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Product Spotlight: Rockford Fosgate RFK1D Dual Amp Kit

Rockford Fosgate RFK1D

Knowing that it takes power to make power isn’t rocket science. When feeding high-power car audio amplifiers, skimping on wiring invites problems. If starved for voltage, your amplifiers will run hotter and clip earlier. Rockford Fosgate offers a unique solution to ensure your amp gets the current and voltage it needs. Let’s dive into the Rockford Fosgate RFK1D Dual Amplifier Installation Kit.

Rockford Fosgate RFK1D Overview

The Rockford Fosgate RFK1D is a 1/0-AWG kit that simplifies installing two amplifiers in your vehicle. It includes 1/0 power and ground wire, 4-AWG wiring, a fuse holder, distribution blocks, a ground lug, three stereo interconnects, speaker wire, ring terminals, grommets, and zip ties. Everything needed to install amplifiers like the T1500-1bdCP for your subwoofers and a T1000-4ad for your mids and highs is included.

Rockford Fosgate RFK1D
The Rockford Fosgate RFK1D is the ideal wiring solution for a high-power dual amp system.

Power Wiring

The highlight of the RFK1D kit is the 17 feet of 1/0-AWG power cable and three feet of ground cable. Rockford Fosgate wiring meets the full American Wire Gauge (AWG) specification for size at 53.5mm², exceeding the 50.3mm² minimum. The wiring uses Pure Crystal Oxygen-Free Copper (PC-OFC) for maximum conductivity. The 1/0-AWG cable has 4,702 strands, making it extremely flexible.

The kit also includes four feet of 4-AWG power and ground cables. Like the 1/0-AWG cables, the 4-AWG cable is full AWG-sized with 1,862 strands, more than required for its size. It offers a cross-sectional area of 21.1mm².

Additionally, the kit provides 30 feet of two-conductor 16-AWG speaker wire. This wire also uses PC-OFC, with a high strand count for flexibility and AWG compliance.

A high strand count is crucial for speaker wire as it helps prevent work hardening when the wire bends. For instance, if your installer uses Rockford Fosgate’s 65-strand wire for your door speakers, it’s less likely to fail than “value” products with just 26 strands.

All wiring in the kit exceeds ANSI/CTA-2015 Mobile Electronics Cabling Standard requirements and meets the BC-5W2 marine wiring standard. The flexible PVC jacket resists arcing up to 600 volts and handles temperatures up to 105°C without melting or becoming gummy when exposed to oil or fuel.

I can’t stress enough the importance of looking for cables that conform to industry standards. Many brands sell “4 Gauge” wire for a bargain, but once you inspect the number of strands and bundles, you realize there’s more insulation than the wire itself! Undersized or aluminum wire will starve your amplifier and prevent it from producing its rated power.

Rockford Fosgate RFK1D
Car audio fanatic Brett Leavitt wired his amazing Chevy Astro Van with Rockford Fosgate power wire.

Fusing and Power Distribution

The RFK1D kit includes an RFFANL Inline ANL or Maxi fuse holder to protect the battery if the wire shorts. The block accepts the included 300-amp ANL fuse. It’s made from solid brass and features a High-Performance Plating (HPP) finish for corrosion resistance and durability.

Rockford Fosgate RFK1D
The RFK1D kit includes an RFFANL fuse holder to protect the vehicle.

The kit also includes one-input and two-output distribution blocks, which feature 4-AWG adapter inserts. You can run a 1/0-AWG cable from the battery and alternator, then split it into 4-AWG for a four-channel amp and 1/0-AWG for a sub amp like the T1500-1bdCP. The brass blocks have an HPP finish and come with injection-molded plastic covers.

Rockford Fosgate RFK1D
Brass distribution blocks are provided for power and ground connections.

RCA Interconnect Cables

Just as your amplifiers need efficient power delivery, they also need clean signals. The RFK1D kit includes three 16-foot, two-channel Rockford Fosgate twisted-pair interconnects. Twisted-pair geometry helps reject noise when used with amplifiers featuring differential inputs.

The interconnects feature split center pins for a solid connection. Injection-molded RCA ends provide strain relief, and gray and black markings make it easy to distinguish between channels.

Rockford Fosgate RFK1D
Twisted-pair RCA interconnects work with the differential input circuitry on Rockford Fosgate amplifiers to eliminate noise.

