Reinventing old ideas for new applications is not always a bad idea. But an umbrella for a car? Engineers at Shenzhen Mynew Technology Co. are confident that their portable car umbrella will win fans, beginning in China, where car ownership is exploding.
The company's innovative gadget measures 400 x 210cm and fixes to the center of the vehicle roof by soft suction cup, protecting it from scratches. The patented automatic folding structure is operated by wireless remote, meaning that installation after initial placement is largely hands-free.
The unit takes eight seconds to open, after which four windproof ropes attach by hook to opportune locations on the car's exterior, usually door handles. After some practice, total set up takes well under one minute; the company advertises 30 seconds.
The Mynew umbrella has some unexpected features as well. The half-fixed connection between the tarp and the metal skeleton releases automatically in the event of especially high winds. The ropes are adjustable to suit different car bodies, and imbedded with steel wire for a measure of anti-theft protection.
Most importantly, the unit's design allows air to be ventilated between the tent and the car,so that heat is passed through, rather than transmitted into the car, even if the tent surface temperature rises. Company tests show that the umbrella can lower interior temperatures by as much as 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
"The shielding effect against rain, snow, grime, and bird droppings is obvious," says Mynew designer 'Blue' Zheng. "The fact that car interiors can heat up so rapidly on even cool days was the main motivation behind the umbrella."
The entire contraption packs into an 85cm long, 6kg zippered storage bag for easy trunk storage. Colors are available in black, camoflauge, and silver. The units retail for about $300.
In 2015, 23.85 million new cars were registered in China, taking car ownership up to 172 million, an all-time high, according to the Ministry of Public Security.
In the United States, the number of child heatstroke deaths attributed to vehicle overheating reached 39 through October, 2016, on pace for a six-year high.
