INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
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.There’s 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 we’ve tested, not a single one had a USB-C port
Jeep would not confirm this, but it’s 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
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, there’s 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. There’s 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, it’s minor,
but having the USB port streaming reliably and charging consistently is helpful because it’s consistent and reliable, which means no
annoyances as you focus on driving.New roadsThat’s 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USB is a seriously outdated technology, so the fact that Jeep is embracing USB-C is a good sign – that there is more to come.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 doesn’t charge your phone fast enough won’t work
The best example of this is when cars use 4G LTE for navigation and sharing a hotspot in the car. It’s 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, we’ll 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 won’t say the USB-C port is going to make anyone spring for this new road-monster alone, but it’s 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#
