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Type S Review – Highlights And Lowlights
Today’s vehicles are getting smarter and smarter by the minute, so smart in fact that automobile industry experts believe we aren’t all that far away from self driving vehicles straight out of what used to be thought of as nothing but science fiction.
Unfortunately for a lot of people, however, these ridiculously technologically advanced vehicles also happen to be ridiculously expensive. The modern cutting-edge technology that some of the world’s greatest luxury vehicles feature simply isn’t available in more cost-effective vehicles, let alone vehicles that were brand-new when they rolled off of the assembly line even just a couple of years ago.
According to the federal government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), all new cars must include a backup camera by May 2018.
Thankfully though, with the Type S, you’re going to be able to get the EXACT same technology that features in cars from Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Cadillac and more – all without having to spend a small fortune along the way (or having to purchase a brand-new vehicle).
Ready to learn a little bit more about everything that the Type S brings to the table in this quick review?
Let’s dive right in!
What Exactly Is the Type S, Anyway?
The Type S takes advantage of revolutionary new wireless technology, active and passive proximity sensors, and solar powered solutions to provide you with a full 360° view and “electronic eye” for your vehicle whenever you slide behind the wheel.
So much more than a traditional backup camera or dashboard set up, the Type S doesn’t just put eyes in the back of your vehicle but also provides you with visual data provided by proximity sensors to understand exactly what is in front of, behind, and alongside your vehicle at any one particular point in time.
The coolest thing about this technology is that it works passively and responds immediately to any threats that it detects, but also that it works completely wirelessly and quite literally clips directly into your front or back license plate in a process that is so simple even the most technologically challenged people can have it set up and ready to go inside of 60 seconds or less.
How Does the Type S Work?
Everything starts with the quick installation of the actual Type S module, a process that we mentioned just a moment ago will take anyone – and we mean ANYONE – about 60 seconds or less to knock out all on their own.
Because the sensor system and Type S module uses solar powered technology and a wireless broadcast setup to get data to your smart phone or tablet there are absolutely ZERO wires that you have to run at any point in time.
Literally all you have to do is remove your front or rear license plate, attach the Type S sensor directly to the mounting bracket, and then screw your license plate back in for a secure and locked down set up. It’s probably going to take you longer to find the household tool you’ll need to get this sensor installed than to actually install it in your vehicle!
What then?
After that, all you have to do is allow the solar powered system to begin soaking energy from the sun, powering the system actively when the sun is out but also charging up the battery so that this technology works even in the dead of night.
A full charge from “cold” installation will take about an hour and ½ or so but after that the solar technology is going to constantly refresh and replenish the battery system so that you don’t ever have to worry about dying batteries, recharging, or any of the headache and hassle traditional power systems bring to the table.
From there, the sensor goes to work sending out a 360° bubble of protection (provided you have Type S modules installed in both the front and rear license plates of your vehicle). These sensors actively alert when objects are in their radius – and then that information is immediately sent back to your smart phone so that you know exactly where the object is, how far out it is from your vehicle, and what you need to do to avoid coming in contact with that object.
Best of all, the technology used in the Type S module works in the middle of the most beautiful weather imaginable as well as in the nastiest rain, snow, and sleet. This is as close to a “set it and forget it” safety solution for your driving in your vehicle as you come across on the market today!
What Kinds of Drivers Will Benefit Most from This Technology?
All kinds of drivers are going to be able to benefit quite a bit from the technology shoehorned into the compact, lightweight, and discrete Type S module. But the drivers that will see the biggest benefits include:
- Regular commuters that have to drive on busy roads or highways filled with traffic that can stop or speed up without any notice
- Urban drivers that need to parallel park more effectively or need to be on the lookout for road threats that pop up out of nowhere
- Younger drivers with little experience behind the wheel and older drivers that want to make sure they aren’t just trusting their instincts when it comes to driving on congested roadways
- Long-haul/long-distance drivers that want an always on monitoring system and make sure they are as safe as can be along their travels
What’s Included in the Box?
You get absolutely everything you need to get up and running with the new Type S module when you purchase this product, with the only “extras” you need to bring to the table being a couple of household tools that allow you to take off your license plate, attach the Type S module to the existing mounting holes, and then put your license plate back on.
In most situations that can be done with nothing more than a socket wrench or a power screwdriver attachment and about 30 seconds of your time.
In the box, you get the actual Type S module itself which includes the solar powered technology to charge up this sensor, and a user manual that helps you better understand exactly how to get the very most out of this technology.
You also have to download the Type S mobile application to the smart phone or tablet you want to interface directly with this sensor. These applications are available free of charge on the iOS and Android mobile application stores, depending on the type of device you are going to be using with this setup.
As we have highlighted a couple of times throughout this quick review there really isn’t much for getting this amazing piece of technology set up and ready to go in your vehicle. In fact, the odds are pretty good that you would have already been able to install and completely configure the Type S in your vehicle in less time than it would have taken you to read this deep into this review.
Pretty cool, right?
Highlights
- The fact that the system works entirely off of solar power isn’t something that you should take for granted.
- This allows you to install the Type S in your vehicle all on your own without any special skills or special tools, but it also allows you to move this device from your vehicle to a new vehicle later down the line without all kinds of extra expense as well.
- The set it and forget it nature of the Type S and the way that it works wirelessly with your smart phone or tablet means that you don’t need to learn an entirely new technology to take advantage of this safety feature, either.
- Combine all that with the fact that you can add the Type S device to ANY vehicle of ANY age – literally any make, model, or year – and you’re looking at something really special here.
Lowlights
- The only real downside we see moving forward with this particular setup is that it is going to require your Apple devices to be running the IOS version 7.0 or higher and Android devices will need to be running 4.3 or higher.
It would have been nice if this device also provided HD video capture data wirelessly as well, but that may be asking too much of something this compact, this lightweight, and this inexpensive – particularly since it runs primarily off of solar energy.
Final Verdict
At the end of the day, if you are serious about getting your hands on an inexpensive safety upgrade that will not only protect your vehicle but also everyone inside of it (whether you are driving or not) – a safety upgrade that gives you almost x-ray vision to know exactly what’s happening around your vehicle – you’ll want to think about adding the Type S to your vehicle ASAP.
This is very much the real deal and at this price point you’d have to be at least a little bit crazy not to take the plunge.
Sources:
https://www.typesglobal.com/blog/type-s-review/
https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/type-s-smart-vehicle-sensor
https://mechanicbase.com/automotive-tools-equipment/best-license-plate-frame/type-s/review/
https://classycare.net/best-license-plate-frame/type-s-review/
