Cell phones have evolved to act as an extended limb. We’re always using our handy dandy smartphones for something, whether it be to talk, text, browse, listen to music and navigate. These pieces of technology have become a major part of our lives, so it only makes since for them to be treated as an additional part of our being, right?
This is the standpoint Chevrolet has taken. On July 2, the company announced a “cool” new feature to some of its 2016 vehicles—an air conditioner specially designed to keep your smartphone calm, cool and collected in the heat.
The new technology is placed inside a bin for your phone and includes a wireless charging dock with a vent directed toward the space. When the air conditioner circulates throughout the car, some of it will be directed straight to the bin through a special vent so the phone doesn’t overheat.
The new feature is called Active Phone Cooling and according to a statement released by Chevrolet, the innovation will not only help reduce the chance of overheating, but also help prevent damage in the long run, the Irish Examiner reported.
Some have raised speculation about the necessity for the feature. To explain their new technology, Chevy released a statement on their website on July 2 which read:
Engineers regularly subject vehicles to the most extreme climates to ensure subsystems work properly. While testing a smartphone wireless charging feature, they noticed some smartphone would suspend charging or shut off altogether after only a few minutes in high temperatures inside a car’s cabin.
Most smartphones are equipped with built-in thermal protection. When the phone temperature gets too hot, the phone will shut off until has cooled off enough. The overheating occurs due to a variety of factors, including: heavy strain on the device’s data, high temperatures, or prolonged charging. The summer months in areas known for excessive heat also worsens the battery life.
Chevy said the pre-built thermal protection is simply not good enough, as the company stated that it’s “inconvenient for customers on the road who rely on their smartphones for streaming music, navigation or receiving phone calls.”
Although Samsung release remote charging pads earlier this year, Chevrolet is the first automotive manufacturer to offer this technology. They will include the feature as an additional paid option for 2016 Chevy models, including the Impala, Malibu, Volt and Cruze. The package for the technology includes the Active Phone Cooling system and wireless charging.
