HERMIX NANO

Plenty of older cars have no display at all, and replacing a factory head unit usually means pulling trim and splicing wires. HERMIX NANO takes a different route. The maker describes it as a small hub designed for vehicles that connects wirelessly to an iPad, Android tablet, iPhone or Android smartphone and turns it into a car dashboard, bringing wireless CarPlay and Android Auto to those devices.

Setup and connection

According to the maker, setup has three steps: install the free companion app (iOS and Android), plug the hub into the car's cigarette-lighter socket, and pair the devices wirelessly. The company says first-time users can finish in about 10 minutes and that the system reconnects automatically the next time the engine starts. Because the app runs on the driver's own hardware, moving to a new phone or tablet only means reinstalling it.

Backup camera and controls

The hub ships with a 1080P backup camera. The maker says the tablet screen switches to the camera feed automatically when the car is put in reverse, so the driver doesn't have to open an app. HERMIX NANO also offers what the company calls an integrated AI system, which brings calls, music and navigation together in one interface, and dedicated physical buttons for calling up key functions without touching the screen.

Layouts for any cabin

• UI layouts optimized for left-hand-drive and right-hand-drive cars
• Split-screen view in the tablet app
• HUD mode, which shows simplified navigation only
• Mini-map mode, which places compact navigation alongside other functions such as music
• Family album mode for showing selected photos and videos on the in-car screen
• Automatic screen rotation for portrait or landscape mounting

The maker adds that the included cable is made from durable material intended to withstand temperature changes and vibration inside the car.