SEMA 2009: Cameras and Connectivity Highlight Uncrowded Show

Though there was certainly plenty of media buzz around Jay Leno and his new Camaro, the poor economy has definitely reduced the crowds and the number of electronics companies exhibiting at the 2009 SEMA Show. Marquee car stereo companies such as Alpine, Pioneer, Kenwood and Sony are either no-shows or have a very low-key presence.

Instead the coolest new car electronics products are coming from small companies you probably never heard of. Some of their gadgets are available now and some will be soon. The best new tech products we saw at SEMA 2009 can be summed up in two words: cameras and connectivity.

One example of this is Coyote Systems' real-time speed and red-light camera alert technology, which has been available in the U.K. and makes its U.S. debut at SEMA. The Coyote Mini (price unavailable; it will launch here in 2010), is a small black box used to send information on the location of speed and red-light cameras to members of the "Coyote Community." The Mini has a screen to show camera locations, a buzzer to warn of one in an area and a button to report a camera location. A GPS receiver inside indicates the location and cellular technology is used to send the info to a server. The company also plans to release an iPhone app version of the product, the iCoyote.

GoPro has made a name for itself among action-sports aficionados for the company's rugged waterproof video cameras, and now the company has introduced its HD HERO series cameras available in 1080p, 960p and 720p HD formats. The new HD Motorsports Hero camera ($299.99) allows performance enthusiasts and weekend warrior racers to capture their behind-the-wheel adventures in wide-angle HD video and in HD Sound.

A different kind of camera is the Mobile Witness, a replacement rear-view mirror with a 3.5-inch, four-channel screen and two forward-looking cameras. It can continuously record and be used as a "crash" cam or set to capture segments of a trip. It has a built-in MPEG4 player and a slot for an SD card to record video. It also has a mini USB port and an A/V output, and separate remote cameras can be connected for use as, say, a backseat and backup cameras. Retail price: $499.

Paparazzi Sidekick is another crash cam, but it's a self-contained unit that sells for $299 via the company's website. It attaches to a car's windshield and is activated when it detects a shock over a certain level to capture video 12 seconds before and 8 seconds after being activated. It can also be manually activated. It comes with high-capacity 16 GB SD card that can record up to 8 hours, an SD card reader and a 12-volt power cord, and video-playback software is available on the Paparazzi website.

While the large auto alarm companies were nowhere in sight at SEMA, some smaller upstarts were there to pitch innovative products. One of the coolest we saw was from Blackline GPS, which has teamed with radar detector icon Escort for the Entourage system. It's a location-aware security system that allows you to track your car online or on a mobile phone. It has a GPS receiver and an accelerometer to allow an owner to track a car and also send an alert via text message or email if the car has been moved. It's available in two versions: The Entourage PS portable ($349.95) and Entourage CIS hard-wired model ($399.95). Both require a monthly service plan that starts at $14.95 a month.

-- Doug Newcomb, Senior Editor, Technology

Posted by

Paul Seredynski November 4, 2009, 6:00 PM

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