Kit Accessories

The kit is complete and well-designed. It comes with ring terminals crimped onto the 1/0-AWG power and ground cables and the 4-AWG ground cable. A spare 1/0-AWG ring terminal and a brass grounding lug are also included. Additionally, there are 20 feet of 18-AWG remote turn-on wire, butt connectors, grommets, and zip ties.

Complete Dual Amplifier Installation Kit

You could piece together a similar kit from other brands, but matching this quality would take a lot of work. If you have two amplifiers that need reliable power, visit an authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer and ask about the RFK1D kit. If it’s too much, Rockford Fosgate also offers dual amplifier 4-AWG and single-amp kits in 4 and 8-AWG sizes.

To find a Rockford Fosgate retailer near you, use the locator tool on their website. You can also follow Rockford Fosgate on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for new product releases and event updates.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Filed Under: ARTICLES, Car Audio, PRODUCTS, RESOURCE LIBRARY Tagged With: Rockford Fosgate

Product Spotlight: Rockford Fosgate PMX-1

Rockford Fosgate PMX-1

As much fun as it is to check out top-of-the-line products, sometimes the right solution is surprisingly affordable. The marine and powersport audio experts at Rockford Fosgate offer a full line of digital media receivers. In fact, there are five stand-alone units, plus an add-on multi-zone unit with several controller options. There is, indeed, a solution for every application. We will highlight the affordable but full-featured PMX-1 Punch-Series marine-grade receiver in this spotlight.

PMX-1 Physical Design

When we talk about source units, we usually discuss single or double DIN units designed for cars and trucks. The PMX-1 chassis, designed for marine and powersports applications, is intended to be flush-mounted on a flat panel. Rockford Fosgate has several vehicle-specific audio upgrade kits for side-by-sides that include mounting provisions for this unit.

Rockford Fosgate PMX-1
The RZR14-STG1 audio kit for Polaris RZR vehicles includes a PMX-1, speakers, and a mounting pod that fits on the top of the dash.

The face of the PMX-1 is 4.5 inches wide and 4.2 inches tall. It protrudes 1.5 inches forward of the mounting surface, and the chassis and heatsink extend 2.9 inches rearward. The kit includes a rubber mounting gasket to ensure the face seals perfectly against the mounting surface.

The radio can be installed in one of two ways. If you have a dash with a round three-inch mounting hole, your installer can mount the radio using the supplied aluminum U-bracket, just like a speedometer or tachometer in a boat. Alternatively, the kit includes a metal mounting bracket that can be positioned behind the mounting surface, and four screws secure the display to the plate and sandwich on either side of the mounting surface. An included trim ring conceals the mounting hardware once in place.

Rockford Fosgate PMX-1
Two mounting options are provided to maximize installation options.

The radio is rated to have an IPX6 water intrusion rating, so you can blast it all day long with a hose or let it get hit by waves. This is crucial in Rockford Fosgate’s Element Ready™ marine, motorcycle, and powersport products. Further, the radio has been tested to exceed prolonged UV and salt fog exposure requirements. Few, if any, other brands talk about the durability of the overall design. Rockford Fosgate punishes their Element Ready™ products with impact and vibration testing to ensure you’ll always have tunes when on the trails or ripping the waves.

Rockford Fosgate PMX-1
Whether on the water or the trails, the Element Ready™ PMX-1 is ready for anything you can throw its way.

User Interface Design

The first feature you will see when you look at the PMX-1 is its 2.3-inch dot-matrix monochrome display. While this looks simple, the display is constructed with a wet-bonded process that makes it easy to read in bright sunlight. The glass screen over the display has a 9H hardness rating, so it’s scratch-resistant. Many competing products use plastic over the display.

A sizable rotary encoder in the center of the front panel allows for volume adjustments or navigating through different menu settings. Four buttons on either side of the encoder provide direct access to source selection, track adjustment, play/pause, menu access, and a dimmer control. Bass heads will love that there are subwoofer + and – buttons on the front panel.

Rockford Fosgate PMX-1
The layout of the front panel is intuitive and organized. Importantly, it’s durable.

