App-Tronics Delivers 2015 SEMA New Product Award For The Connected Car

Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) has an annual automotive aftermarket trade show held in Las Vegas during the month of November. This trade association consists of a diverse group of manufacturers, distributors, retailers, publishing companies, auto restorers, street rod builders, restylers, car clubs, race teams and more. App-Tronics SmartNav 5 gets honored with SEMA's 2015 New Product and eight Global Media Awards (shown here displayed with complete product solution in the booth at SEMA 2014). Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2014)

App-Tronics Delivers 2015 SEMA New Product Award For The Connected Car

Like most of us, we look at new cars and say to ourselves ... wouldn't it be nice to have the car I am happy and comfortable with, be updated with all of these new electronic connected car functions (GPS with a built-in screen, back-up camera, hands-free Bluetooth connection to my radio for my phone, and etc.) right now, for less than a down payment or even the first year depreciation on a new car?

SEMA has awarded the SmartNav 5 replacement mounted mirror solution manufactured by App-Tronics LLC the 2015 Mobile Electronics Product of the year for its navigation capability and much, much more.

SmartNav 5 product booth graphic communicates form factor and advantages of the SEMA award winning App-Tronics Flagship connected car solution. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2014)

This excerpted and edited from App-Tronics website - 

App-Tronics Flagship product, the SmartNav 5 is the first truly captive all in one up-datable rear-view mirror that gives the car's operator: 

• A rear-view replacement mirror with a large embedded 5-inch capacitive touch screen with 600 nit brightness (brightest in product segment)  so it displays clearly even in sunlight
• GPS navigation turn by turn directions from iGO Primo fully featured Navigational software
• DVR continuous front-view recorder with its own SD card which preloads an ADR player for computer downloading
• A SmartVision reverse (rear-view) HD camera to aid in backing-up
• Available optional parking sensors can be added to the SmartVision HD camera function
• Bluetooth 4.0 with smartphone and music integration directed thru vehicles audio system either by FM tuner/transmitter or 3.5 auxiliary port access from music and video players
• Photo viewer uploaded from one of its two micro 32GB SD card slots
• The unit uses a fast 800MHz processor with high internal memory
• The entire system is encased within the mirror's housing

Again, all on a 5" capacitive touch screen, with OEM mounting available for nearly every make and model.

It has an easy to use interface allowing drivers to have has few as 3 icons on the display screen.

Further, the SmartNav 5 can be now fitted with the same wireless technology as our Stealth Interceptor policing radar detection systems are completely wireless, allowing this mirror/connected car interface to also receive alerts from the same front bumper mounted radar detector and laser diffusers in concert with the same up-datable red light camera and speed trap Stealth Interceptor database.

Customers will now be able to purchase or upgrade their SmartNav 5’s to include all of these components. 

This newest addition further demonstrates App-Tronics goal of setting an impossible bar to reach that will ensure SmartNav 5’s longevity as the best application rich rear-view mirror on the market.
[Reference Here]

The most important issue with the integration of such a robust driver electronics interface, as the SmartNav 5 represents, is the fact this SEMA Show 2015 Mobile Electronics Product of the year's installation to any existing automobile with a non-intrusive approach. No dashboard modifications will be required. No extensive electronic wiring harness intrusion is required.

The genesis of App-Tronics and the SmartNav 5 product solution came to Mark Tierno (App-tronics Founder and President) when he was working at a BMW dealership integrating electronic upgrade kits into owner's cars. The amount of wire and time to install available solutions such as radar detectors and GPS systems compelled him to create another way on how to connect a car's driver to all of the electronic tools that are now being made available in new car offerings that currently populate most new car dealership showrooms. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2014)

If the solution is a mirror replacement installation and one is not confident with  electronic wiring, take the packaged solution to a professional to install. This is a direct replacement and it will be replacing the vehicle's rear view mirror. The packaging includes everything one needs to install the SmartNav5. Included is the Mirror, Wiring Harness for the mirror, Rear View Camera and wiring, and the Windshield Mount for the mirror ... installation is simple and the step by step instructions are included.

Another approach is a SmartNav 5 Clip On model. Adjustable clips and a cigarette lighter port power adapter allows this all-in-one solution to travel easily from car to "UN-connected" car to deliver all of the basic SmartNav 5's driver interface benefits. Additionally helpful to the traveler who drives a lot in rental cars.

Here, App-Tronics Founder and President Mark Tierno (image right) discusses the SmartNav 5 solution with a couple of interested marketers and installers of automobile electronics upgrade integrations. It is never a bad thing to have these type of discussions where the SEMA awards are being displayed ... in the booth at SEMA (notice the SmartNav 5 Clip-On image left of center). Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2014)

SEMA's New Product Of The Year, great in itself, was not the only recognition App-Tronics LLC received. The SmartNav 5 was also recognized by the representatives from the Global Media Award panel gathered to review the show at SEMA in Las Vegas. For the tenth year, a panel of 26 journalists from leading international media outlets served on the Global Media Award panel. Journalists from 14 countries participated, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Honduras, Mexico, Norway, Russia, South Africa, United Kingdom and Venezuela.

Each judge was able to select 10 products out of 2,000 new products submitted for review as their professional choices for the Global Media Award. App-Tronics LLC received 8 of 260 possible Global Media Award presentations. This means that 30% of all the judges on the Global Media Award panel had the same impression of the SmartNav 5 solution over the field of 2,000 new products shown at this year's SEMA Show.

So, the answer is YES! One can update the car they are already happy with to today's modern electronically connected car standards for well under the the cost of a typical new car down payment or first year depreciation through the non-invasive installation (in most cases - just a couple of hours) of an award winning SmartNav 5 replacement rear-view mirror driver interface.

... notes from The EDJE