Michael Satterfield
TGR Staff
We get a lot of unique gadgets sent to the office to test and the latest one that captured our attention was an aftermarket heads-up display that can be added to nearly any car, called the Hudway Drive. The unit mounts on the dash and is paired to a smartphone, allowing the Hudway Drive to display directions, incoming calls, even OBD-II vehicle data.
According to Hudway, the device is powered by an Android-based, 8-core 64 bit ARM processor computer with 16 GB capacity and 2 GB memory. The unit can be powered via the OBD-II cable that also feeds it information from the vehicle. This connection does allow it to display speed, fuel economy, RPM and other information. It can also be powered by a USB cable and simply relies on your phone for data. We used the USB cable and found it worked well.
Your phone connects via Bluetooth and sound can be channeled to the car’s sound system via the AUX cable or through the internal FM transmitter. The Hudway Drive App allows you to customize your display experience, selecting which apps will send notification to the heads-up display
In addition to the smartphone information, the Hudway Drive can be equipped with up to 4 optional exterior cameras to aid with parking in tight spots, you can even add a night vision camera that also aids in visibility when driving through dust, smoke, or fog. We didn’t get a chance to check out any of the cameras, however, each unit does come with a cable allowing the camera to be hooked up.
Originally the Hudway Drive was pitched they expected it to cost around $400 but thanks to its popularity they have been able to get the price down to $229. Hudway has also developed specialized editions for popular models like the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y that give the unit a more integrated look. For more info visit Hudway.co.
*Hudway did provide a sample of the Hudway Drive to test, but we were not compensated for this review.