Rockford Fosgate PMX-1 Source Options

You have four options for playing music from the PMX-1. The built-in terrestrial radio tuner includes AM and FM reception capabilities. It also has a weather band tuner for those near larger lakes or the ocean.

You can connect a 32GB or smaller USB memory stick to the USB port to play MP3 or WMA files. The system supports up to 255 folders with a maximum of 1,000 songs.

The radio has stereo RCA input jacks on the back as a third option. So, if you want your installer to connect it to a laptop, DVD player, or similar device, it’s ready to go.

Finally, the PMX-1 includes a Bluetooth receiver. The system uses Bluetooth 3.0+EDR and supports the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) version 1.3. You can connect almost any smartphone and play music stored on it or stream audio from Pandora, iHeartRadio, or Spotify. Album and artist information will scroll across the screen if your device supports sending this information over Bluetooth.

Power, Preamp, and Installation Considerations

The radio includes a four-channel amplifier rated to produce 25 watts of continuous power into four four-ohm speakers with less than 1% THD+N. It also has two sets of RCA jacks on pigtails, rated to produce up to 2 volts of output.

The radio includes a three-zone crossover set to high or low-pass modes with 60, 80, or 120 hertz filter frequencies. The crossovers work on the built-in amplifier and the preamp signals. For the second set of RCA outputs, your installer can select between the rear and subwoofer output functions in a nearby menu.

The radio has a seven-band graphic equalizer with Flat, Rock, Classic, Acoustic, Dance, Electronic, and Hip-Hop presets. A custom EQ mode allows you to fine-tune the system to suit your audio system design or listening preferences. Of course, Rockford Fosgate includes their famous Punch EQ in the PMX-1. You can dial up to 18 dB of boost at 45 Hz and 12 dB at 12.5 kHz.

Power conservation can be a concern for marine and powersports vehicles, so the PMX-1 includes a battery voltage display, so you can keep track of things. The radio uses non-volatile memory to store all setting information. As such, it only requires an accessory and ground power connection. There is no clock, so your installer doesn’t have to hook up a wire likely to drain the vehicle battery. If you turn the radio off but leave it powered, it draws under two amps of current. At the other end of the spectrum, the radio has a 20-amp fuse, so ensure your installer uses large enough wiring to power it.

Rockford Fosgate PMX-1
The PMX-1 was designed with a 12-pin Molex connector for speaker and power connections.

Compact and Durable Audio Solution

If you are looking for a reliable, easy-to-use radio for a boat, side-by-side, ATV, or jet ski, the Rockford Fosgate PMX-1 is an excellent solution. If you’ve had a craving to build a portable boombox from an old ammo can, the PMX-1 is perfect for that as well. You can pick up a PMX-1 at any authorized Rockford Fosgate dealer. You can find a dealer near you using the locator tool on their website. Be sure to follow our friends from Tempe on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to keep up with new product releases and the events they attend.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Filed Under: ARTICLES, Marine Audio, PRODUCTS, RESOURCE LIBRARY Tagged With: Rockford Fosgate

Thinkware U3000 Dash Cam: Innovating Vehicle Safety with 4K Clarity and Radar Technology!

Thinkware U3000 Dash Cam

It’s no exaggeration to say there are hundreds of dash cams on the market. Many are budget models plagued by low-resolution sensors, excessive image compression, and contrast issues. Others offer upgraded optics but still lack state-of-the-art convenience features. However, leading the way in surveillance technologies are dash cams like the Thinkware U3000. Equipped with a Sony image sensor, radar-based parking mode, and Wi-Fi connectivity, this dash cam offers nearly everything you could ask for. Let’s dive in.

Thinkware U3000 Image Sensors

Image quality is paramount when purchasing a dash cam. Clarity and detail largely depend on the choice of image sensor and its resolution. However, data compression settings also play a crucial role in capturing vital information, such as a license plate. The U3000 features a 4K UHD front-facing Sony IMX678 Exmor R Starvis 2 image sensor with a 152-degree lens. With 3840 by 2106 pixels, it captures impressively subtle details.

The most popular U3000 package includes the U3000R rear-facing camera and a cable. The rear camera uses an IMX335 Exmor R Starvis 2K QHD image sensor with a 128-degree lens angle. Although this sensor is higher in quality than most forward-facing sensors on the market, it doesn’t offer the same low-light capabilities as the Starvis 2.

