Jedi mind tricks: Neurable is creating mind-reading headphones. The sensors pick up tiny electrical impulses from your skull, which you can view in an app to see how intensely you’re focusing. Telepathy might be next. In one of their gamified exercises, the more you focus, the faster you make a rocket accelerate.
Sky-high car insurance rates? Blame it on all the tech in our cars
My car insurance just went up 32%. Did I have an accident or get a few tickets? Nope. Since 2020, car insurance rates in the U.S. have risen by a whopping 37%. The main reason? High-tech vehicles — aka anything remotely new — cost way more to repair. And you don’t need to have a high-tech car to feel the pinch. It’s hitting everyone.
Driving up costs
Our cars are packed with dozens of sensors and endless lines of computer code. Combine that with the rising cost of replacement parts and repairs, and voila, soaring auto insurance rates.
Look at these numbers from Bloomberg. They say that EVs are part of what’s driving costs. For a gas car, the average repair bill is around $4,437. The average for an electric vehicle is $6,618.
No wonder the average collision insurance claim jumped by 64% between 2018 and 2022. In 2023, auto insurance rates jumped another 20%, the biggest increase since 1976. Don’t even get me started on how much new and used cars cost right now.
Let’s look under the hood
In 2018, Toyota redesigned its uber-popular Camry. The number of parts in the front bumper alone increased from 18 to 43 — most are related to advanced driver-assist features.
The upgrades also mean a front-end collision repair is 43% more expensive. It’s not just driver-assist jacking up costs.
- Lots of new cars have LED headlights, which cost around five times more than halogen lights to replace.
- New cars contain more aluminum. Compared to steel, aluminum is lighter and provides better gas mileage and more protection in a crash — but harder and more expensive to fix.
- EVs take 20 days, on average, to repair. That’s 40% longer than traditional vehicles and $500 more expensive for labor.
Smart ways to save
I make it my business to find the best ways to save. Then, I pass them along to you. Let’s do this.
- Review your current plan and make adjustments to your coverage. Raising the deductible could result in a significant decrease in your premium. Keep in mind you’ll pay more out of pocket if you get into an accident.
- Ask for discounts. You might get one if your car has an anti-theft system installed, you’re a safe (accident-free) driver, or you’ve completed defensive driving courses. Talk to your agent.
- Consider switching to usage-based insurance. If you don’t drive that much or have a relatively short commute, you could pay much less than you would under a traditional plan.
- Bundle with other insurance plans from the same provider. Carrying home, auto, life and even pet insurance under one company means better rates.
Home security tip: How to monitor gun safes, medicine cabinets, workshops and more
Smart home products aren’t new to the market, but they are becoming more affordable to make your daily life safer and easier.
If you’re new to the smart home game, start with a must for keeping your home protected 24/7. Our sponsor, SimpliSafe. Those old-school security companies that send a pushy salesperson to your door with a three-year contract and installers are so 20 years ago.
Stud muffin
Mike wrote in to ask me for stud finder recommendations. I told him to look in the mirror. Then, I asked around and found three I can confidently recommend.
- Old reliable: The price is steep (29% off, $52.95), but this one’s 13 sensors track stud locations and 13 LED lights show you the center and edges of your studs. It reads depths up to 1.6 inches and runs on two AA batteries.
- Cheap: Find the edges of wood and metal studs with this no-frills model from Craftsman. It scans up to a 0.75-inch depth and requires a 9V battery (not included). It’s 9% off ($10.97).
- Magnetic: Run this little guy ($11.95) along the wall, hit the metal stud, and pop! goes the super magnet. This is the one for me. Maybe for you, too?
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
🚕 Say, “No way”: Waymo’s self-driving taxis might not be in your town yet, but if you’re traveling this summer, keep an eye out for them on the roads. They’re covered in sensors and hard to miss. PSA: They’re under federal investigation for causing more than 20 accidents. I wouldn’t get in one.
$400 AI toothbrush
Oral-B’s iO Series 10 is the latest in the “AI-fication” of everything. Its sensors claim to “personalize” your brushing experience. Don’t bother. They stopped supporting their over-$200 Alexa-enabled toothbrush less than four years after launch.
