Griffin Technology (http://www.griffintechnology.com) has unveiled DriveSafe, a new initiative in automotive accessory design and usage. It’s a range of in-car products designed to limit driver distractions from smartphones and mobile devices.
The DriveSafe family includes a number of Griffin devices, including the new RoadTrip HandsFree and BlueTrip DualConnect, both featured products for the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
RoadTrip HandsFree — due later this month for US$99.99 — is Griffin’s complete in-car solution for iPhone, iPod, and all Bluetooth-enabled smartphones. It holds your iPhone or iPod securely in place on a flexible steel neck in a cradle that accommodates most cases. The FM transmitter sends music wirelessly to your car’s FM radio and features SmartScan, user-defined presets, SmartSound signal adjustment, and tactile remote control buttons.
The BlueTrip DualConnect — to be released during the first quarter of 2011 — is a handsfree, in-car solution with a small footprint. The $99.99 device plugs into your car’s 12 volt accessory socket and connects to your iPhone or other smartphone wirelessly via Bluetooth. (It also works with iPad and other Bluetooth-enabled devices.)
From there, BlueTrip gives you a choice of ways to get the music from your player to your car stereo. It can broadcast the music to your car’s FM radio via FM transmitter, or you make a physical connection from BlueTrip to your car stereo’s AUX-In port. When a call comes in, BlueTrip’s built-in microphone clearly picks up your voice while playing call audio through the car speakers.