Thinkware U3000 Dash Cam
The most popular U3000 kits include the 2K QHD U3000R rear camera.

Speaking of night recording, Thinkware’s Super Night Vision 4.0 technology reduces sensor noise at high gain levels, allowing for brighter, sharper images after sunset. Capturing clear images in low-light conditions is essential for comprehensive protection.

Thinkware U3000 Dash Cam
Thinkware’s Super Night Vision 4.0 brightens low-light settings while minimizing video noise for a clear image.

In addition, Thinkware includes a circular polarizing filter to reduce glare during the day, further enhancing image quality and clarity.

Compact Chassis Design

The U3000’s chassis was designed for discretion. The image sensor mounting position allows the electronics to fit neatly into the space typically blocked by the sun visor at the top of the windshield. Four buttons across the body’s center control manual emergency recording, power down the camera, activate the dash cam’s Wi-Fi connectivity, and toggle audio recording mode on and off. To clarify, the camera begins recording automatically when you start your vehicle, so you never have to worry about forgetting to turn it on. The power button is simply an option to turn the system off, if desired.

Thinkware U3000 Dash Cam
The low-profile chassis design helps the U3000 fit behind the rearview mirror.

All electrical and peripheral connections are located along the rear edge of the chassis, near the top of your windshield. This design reduces clutter and ensures a clean installation. The most popular camera kit includes Thinkware’s OBD II power cable. However, some retailers may use the dealer-exclusive hardwire kit for integration into the vehicle. Both cables automatically enable parking mode when the vehicle ignition is turned off.

Adding an external battery pack like the Thinkware iVolt Mini or iVolt Xtra is a popular upgrade. These packs prevent the main vehicle battery from heavy discharge if the vehicle isn’t driven for a few days, thereby extending battery life.

Thinkware also includes a piece of heat-blocking film and a second piece of two-sided adhesive. The film is ideal for hot climates like Florida or Texas, where interior temperatures can easily exceed 140 degrees. It also simplifies removing the camera if you decide to purchase a new vehicle.

Radar Parking Mode

One of the U3000’s most important features is its radar-based parking mode. Parking mode allows the U3000 to continue monitoring the area around the vehicle after you’re parked. Historically, cameras would monitor the image sensor’s signal and store recordings when motion was detected. This feature, however, consumes a noticeable amount of power from the vehicle’s electrical system.

Uniquely, the kit’s front and rear cameras include radar transceivers. If someone approaches behind to steal your license plate, you’ll have it on video.

Thinkware U3000 Dash Cam
The radar-based parking mode consumes minimum current while monitoring in front and behind your vehicle.

Thinkware’s radar-based monitoring solution consumes just a fraction of the energy compared to video monitoring. This allows the camera to monitor the area around your vehicle for days rather than hours. When it detects someone or something nearby, it records a 20-second video. You can fine-tune the radar detection range to suit your parking location.

The U3000 features a built-in supercapacitor. This energy storage solution ensures that recorded video files are saved and closed correctly when power is removed from the camera. In the unlikely event of a severe accident, having a small onboard power source greatly increases the likelihood of retaining evidence compared to a low-cost dash cam.

Video Storage

The popular U3000-2CH kit includes a 64 GB microSD memory card, though the camera supports cards up to 256 GB. Data storage bitrates are selectable between 24 and 30 Mbps. Less compression results in a clearer image and more detail. Best of all, videos are encoded using the MPEG H.265 codec, which offers impressive file compression without significant detail loss.

Connectivity Features

The U3000 supports 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to download video files to your smartphone via the Thinkware Dash Cam Link App. Once connected, you can adjust menu settings and view camera images in real-time.

Thinkware U3000 Dash Cam
The Thinkware Connected App allows you to download videos stored on the U3000 quickly to your smartphone over a Wi-Fi connection.

The Thinkware Connected App provides a suite of remote monitoring solutions. From viewing what the dash cam sees to receiving alerts from the built-in impact or radar sensors, it’s like being in the car. You can even access an image from when you last parked the vehicle. If you’ve ever lost track of your car after a day of shopping, this is a huge time-saver and stress reducer. By connecting your U3000 to the Internet using a vehicle or mobile hotspot, you maintain complete control.

Thinkware U3000 Dash Cam
When your U3000 is connected to the Internet, you can access it using the Thinkware Connected App.

