Someone Created a CarPlay Screen That's Also a Dashcam and a Wireless Projector

While it's hard to dispute the figures, there's no doubt CarPlay is extremely popular these days. After all, mobile phone projection makes running navigation and listening to music incredibly convenient in a car.

The only thing users must do is connect their iPhones to the vehicle either with a cable or wirelessly. Once they do this, CarPlay launches on the screen, providing one-tap access to Google Maps, Spotify, or phone calls.

While CarPlay has become an essential feature of new vehicles, Apple's system can also be installed in an older model using aftermarket units. Pioneer, Sony, Alpine, and several other companies have already launched their media receivers supporting CarPlay, so for at least a couple of bucks, you should be able to get Apple's system in pretty much any vehicle out there.

Someone on Kickstarter, however, proposes a completely different device.

Called GCaMorn, this 7-inch screen has everything a driver needs when getting behind the wheel. And when I say everything, I really mean it.

Let's start with the CarPlay support. As you probably figured out already from the headline, this device allows you to run CarPlay in a car where Apple's system is not available.

The 7-inch display can be installed right on the dashboard, with power coming from the cigarette lighter socket. In other words, the installation is extremely convenient, so you won't have to mess with complex wiring and things that typically make people reach out to professional services. The only thing you must do is plug in GCaMorn, and the display should then fire up, allowing you to access CarPlay or another feature from a very long list.

And speaking of this long list, in addition to the CarPlay support, this product also doubles as a dashcam. Given its installation system, the device uses a rear-mounted integrated camera to monitor the road ahead. Thanks to microSD card support, it stores the footage locally, so you can then access any of the recordings quite easily in case the worst happens.

With 4K resolution, the quality of the video recordings should be top-notch, though driving in total darkness could be a little challenging, even for the best sensor.

As if all of these weren't already enough, GCaMorn also supports parking cameras. This means it'll show real-time video as you go in reverse, making parking the car a lot easier, safer, and more convenient. The same camera can be installed in the back of the car to use as a baby monitor. The device allows users to see live footage at any moment, so you don't necessarily have to keep the car in reverse mode to access the real-time images. As such, if you install it on the passenger seat's headrest, you should be able to keep an eye on your baby while driving without having to look back.

The next feature on the list is the wireless screen projector. With support for both Android and iPhone, GCarMorn allows users to pair mobile devices with the screen and load videos or photos on the dashboard. Hopefully, you won't do this while the vehicle is in motion, as it's unclear if the device comes with any protections on this front.

The device's creator also integrated multiple languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, and others. You can change the language from the settings menu.

GCarMorn gets its juice from the cigarette lighter socket and features an integrated USB-C port. This means you can use pretty much any phone cable to power it, as it does not come with a battery. While this might sound like a major shortcoming at first, it certainly isn't.

Keeping a battery-powered electronic device on the dashboard, regularly exposed to direct sunlight, isn't recommended, as overheating continues to be a major concern in the tech world. As a result, simply plugging the screen when turning on the engine should do it.

GCarMorn isn't available just yet, as the device was recently posted on Kickstarter for crowdfunding support. This means its creator must raise the necessary funds to make it happen, but the target has already been reached at the time of writing. As such, it's now just a matter of time until mass production starts and the first units are shipped to customers worldwide.

If you want to get your hands on this clever device, you can do it on Kickstarter with a $119 donation. This pledge secures the Super Early package, which includes a front and rear camera, an extension cable, and the power supply cable to power the device. If everything goes according to the plan, the shipping should begin in August this year, with further updates to be shared once the campaign comes to an end.