Get 40% off home security tech, like video doorbells, outdoor cameras and window sensors
Now is the best time to protect your home with tech. Thanks to a home security sale from our sponsor SimpliSafe, you can get steep discounts on everything you need to stay secure. Grab motion sensors, security cameras, burglary alarms and more.
Kim's pick: My favorite video doorbell to keep an eye on what's happening out front
If you want to secure your home, video doorbells are a no-brainer. They’re a great way to get a little extra peace of mind. You can check in to ensure your front porch is safe if you’re at the office or the grocery store.
20% of crashed cars
Are totaled out. One in five seen by an adjuster is deemed too expensive to fix. That’s five times higher than in the 1980s. Why? Today’s high-tech lighting and sensors, pricey airbags, and fancy materials add up fast.
A new safety standard says all light-duty vehicles will need automatic emergency braking by 2029. Brakes will kick in at speeds up to 90 mph for impending collisions and up to 45 mph when sensors detect a person. It’s much-needed: 42,514 people died in crashes last year alone.
🚚 Highway concern: At least 20 self-driving 80,000-pound semitractor-trailers will soon cruise Interstate 45 between Dallas and Houston. The trucks have advanced laser and radar sensors that can “see” farther than human eyes, and they’re never tired or distracted. If you spot one in the wild, I’d love to see a vid!
Smarter home security: 5 sensors beyond just doors and windows
Smart home products aren’t new to the market, but they are becoming more affordable to make your daily life safer and easier.
If you’re new to the smart home game, start with a must for keeping your home protected 24/7, our sponsor, SimpliSafe. Those old-school security companies that send a pushy salesperson to your door with a 3-year contract and installers are so 20 years ago.
Protect your home with 20% off Kim's home security pick - and a month of free monitoring
I get calls, emails and messages all the time about home security. If you’re not protecting your home, you really should.
Sure, belongings are replaceable, but I know you have a few things at home — from family heirlooms to a piece of precious jewelry — that you can’t just pop into a store to buy again.
iPhone warning: Apple says doing this can ruin your camera
Apple’s mobile phones have tremendously good cameras, so it is no wonder that iPhone users are constantly snapping away at anything that looks interesting. But for some, simple still-life images aren’t enough.
People have gone to extreme lengths, whether it is getting the perfect shot or getting more thumbs-up on Instagram, with some deadly consequences. But while less severe, there are certain things that you shouldn’t do with your iPhone.
6 essential features you need in a home security system
Most people who don’t have home security systems yet are probably still planning on installing one in the future. How many times have you left your home thinking, “I wish I had some kind of protection system in place?”
Kim's pick for home security: Get a FREE HD camera
Do you feel 100% confident your home is safe from thieves and break-ins? What about disasters like a flood or fire?
Not being protected is a scary way to live. The good news is it’s easy and affordable to protect you, your home and your family 24/7. With SimpliSafe, you order everything you need online at SimpliSafeKim.com, install it in under an hour and activate the system. After that, your family is protected by professional security monitoring, all with no contracts.
This app helps you get where you're going without tracking you using GPS
Remember the days before GPS was around and trying to navigate through an unfamiliar city? Struggling to read one of those old paper maps could turn into a nightmare real quick and many times you’d have to swallow your pride and ask a local for directions.
Home security you can trust without the expensive contract
Here’s the thing about home security companies: Most trap you with high prices, tricky contracts and lousy customer support. So, while there are a lot of options out there, there’s only one no-brainer: SimpliSafe.
New Ford F-150: All the high-tech features coming to the 2021 lineup
Technology isn’t only advancing on the mobile phone and smart home fronts. The latest cars rolling out of factory floors are chock-full of incredible gadgets and sensors that make driving easier and safer than ever.
Even if you don’t have a brand new car, it’s possible to take advantage of some of this tech just by installing some handy accessories. Tap or click here to see six useful gadgets to modernize your older car with.
SimpliSafe protects your whole house in under an hour
You’ve probably heard how easy it is to protect your family, home and valuables these days. It’s nothing like the hassle it used to be.
Technology has changed everything — and simplified it, too. That’s because wireless technology has made installing home security an afternoon project, rather than the all-day nightmare it was when techs had to drill holes in your walls, cut wires and mount a system that worked just OK.