ADAS Features

The U3000 offers a full suite of Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS), similar to those found in lane-keeping assist and even self-driving cars. Lane Departure Warning (LDWS), Forward Collision Warning (FCWS), Front Vehicle Departure Warning (FVDW), and Rear Collision Warning (RCWS) are all included. These systems act as a computerized copilot, monitoring what other vehicles are doing around yours. Unlike many other dash cams, the U3000 uses the rear camera’s monitoring capabilities for these features. You can fine-tune which systems you want to activate and at what speed they are enabled via the smartphone apps.

The system supports both GPS and GLONASS global navigation systems. Location and vehicle speed information is stored along with the video. When you play back videos using the PC/MAC viewer software, the vehicle’s location is displayed on a map on the right side of the screen.

Class-Leading Dash Cam Technology

If you’re in the market for the best dash cam to protect your pride and joy, visit a local authorized Thinkware retailer and ask about the U3000. For more information about Thinkware products, visit their website. You can learn more about the U3000 and other impressive products they offer by following them on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and of course, YouTube.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Filed Under: ARTICLES, Backup Safety, Driver Safety, PRODUCTS, RESOURCE LIBRARY Tagged With: Thinkware

Revisiting The Rockford Fosgate T500-1bdCP Review

T500-1bdCP Review

In January of 2024, we had the privilege of reviewing the Rockford Fosgate T500-1bdCP amplifier. Based on our experiences with amplifiers from the company, it was no surprise that the amp sounded amazing, was impressively efficient, and exceeded all of its power ratings. The latter is the focus of the re-test. We’ve recently upgraded the power supplies in the BestCarAudio.com Test Drive Review lab. As such, we can supply the subjects with a full 14.4 volts to provide you with measurement numbers that comply with the ANSI/CTA-2006-D standard. So, let’s have another quick look at the highlights of this impressive amplifier, then dig into some new power measurements and efficiency calculations.

Rockford Fosgate T500-1bdCP Features

Here’s what you need to know without going into the same detail as the original Rockford Fosgate T500-1bdCP Review. Firstly, this is a dedicated subwoofer amplifier. It has an as-measured -3dB frequency response of 4.4 to 230 hertz. That bottom-end extension is pretty impressive.

The amp is rated to produce 300 watts of power when connected to a four-ohm load and 500 watts to two- and one-ohm loads. There are amplifiers that produce more power for less money. However, this amp also sounds fantastic. We measured an impressive 0.0213% THD+N at four ohms. Like many others, the amp didn’t fall on its face at lower impedances. Distortion numbers dropped to 0.0226% at two ohms and a still impressive 0.0294% when driving a one-ohm load. These measurements were taken at the ANSI/CTA-2006-D standard of 1-watt output. However, the graph you’ll see below shows the amp remains composed across the entire power output range.

Feature-wise, the amp includes an adjustable -24dB/octave low-pass filter that can be set anywhere between 35 and 250 hertz. It also has a selectable infrasonic filter fixed at 28 hertz with a -12dB/octave second-order slope. Lastly, and as you’d expect, the amp includes the Punch EQ control. Your installer can use this to dial in up to 18dB of boost at 45 hertz to add some extra slam to your audio system. The Punch EQ filter is nice and narrow, so turning it up doesn’t make your midbass sound terrible.

T500-1bdCP Review
All the connections are made along the front edge of the amplifier to keep installations tidy.

An essential feature of the amplifier that many overlook is its cast-aluminum heatsink. Unlike extruded designs, cast heatsinks offer significantly more surface area. When combined with expertly designed efficient circuitry, your amplifier will play longer without overheating. We tested the T500-1bdCP for over an hour at full power into a two-ohm load, and it never shut down. By comparison, we’ve had several amps go into thermal protection in under four minutes. Cast heatsinks are significantly more expensive to manufacture, but if you want to know why people are still using three-decade-old Rockford Fosgate gear, this is one of the reasons why. Think of it like comparing a Zippo lighter to a plastic BIC lighter. Both might light the candles on a cake, but only one is designed to last for your entire life.

T500-1bdCP Review
A Rockford Fosgate T500-1bd and T600-4 installed in the front boot of a Ferrari 430.

