By James Chevrette
Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. has launched its first collection of automotive accessories, stepping outside traditional car audio to compete in the vehicle accessories segment with USB cables, car chargers, and magnetic smartphone cradles.
The new products carry a “Built for the Drive” label, engineered for the in-car environment and stress tested for heat, cold, and vibration that regular consumer accessories are not designed to handle.
Larry Rougas, EVP and Chief Revenue Officer at Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc., said the launch is a natural extension of the company’s in-vehicle technology history. “As we expand our presence across the full vehicle experience, we are bringing the same precision and engineering discipline that defines our audio products to a category that drivers rely on every day,” Rougas said.
Smartphone Cradles
Pioneer is entering the cradle segment with three models, all sharing a magnetic grip platform with a 360-degree swivel, an air vent mount footprint, and a bundled metal ring for non-MagSafe smartphones.
- The base Magnetic Cradle is a mount-only unit with no charging function, targeting drivers who want clean, one-handed phone placement – SDA-SC200 with a MSRP of $29.99.
- The Premium Qi2 Wireless Charging Magnetic Cradle adds Qi2-compliant wireless charging, ships with a USB-C to USB-C cable, and includes a blue LED charge indicator – SDA-SC400 with a MSRP of $39.99.
- The Premium Qi2 Wireless Charging Magnetic Cradle with Cooling adds an integrated cooling fan to sustain charging throughput during heavy navigation or streaming use, and includes a customizable RGB LED ring as the flagship of the lineup – SDA-SC600 with a MRSP of $64.99.
Car Chargers
Two dual-port chargers round out the launch, targeting different power demand profiles.
The Compact Dual-Port Fast Car Charger is designed for standard smartphone users. the SDA-CG210CA with a MRSP of $25.99:
- 38W total output
- 20W USB-C Power Delivery port
- 18W USB-A Quick Charge port
- Flush-fit profile that sits below the socket rim
- Blue LED on the USB-A port for low-light identification
- Rated for 12-volt and 24-volt vehicle systems
The Premium High-Output Dual-Port Car Charger targets users running power-hungry devices such as laptops and tablets, the SDA-CG210CA with a MRSP of $34.99:
- 63W total output
- 45W USB-C Power Delivery port
- 18W USB-A port for simultaneous smartphone charging
- High-density housing with a blue LED illumination ring
- Rated for extreme cabin temperature stability
Both charger models are tested to operate reliably across the temperature extremes typical of vehicle cabin environments.
USB Charging Cables
The full car accessories lineup is available to purchase through Pioneer’s website and Amazon, with prices starting from $20. For more information on Pioneer’s new car accessories lineup, visit usa.pioneer.com.
Pioneer ventured out of car audio at least once before in, I believe, the late 1980s, when it offered up a line of car security products, as did Alpine.