Vehroot, the startup that aims to produce a new kind of car audio head unit, said it is now taking “soft orders” from retailers and distributors for its “Shelf,” an in-dash active dock for a smartphone.
Vehroot said it has received several offers to fund a run of up to 5,000 of its “Shelf” car radios. The product not only holds the phone in place, but it provides wireless charging and Bluetooth HD for better-than-CD-quality audio (for phones that support it). The Shelf allows your phone to become the screen and brains of the head unit.
The company is seeking non-binding order commitments that will help it in its planning and production, according to Shaun Trites, head of marketing & product development at Vehroot.
“Dealers and distributors will have a cool new product with enough money built-in for them to make money when they sell it,” he said. Interested parties may sign up here.
What most drivers want is to get in their car and place their phone somewhere it can become their infotainment hub, he said, adding, “Everyone wants to use their phones for the audio. Nobody uses CDs.”
Trites claims that people “get it right away” when they put their own phone on the Shelf and see it start charging.
The company has already won patents for the L shape design of the Shelf and for placing a wireless charger next to a Bluetooth module while overcoming interference between the two.
The Shelf includes grips that hold the phone or tablet in place plus fast wireless charging. Users can stream music over Bluetooth or Bluetooth HD to the car’s sound system and control the device through the factory steering wheel controls. It has RCA outputs for adding an amplifier and subwoofers and it comes with built in 50 watt by 4 power. Plus it is software-updatable.
The front buttons on the Shelf are capacitive touch buttons, including a button for activating Siri or Google voice control.
A support hot line and forums are established to provide tech support for dealers, distributors and end users.
For more information on Vehroot click here
Source: https://www.ceoutlook.com/2019/09/11/update-on-vehroots-unique-car-radio/