Re-Testing the T500-1bdCP

The ANSI/CTA-2006-D Testing and Measurement Methods for In-Vehicle Audio Amplifiers standard has changed a bit from previous versions. Specifically related to continuous power testing, the sensitivity control should now be set to its minimum sensitivity setting. Looking at it from the opposite perspective, the amp should be set to make its maximum power from the highest amount of input signal. For the T500-1bdCP, that would be five volts, according to the owner’s manual. We’ll discuss why this matters in another article.

The next clarification is that the amp must be able to produce this power level for at least 15 seconds. Previous versions of the CTA-2006 standard required the amp to be capable of making this rated output for one minute. While the technician side of me thinks the longer the test, the better, one minute at full power is a long time. Many low-quality amplifiers would be close to overheating. Our testing runs for a little over 15 seconds, which makes it fully compliant with ANSI/CTA-2006-D.

Lastly is voltage. All the standards have stated that the primary continuous power rating be measured with the amplifier supplied with 14.4 volts with a tolerance of +0% to -5%. We fine-tune the adjustment on our new power supplies to be within a few hundredths of a volt of 14.4, which significantly exceeds the 13.68-volt minimum. When it comes to making power, more voltage is always better.

We set the T500-1bdCP up on the bench, turned the sensitivity and Punch EQ all the way, turned the infrasonic filter off, and set the crossover to its highest frequency. We started with the continuous four-ohm power test first. In the original review, we measured 334.9 watts at 1% THD+N with 14.47 volts. With the sensitivity control lower and, thus, less noise in the signal, we saw 339.1 watts at precisely 14.4 volts.

Next, we added our second bank of four-ohm load resistors to provide the amp with a two-ohm load. The original test showed 544.4 watts from 14.12 volts. In the new test at exactly 14.4 volts, the amp produced 583.4 watts. The observed additional 29.3 watts from 0.28 volts is impressive.

Finally, we get to the 1-ohm testing. The original test saw the amp produce 697 watts when fed with 13.9 volts. Now, with an extra half-volt on tap, we measured 766.2 watts. Ignoring the extra 69.2 watts, this means the amplifier produces 53.2% more power into a one-ohm load than it’s rated for. If you’ve ever wondered why the Power Series amplifiers seem to jam harder than they should, this is why.

T500-1bdCP Review

With this re-test, we are going to introduce a new way of presenting the power versus THD+N graph. Rather than having them in separate graphs, we’ve taken the time to overlay all the traces into a single chart. You can see how clean the amp is right from 100 milliwatts up to where it reaches clipping. The traces are color-coded to make things easy to compare. The red trace is the four-ohm measurement, the green shows the two-ohm performance, and the blue trace is the one-ohm information.

Interestingly, the amp isn’t plagued by noise at low power levels. This is another topic we will cover in a future article.

T500-1bdCP Review

Increased Efficiency

A secondary benefit of providing an amplifier with more voltage is, in this case, an improvement in efficiency. Based on the original power numbers and associated measurements, the amp was 86% at four ohms, 83% efficient at two ohms, and 63% efficient when driving a one-ohm load. Our new measurements show that these numbers have improved to 87%, 84%, and 74%, respectively. You can see these calculations in the power measurement chart above.

Improved efficiency is a big deal. First, it means the amp won’t heat up as quickly, translating to more playtime. Further, and what matters in the case of your vehicle, it means you get more output power from the limited power available from the charging system.

An Amazing Subwoofer Amplifier

The T500-1bdCP’s performance already blew us away. Having the chance to repeat the power tests with the proper supply voltage shows the value that Rockford Fosgate’s product presents. They could easily rate the amp capable of producing 750 watts into a one-ohm load. Even though they don’t, you now know it can.

If you are shopping for a subwoofer amp that sounds amazing and makes lots of clean power, drop by a local authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer and ask about the T500-1bdCP. You can find a dealer near you using the locator tool on their website. As always, follow the gang from Tempe on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stay up to date with all their car, marine, powersport, and motorcycle audio product releases.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Filed Under: ARTICLES, Car Audio, PRODUCTS, RESOURCE LIBRARY Tagged With: Rockford Fosgate

Don’t Suffer with Slow Smartphone Vehicle Control Solutions

Smartphone Vehicle Control

If you’ve been in the market for a new car, truck or SUV recently, you’ve likely encountered the convenience of smartphone control options. These features allow you to perform tasks like locking the doors or starting the vehicle remotely from your smartphone. However, the reality is that many of these factory-installed systems can be frustratingly slow – a common pain point for many of us. You’re not alone in this: A member of our team has two brand-new vehicles in their driveway, both with comparatively sluggish smartphone control systems. Let’s delve into how these systems function, why they’re slow and, most importantly, what solutions can alleviate this frustration.

