Smartphone Overheating? Chevrolet Impala Can Help

While occasional smartphone overheating is normal, it can be disconcerting as it saps the phone’s battery life and slows processing speeds. Industry-first technology coming soon to some Chevrolet models can help cool down this problem for drivers.

Engineers regularly subject vehicles to the most extreme climates to ensure subsystems work properly. While testing a smartphone wireless charging feature, they noticed some smartphones would suspend charging or shut off altogether after only a few minutes in high temperatures inside a car’s cabin.

Engineers added a cold air vent to certain Chevrolets for the 2016 model year to help keep smart phones wirelessly charging in the car from overheating.  The industry-first feature will be available in 2016 Chevrolet Impala, Malibu, Volt and Cruze models equipped with wireless charging and Chevrolet MyLink. The Active Phone Cooling feature works when the car’s heating, ventilation and cooling system is on.

Engineers added a cold air vent to certain Chevrolets for the 2016 model year to help keep smart phones wirelessly charging in the car from overheating. The industry-first feature will be available in 2016 Chevrolet Impala, Malibu, Volt and Cruze models equipped with wireless charging and Chevrolet MyLink. The Active Phone Cooling feature works when the car’s heating, ventilation and cooling system is on.

Most smartphones have built-in thermal protection features to protect battery life, but that protection – which can cause the phone to pause charging or turn off until it has cooled down – is inconvenient for customers on the road who rely on their smartphones for streaming music, navigation or receiving phone calls.

Chevrolet is addressing this with a system called Active Phone Cooling in several vehicles, including the 2016 Impala and Malibu equipped with available wireless charging. No other automotive manufacturer offers a similar solution for in-vehicle smartphone cooling.

An air vent connected directly to the car’s air conditioning and ventilation system is directed to the charging bin where the phone rests for wireless charging, sending cool air to help lower the phone’s temperature. Active Phone Cooling operates only when the HVAC system is turned on by the driver.

“Over time, regular overheating can do permanent damage to the lithium ion batteries that power our smartphones. I always recommend keeping your phone in a cool, ventilated place, where it can stay at a comfortable room temperature, whether it’s charging or discharging,” said Jeffrey Van Camp, deputy editor of Digital Trends.

Active Phone Cooling will also be available in the 2016 Chevrolet Volt and Cruze equipped with available wireless charging.

 

Time For a Cold One

Temp

1933 saw the first air conditioners installed in cars as an aftermarket item and it wasn’t until 1939 that the Packard Motor Car Company offered the cooling device as a factory option.  Many summers have past since then and A/C has become a standard option on just about every vehicle in the world.

Now, we will save you the boring lecture, and jump right to the cliff notes, on how this life changing system works.  With the summer heat upon us, here are a few signs that your A/C system may be in need of repair.

  1. If the air coming out of the vents isn’t as cool as you remember
  2. If you are unable to remove moisture from the windows with the defrost function
  3. If you hear a belt squeal or knocking under the hood around the A/C components
  4. If you do not hear any components turn on under the hood, or the engine RPM dip, when you turn on the A/C