Does your car have Bluetooth? If so, you should be able to connect your cell to the car and listen to the calls you receive through the speakers. If not, consider buying a hands free device for your car.
We’ve also all seen the Bluetooth headsets in movies, on TV, and even on our friends. They might not always seem stylish–although they’ve definitely improved over the years. Plus, they’re really useful. But you can also buy dedicated tech that can even give you a hands free option for older cars.
There are many reasons you might want to use hands free Bluetooth for a cell phone in your car. If you take calls while driving, it’s safer than using your phone. Or, you might want to have the option to ring your family or friends as you head home.
But what happens if your car doesn’t have hands free calling capabilities? Or, are you looking for the best headphones to use in the car? TaoTronics looks to answer both these questions in this blog.
Hands-Free Calls – Law Background in the US
Did you know that it’s illegal to use your phone and drive in the US? If you break this law, you face fines of up to $500.
By using your phone, we mean to hold it. Legally, you aren’t even supposed to pick up your phone and hold it in the car as it lowers your concentration. This is because it is considered a dangerous electronic device that will cause distracted driving.
This isn’t the case in all states. In some, like Alabama and Arkansas, texting is prohibited, whereas in the Peach State you aren’t allowed to do anything, including taking videos.
The hope is that these laws will reduce the risk of accidents and death caused by dangerous driving. The risk of this is said to be 23 times higher than if you drive without touching or using an electronic device.
How to Pair a Bluetooth Cell Phone with Your Car?
To create hands free Bluetooth for your cell phone, you need to pair it with your car. First, you should have a car with Bluetooth capabilities. Your car should have a manual for how to do this, but if not, you can follow the instructions below. It should take less than five minutes at the initial set up, and in many cases less than one minute to pair thereafter.
- Verify that you have a Bluetooth function on your phone and your car, then turn both of the Bluetooth devices on. You should see a Bluetooth symbol appear on your phone when Bluetooth is turned on.
- Go to your phone settings and select your car’s Bluetooth name to start the pairing process. OR,
- If you have to pair from your car, then find the settings or media section and navigate it until you can search for devices. Set the system to discoverable.
- Scan for devices.
- Select a Bluetooth device to pair. In this case, it’s the name of your phone. Wait until your phone is connected–the car speakers should make a noise to indicate they are connected.
Voila! Send and receive your calls hands-free. You can also play music from your device over your car speakers, now!
There are detailed instructions in this YouTube video.
How to Make Hands-Free Calls If Your Car Doesn’t Have Hands Free Capabilities
There are five different methods you can use if you want to connect your phone to your Bluetooth device hands free. That’s right–5! The wonders of modern technology allow hands free calling in older cars.
Method 1: Use Bluetooth speaker that clips onto your vehicle’s sun visor.
One simple way to get connected is to clip a Bluetooth speaker onto your vehicle’s sun visor. This small device will mimic the same effect as connecting to your car speakers. However, you won’t be able to hear much if you’re playing music out of the car audio at the same time!
Method 2: Use a Bluetooth radio transmitter.
If you can’t find speakers that will clip to your visor, you could use a Bluetooth radio transmitter to connect your phone to your speakers. This means that if someone calls, you could hear them speak over your car speakers–although responding might be less clear.
Learn more about this method and where to buy the best Bluetooth radio transmitters here.
Method 3: Connect your phone to your car via auxiliary cable.
If your car has a sound system that’s modern enough to have Bluetooth, but old-school enough to have an AUX cable/port, then you’re in luck. Any phone should be able to connect using one or both of these systems, and your car should be able to receive calls and project audio through the speakers using the AUX cable method.
Simply plug your phone in, set it and the car radio to the correct settings, then you should be good to go! Make sure to test it out first, to make sure it works when you’re driving.
Method 4: Use a USB cable.
Similarly, most car radios–and definitely any built in the last ten years–should have USB capabilities. You can buy a new radio for most makes and models, allowing you to have hands free calling in older cars. As with the AUX cable, you can plug and go. This is perhaps useful with iPhones if your Bluetooth connection isn’t steady or if your car is a vintage model.
Method 5: Invest in a Bluetooth car kit.
If your car or car radio isn’t up to scratch, you should try a Bluetooth car kit. It can clip to an AC vent or stick to the dash, wherever is best for your car and for your ability to reach it and answer/put down your call. It can play all kinds of audio from your car’s speaker system, whether that’s calls or music.
Check out this review of one of TaoTronics Bluetooth Car Kits below. It has phone charging as well as allowing hands-free calls and the ability to change the volume. It has its own microphone as well, so your phone can be in your bag and you can still chat.
Five Advantages of a Bluetooth Hands-free Car Kit
Of these options, one stands out as the ultimate easy route. It’s a hands free device for your car. That’s the Bluetooth car kit, an inexpensive way to allow any car to have hands-free calls.
1. Multipurpose
You can use a Bluetooth car kit to play and control your music hands free, as well as your calls. They should be able to answer and put down calls, skip tracks, and change the volume, all at the click of a button.
2. Improved safety
As we noted (and the US Government wrote into law!), it’s dangerous to drive while distracted by playing with your cell. Even if you’re holding it and it’s on the speaker to make a call, it could potentially contribute to you losing concentration and causing a serious road accident. By using a hands-free calling device for your car, like a Bluetooth car kit, you’ll reduce this risk.
3. Your music–not the radio
Easily create a good vibe and make your car journey’s more fun with this kit. You’ll be able to play your favorite Spotify playlists, podcasts, and anything from Apple music (or even YouTube if you wanted to try and stream) and control the songs. More importantly, your friends can too! Useful as hands free calling in your car AND when you have passengers along for the ride.
4. Easy to use
Bluetooth car kits should be plug and go. They will come with a manual that tells you how to use the device to answer calls, and if you watch the YouTube video above you can see how easy they are to install (less than 5 minutes!). The buttons are intuitive as well, so it’s simple to answer calls and more.
5. Speaker for your computer
Did you know that you could also use your car kit as a speaker for your computer laptop? It can boost the sound if you have an older device, transitioning smoothly from inside your car to inside your home.
Necessary Features of Best Car Kit Bluetooth Hands-free Audio Adapter
There are a number of features to look out for in a Bluetooth car kit. The first? That it can actually work with your car. Yep. Sounds simple! But make sure that the device has the right kind of connection to work when it’s in your car, or else you’ll be wasting your money.
You should also make sure it has a built-in mic and an easy, one-click way to answer and put down phone calls. If it doesn’t, what’s the point? You need to be able to turn on your Bluetooth before you start driving then not touch your phone for your whole journey.
Finally, you should make sure that it is easy to clip to your visor, air vent, or stick to your dash. This is the easiest way to reach your device and will stop you from reaching for your cell.
Conclusion
You need to stay safe on the road, for the sake of yourself and others. What’s more, in the US you will be fined if you’re found with a phone in your hand. So, you need to make sure you get a hands free device for your car. With Bluetooth car kits that offer built-in mics and great connections, it’s super easy to make the transition even if your car doesn’t have Bluetooth.
Check out the Bluetooth car kits available on the TaoTronics website today!
- How Do I Set Up Hands Free Calling in the Car? - May 7, 2021
- How to Turn Any Old Speakers into Wireless Streamers? - January 29, 2021
- How to Add Bluetooth to Your Old Car? - December 4, 2020