What Is a Smartphone Control System?

It should come as no surprise that computers control modern cars and trucks. Decades ago, a fuel-injected vehicle might have had a computer to control the spark plugs and fuel injectors. Today, everything from the headlights and infotainment system to the suspension, collision-avoidance systems and engine is controlled by computers. These computers are typically linked through a network data bus. In the not-so-distant future, vehicles will be able to communicate with each other, opening up a world of possibilities. The intention is to reduce accidents and traffic congestion using machine-learning software and your vehicle’s real-time location. These are called vehicle-to-vehicle systems, or V2V for short.

The benefit of linking all the features and systems in a car or truck is that one can respond to another. For example, some luxury vehicles will lower the air conditioning or heater fan speed to make using Bluetooth hands-free calling easier. Some advanced collision-avoidance systems produce warning sounds through different speakers in the vehicle, depending on where an object is. A turn-signal activation might trigger the infotainment system to display the image from a camera on the side of the car. A parking sensor on the vehicle’s rear might apply the brakes to prevent a collision.

We love the simplicity and ease of troubleshooting electrical systems that use mechanical switches and relays. However, the benefits of computer control can’t be denied.

Smartphone Vehicle Control
The ability of the multitude of computers in a vehicle to communicate with each other improves convenience and safety.

Smartphone Control Integration

So, how can an app on a smartphone communicate with the computers in your car or truck? It uses cell phone towers and cellular radios or modems. Unlike an old cell phone optimized exclusively to transmit and receive voice information, modern cellular radio modules are just as good at sending massive amounts of data. Those of us who like to watch YouTube on our phones understand this. Essentially, the phone acts like a modem connected to our home’s cable or phone service provider. However, rather than a wired connection, the information is broadcast over the air to a nearby cell phone tower. From there, it’s on the internet, and you can reach whatever server and website you want.

Most new cars and trucks include a cellular data radio to communicate with a centralized server to provide vehicle information. This connectivity allows commands from the app on your smartphone to be relayed to the vehicle and vice versa.

Say you want to use your smartphone to make sure your truck’s doors are locked before you go to bed. You launch the app on your phone, then press the lock button. The app will send a message, along with your username and password, to a server operated by the vehicle manufacturer or a third-party company contracted to provide the telematics service. The message is already on the internet if connected to your home Wi-Fi. If you aren’t home and are using a cellular data connection, the message is sent to the cell phone tower, which then passes it along to the cell phone provider’s connection to the internet.

After the server has authenticated the message, a new message with the command is sent to your vehicle. This message travels through the internet to the cell phone service provider tied to your car. From there, the message goes to a cell tower near your vehicle. The message is broadcast digitally to the cellular radio in your car. That radio will recognize the command and send a digital message to the body control module to lock the doors.

Once locked, the process reverses. The vehicle confirms that the door lock request has been executed and returns that confirmation to the smartphone app along the same path.

These messages might travel the entire length of a state or province or even across the country to authenticate and execute commands. It is truly fascinating that any of this can happen in a reasonable amount of time.

Smartphone Vehicle Control
Commands from your smartphone app use the cellular data network to communicate with your vehicle.

Benefits of Smartphone Vehicle Control

Having smartphone control of some of your vehicle’s features is extremely convenient. For example, being able to check to make sure the vehicle is locked from your home or office is excellent. With that said, this isn’t a time-sensitive process from the perspective of waiting for the information. However, if you’re walking out of a store or your home and you want to pop the trunk or open the hatch, it would be nice if that were done by the time you got to the car. The same goes for unlocking the vehicle. Sure, most vehicles with smartphone apps also have keyless entry systems. Nevertheless, the app should work fast enough that you are never waiting.

