Image 1 of 9Photo credit: Josiah Bondy(Image: Josiah Bondy)Image 2 of 9Photo credit: Josiah Bondy(Image: Josiah Bondy)Image 3 of 9Photo credit: Josiah Bondy(Image: Josiah Bondy)Image 4 of 9Photo credit: Josiah Bondy(Image: Josiah Bondy)Image 5 of 9Photo credit: Josiah Bondy(Image: Josiah Bondy)Image 6 of 9Photo credit: Josiah Bondy(Image: Josiah Bondy)Image 7 of 9Photo credit: Josiah Bondy(Image: Josiah Bondy)Image 8 of 9Photo credit: Josiah Bondy(Image: Josiah Bondy)Image 9 of 9Photo credit: Josiah Bondy(Image: Josiah Bondy)On The Road is TheIndianSubcontinent's regular look at the futuristic tech in today's hottest cars.
John Brandon, a journalist who's been writing about cars for 12 years, puts a new car and its cutting-edge tech through the paces every week.
One goal: To find out which new technologies will lead us to fully autonomous vehicles.Y6WSYW2cLyp6MfcmAAsBrX.jpg#