Chevrolet has announced it will be introducing a new technology to some of its future models to enable smartphones to stay cool while charging. The new system has been named ‘Active Phone Cooling’ by Chevrolet, and the company says the technology will keep smartphones cool while their batteries get recharged. The company says the feature will only be available on its automotive models that will come with wireless charging. Which includes upcoming vehicles like the 2016 models of the full-size sedan Impala, mid-size model Malibu and the compact sedan Cruze, along with the company’s electric hybrid Volt.
Chevrolet says that it found phones getting overheated, while testing the wireless charging feature on their cars. So much so, that the devices will often shut down because of overheating. The company says, its engineers have found a rather easy solution to combat this issue. They are just re-routing a new air vent from the car’s air-conditioner so that it will be able to pump out cold air to the little wireless charging dish, keeping the phone cool during the charging process. This process will only be applicable to phones compatible with wireless charging, and that too, only with the car’s HVAC system turned on. According to Chevy, “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”.
To understand why wireless charging produces significantly more heat than regular old fashioned charging, one needs to know what the technology entails. Wireless charging is basically consumer-speak for near-field induction, which makes use of an electromagnetic field to transfer energy to electrical apparatus, thereby resulting in severe energy loss, stemming from increased resistive heating. While it goes without saying that heat is bad for your electronic gadgets, it is particularly bad for mobile batteries, as it drains them quicker and reduces their lifespan. With so many ways to overheat smartphones, its will be a bonus to have a way of keeping your smartphone cool in the car. Especially, while enjoying the convenience of wireless charging, which, albeit convenient, is not exactly the most efficient way of charging a device known to mankind.