In reality, the choice of cellular data providers and the companies that host the authentication services plays a considerable role in determining the time it takes for your vehicle to respond to commands. If Mazda wanted to reduce operational costs on the MyMazda service, they could select a less expensive, lower-priority service from the cellular data provider. We’ve seen smartphone control systems that take more than a minute and others under two seconds. That’s a significant difference.

Testing Smartphone Apps on Modern Vehicles

We’ll examine smartphone app responsiveness with the MyNissan app and a 2023 Nissan Rogue. After the vehicle had been sitting idle for a few hours, we sent an unlock command from the smartphone. It took 10.8 seconds for the vehicle to respond. We followed this by sending a lock command. That took 3.7 seconds.

Next, we have the MyMazda app and a 2025 Mazda CX-70 PHEV. The test criteria are the same. The vehicle has been sitting idle for several hours. The delay between sending the unlock command and the vehicle responding was 16.6 seconds. The delay to relock the vehicle was 4.7 seconds.

As you can see, sending a second command is much faster. We hypothesize that some of the account authentication processes on the server have already been completed, and your information is now in the cache rather than buried on a storage device.

One MyMazda function regularly used on the Mazda is checking the battery charge status. Oddly, this process takes an abnormally long time – we measured 31 seconds. It’s faster than walking to the vehicle, but not much.

To put these wait times into perspective, the average adult walks about 17 meters or almost 56 feet in 17 seconds. If you are leaving a store and want to remote-start the vehicle, you might be halfway across the parking lot before it gets the start command.

Drone Response Time

Let’s compare this response time to an aftermarket vehicle control solution like Drone from Firstech. You should be familiar with Firstech, which manufactures Compustar remote car starters and Momento dashcams. Sending an unlock command to a vehicle requires less than two seconds. The lock command was executed in under two seconds. We’ve seen a few instances where, just like the OE systems, the first request takes a bit longer than the subsequent, but they are always a fraction of what the OE systems we’ve tested provide.

When the Drone updates, it also provides battery voltage and the temperature inside the vehicle. All of that takes only 2 seconds.

Smartphone Vehicle Control
Smartphone vehicle control solutions like Drone from Firstech provide nearly instant responses to commands.

What about Bluetooth Control?

Some OE and aftermarket smartphone control solutions can communicate with your vehicle using a Bluetooth data connection. Tesla uses this technology in many of its vehicles. Once in range, your smartphone will connect to the vehicle using Bluetooth, and pressing a button in the app will result in a near-instantaneous response from the vehicle. The drawback here is range. Bluetooth might work up to 100 feet under absolutely ideal conditions. This will work as an entry authentication solution but not for something like a remote starter when you are far away.

Shopping for Smartphone Control Solutions

If you want to be able to control and monitor your car, truck or SUV from anywhere in the world where you can access the internet, visit a specialty mobile enhancement retailer and ask them about the solutions they offer.

Before committing to purchasing anything, ask for a real-life demonstration. How long does it take for the vehicle to respond to commands from the phone? Is it a second or two, or slow? Next, ask what functions the system can control in your vehicle. We would expect that door locks are a minimum and that you will likely add this control system to a remote car starter. Beyond that, you may have the option of automatic rear window defroster, heated seat and heated steering wheel activation if your vehicle has those features. Hatch or trunk release is another popular feature, along with sliding door control on minivans.

These days, we need to do everything in our power to keep our vehicles safe. Ask if the control system has geofencing options and if it will provide towing alerts. Find out if you can upgrade the system with a security sensor to monitor for impacts, motion, tilting or glass breakage. Advanced security features are never offered on factory-installed smartphone control systems.

Smartphone Vehicle Control
Ensure that the solution you choose can provide security alerts to help keep your vehicle safe.

Once you have a clear image of the options available, you can choose those that meet your needs. Of course, features and pricing aren’t all that matter when selecting a shop to upgrade your vehicle. Do your research to make sure that the technicians working on your car or truck are appropriately trained, use reliable connection methods and pay attention to the details when integrating the system into your vehicle. Look to see if the shop uses seat, steering wheel and fender covers while working on the vehicle. Find out if they put the vehicle battery on a charger to keep it topped up while they have the doors open. All these small items seem simple, but they are signs that the shop you are researching cares about their work and your car or truck.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Filed Under: ARTICLES, PRODUCTS, RESOURCE LIBRARY

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