You can turn any car into a Tesla with this handy tablet convertor – well, sort of
This tiny wireless hub turns an old tablet into a proper CarPlay or Android Auto dashboard, complete with a reversing camera
Quick Summary
The HERMIX NANO is a $74 (£55) wireless hub that lets you use an existing tablet or phone as a smart car display, adding wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
It can also connect to an included 1080p reversing camera, giving older cars a modern infotainment setup without rewiring the dashboard.
Somewhere in your house, there's probably an old iPad or Android tablet doing very little. The makers of HERMIX NANO reckon you might as well stick it on your dashboard and turn it into a modern infotainment system.
The HERMIX NANO is a compact wireless bridge that sits in your car and connects your phone to a mounted tablet or smartphone. Once it's set up, the tablet behaves more like a proper car display, with wireless CarPlay for iPhone users and Android Auto for Android phones.
That's far more useful than opening Google Maps on an old tablet. You get the familiar driving interface, larger touch targets, navigation, media controls and voice-first controls designed for use behind the wheel.
Setup is designed to be straightforward, too. There's no rewiring or dashboard modification required: connect the NANO to power, pair it through the HERMIX app and connect your phone. Once the initial setup is done, it can connect automatically when you get back into the car.
The cleverest extra is the included 1080p backup camera. Mount it at the rear of the car and HERMIX NANO automatically switches the tablet to the camera feed when you select reverse, turning that old screen into a rather useful reversing display.
That makes the $74 (£55) price a bit more interesting. You're not getting a new car, obviously, but if you've already got a spare tablet and an older vehicle without CarPlay, this is a fairly cheap way of giving the dashboard a much-needed upgrade.
The HERMIX NANO is currently available, on Kickstarter, for $74 (£55), reduced from its stated $99 (£74) price. It's ideal if you've got an old tablet sitting around, although you'll still need a suitable way of mounting it securely in the car.
So, no, you're not exactly turning your old Ford into a Tesla. But for $74, you could make its dashboard feel a bit less old-fashioned.
