Road trip gadgets to make your travels easier​

With CarPlay, plug in your iPhone and put it away as it’s charging. Some newer cars support wireless CarPlay, too, so there’s no need to plug it in — but do realize that it can drain your

phone battery. Now your vehicle’s dashboard will resemble your familiar iOS home screen, displaying many supported first-party apps, including Apple Maps, Apple Music, Contacts and iMessages

and a growing selection of third-party apps. Press the VOICE/SPEECH button on the steering wheel or simply say, “Hey, Siri,” followed by commands like “Read me my texts,” “Take me to 123

Main Street,” “Play Taylor Swift on Spotify,” and so on. You also can use the large app icons on the dashboard screen — not while you’re driving — or a passenger can do so any time. Google’s

Android Auto is very similar: Connect your Android smartphone to your vehicle via its USB cable, then press the VOICE/SPEECH button on the steering wheel or say, “OK, Google,” followed by a

question or command to access contacts, messages, music and other info while keeping your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. The Amazon Echo Auto features eight microphones and

far-field technology so that it can clearly hear what you say even over road noise. Courtesy: Amazon If you prefer Amazon’s Alexa as a personal assistant, you can add it to any vehicle. You

can find it for only $20 these days; it’s usually $70. Amazon’s Echo Auto is a small device that plays through your car’s speakers, Bluetooth or an available auxiliary-input port that looks

like the socket a wired earbud plugs into. Echo Auto features eight microphones and far-field technology, so it can clearly hear you over air-conditioning, music and outside road noise. You

can use your voice to check the news and weather, make calls, manage your calendar, or stream content from Audible, Amazon Music, Spotify, SiriusXM and others. An air-vent mount is included.

EMERGENCY KITS CAN BE SAVIORS A battery booster in your vehicle is prudent. It could jump-start your car’s dead battery and save you from having to wait for roadside assistance. A portable

multifunction jump starter and power bank features a 12.8-volt jump starter and built-in USB port for charging your smartphone, too. An integrated LED light can also help you see under the

hood when it’s dark. A generic Home Depot model starts at about $80. Some models, such as the QuickCable Rescue Pack 950 Booster Pack ($205), have an air compressor and air gauge that can

inflate tires. Other kits to keep in a trunk for an emergency are not high tech but are certainly handy, such as the AAA-branded 76-Piece Excursion Road Kit ($110). Included are an air

compressor, booster cables, bungee cord, duct tape, an emergency warning triangle to place beside your vehicle on the side of a road, first aid products, an LED flashlight with batteries,

poncho, screwdrivers, utility knife and whistle.