Is your phone more important than your car?
Probably not, but it depends on who you ask. If you are missing a phone or it is not charged, and you miss an important call about a job or another opportunity, that will cost you.
Fortunately, in the 2022 Hyundai Tucson, there’s a very interesting new feature that can save you. The wireless charge pad not only powers up your phone using Qi technology (you just have to place the phone on a pad), but a fan in the same area keeps the phone cool.
This is more important than you might realize.
On a hot day, with the sun glaring down, I tested the wireless charging to see if the fans made a difference. I even parked at the grocery store for a while with the car positioned just so to make the interior nice and toasty.
No problems here. The phone stayed cool enough that I never saw the dreaded message about the iPhone overheating and needing to shut down.
Of course, to use the feature, you have to be driving or idle, with the car running.
The chargepad doesn’t work (and neither do the vents) if you leave the car locked in a sun-scorched parking lot. I do like the idea of keeping my iPhone cool though while driving or in traffic congestion now that I have a remote office.
Hyundai is thinking smart with this feature. Not only does the cooling vent make sure the phone doesn’t overheat, but if you are driving in hot weather with the sun making everything hot in the car, you can pick up your phone and it won’t be too warm.
The other thing about the vent is that it is something I haven’t seen in any other car.
Somehow, I am guessing other automakers are going to add additional wireless charging features, maybe in the rear seating area or even two pads (one for the driver and one for the passenger). I would expect to see more options for cooling as well, lighting to make sure you can find the pad easily at night, and other perks.
The reason? We’re now more and more dependent on our phones.
Being able to charge them and keep them cool is an extra feature but one that is critical for anyone who relies on the plastic gizmos as much as you rely on the car itself.