Five Essential Accessories Every New Car Buyers Should Consider

From dashcams to GPS trackers, here are some essential accessories for new cars.

Dashboard cameras or dashcams are now a necessity with the increasing chaotic traffic conditions in Indian cities.

Photo: iStock

Cars these days come with a lot of standard features and gadgets. What were once considered accessories, such as reverse parking sensors or infotainment systems are now mostly standard features.

Buyers who pick the top variants of most cars above Rs 7 lakh are likely to get cars that don’t require much by way of accessories. However, there are some essential accessories that every car buyer would need, whether it is an entry-level car or a luxury car.

Here’s what we think are five accessories you should consider for your car.

DashCams or Dashboard Cameras

High-end dashcams come with in-built GPS systems to track your speed.Photo: The Quint

Dashboard cameras or dashcams are an essential accessory that every car driver should have, especially in India. With increasing incidents of reckless driving and road rage, a dashcam just helps to record events that could be of help in a court of law if needed.

Dashcams come in various price ranges from Rs 3,000 to Rs 16,000. The basic ones just capture images and low quality, while the more expensive ones have features such as lane-departure warnings, collision warnings, speed warnings, GPS speed tracking etc. Choose a camera that performs well in low-light conditions and record HD videos, especially if you drive a lot at night.

GPS Tracker

GPS tracking devices allow you to remotely monitor your car and keep it secure.Photo: Rollr.io

In addition to the immobiliser, remote central locking and alarm that most cars come with, a useful security accessory that one must get is a GPS tracking device. These could be discreet or just plug and play (through the car’s onboard diagnostics or OBD port).

These GPS tracking devices are priced between Rs 3,000 to Rs 12,000 or so. They come with embedded SIM cards or replaceable SIMs, which allow them to transmit data to your cellphone. Through an app, one can monitor the car, set geo fences to alert if it leaves a certain area or remotely track it. Some GPS tracking devices also allow you to remotely turn the car off as well, in case it is stolen.

Car Air Purifier

A car air purifier helps keep the air inside the car clean. Photo: Honeywell

This accessory is a bit of an oxymoron. On one end cars end up adding to air pollution, but car air purifiers help keep the car’s cabin air clean. Some high-end cars come with built-in air purifiers.

Car air purifiers from brands like Philips, Honeywell, and Eureka Forbes cost between Rs 4,000 and Rs 7,000. They consist of HEPA filters and a fan that cleans the air inside the car. Some even have the ability to eliminate odours in the cabin. They plug into the 12-volt socket in the car and turn on the moment the car is started. Of course, the car has to have its windows closed at all times for this to be effective.

A caveat: While purifiers do help in controlling particulate matter levels in the car, TVOC or total volatile organic compounds are pollutants found in cars which is difficult to eliminate.

Radar Detector

A radar detector that can locate speed guns and cameras fitted to the windshield of a car. Photo: iStock

These days there is an increasing number of speed cameras being installed in cities like Delhi, while the highways have mobile speed-checking squads with hand-held guns to control speeding. Now if you inadvertently have gone over the speed limit, you are likely to receive a speeding ticket or challan, which is quite steep now.

Radar detectors are devices that can locate speed guns and cameras some distance away by tracking radar waves and warn the driver. Some advanced ones can also detect laser cameras as well. They are not easily available in India (some accessory shops do sell them), but can be bought of e-commerce sites. Prices range between Rs 6,000 to Rs 25,000. While there is no legislation on radar detectors in India, they are illegal in some countries.

Mobile Phone Dock

While cars have infotainment systems that integrate with mobile phones, many don’t have dedicated phone holders.Photo: iStock, altered by The Quint

Most cars have infotainment systems that support connectivity with mobile phones. However, they don’t have dedicated slots to keep phones in the car. Some cars do come with wireless chargers though.

It would help to get a sturdy mobile phone holder to dock your phone while it is charging or even to just run navigation if your car doesn’t come with an in-built navigation system. Mobile phone holders are priced between Rs 200 to Rs 2,000.