One of the most common traits of active RVers is the strong desire to trade in and upgrade their rigs so that they can enjoy the many new technological innovations that seem to be coming more frequently as the cost of computerized electronics continues to drop significantly. The advancements in microchips, computer programming, hard drives and audio-visual technologies that have fostered many great innovations for our homes are now being adapted for, and installed in, the latest motor homes, travel trailers and fifth wheels coming off the assembly lines of the leading companies in the RV industry today.

This article will give you a glimpse into the new technologies being developed for the increased enjoyment of your new RV. There are comparable products from other manufacturers not mentioned here. When doing your own research, you will discover that there are differences based on what products each RV manufacturer outfits their products with, and of course these products also vary between RV models.

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Bose® is known for their Wave music systems and is one of the most recognized names in both home theater systems and advanced stereo speaker systems. The top-of-the-line Bose Lifestyle 48 home theater system provides amazing sound quality along with a host of entertainment features that will make you the most popular living room and outdoor patio host in the resort or campground. We have just installed this system in our new house and it will be a must-have option, or standard equipment, on our next motor home. I did not realize how much better sound reproduction has come until they fired up the system.

You will find a new appreciation for music, movies and digital radio signals that can be controlled with a single advanced remote control from any location inside or outside your RV. Leave your CD’s at home because this system allows you store up to 200 hours of music. You can delete songs you don’t like and code the ones you do like. As the intelligence of the internal computer system learns your listening preferences, the system will provide that music in your selection window for easy programming.  

First we had black and white rear vision cameras added to motor homes for safety; soon thereafter they were replaced with full-color versions that provided better resolution and depth of field. The next logical extension of these safety systems was the introduction of side-view cameras that complemented the unit mounted in the rear and provided the driver and co-pilot with clear views on the three sides of the RV that cannot be seen from the front windshield. Sony, a world leader in electronics, provides many of the rear vision systems used in the RV industry today. The Sony VCB color rear view camera system offers the new 16:9 image format, improved sensitivity and excellent picture brightness, as well as resolution. Inside the cockpit, the images are viewed on a 6.2” monitor with wide-angle viewing. The Sony side view cameras also offer the 16:9 format and are enclosed in a waterproof housing that protects the camera and connectors from the elements. The camera switching system allows the driver to easily switch to the side view image cameras by simply depressing the appropriate turn signal. When in reverse, the rear view camera overrides the side view cameras, offering peace of mind and the ability to see everything behind your coach.

Several coach and trailer manufacturers are now providing a second camera monitor in the bedroom. This is an excellent security feature that conveniently provides peace of mind should you hear a noise or disturbance outside your rig. No need to get up from your bed, simply turn on the cameras and instantly view the sides and rear of the RV through the monitor. More than likely it is just a raccoon or deer stopping by to see if there are any leftovers on the picnic table!

The Eaton® VORAD™ system has brought real high tech radar technology to the RV lifestyle. Originally pioneered in the trucking industry, VORAD – which stands for Vehicle Onboard Radar – provides early warning notification to the driver if the traffic ahead slows or stops unexpectedly. The system also has the ability to detect vehicles that may be hidden in the driver’s blind spots. There are three components that provide this technological safety barrier around your motor home. AlwaysAlert will act as an electronic co-pilot by assessing traffic conditions and relaying information to the driver, even when he or she may be distracted; BlindSpotter™ short-range radar checks the adjacent lane for obstacles, eliminating dangerous blind spots; and SmartCruise reduces the stress of driving in traffic by working in concert with the cruise control systems on your RV to automatically maintain a safe driving distance between your motor home and the vehicle directly ahead of you.

Perhaps the most anticipated advancements in technology are in the next generation of high definition televisions that have found their way inside and outside new RVs. Inside we find new plasma, LCD and DLP televisions from almost every manufacturer imaginable. Televisions were once limited to being located over the cockpit. You now see them housed in sophisticated entertainment centers in the living room area, or attached to the wall and viewable from the cockpit, living room, dining area and kitchen.  In fact, some models offer two televisions up front that allow different viewing habits to be accommodated without someone being relegated to the bedroom. Creative floorplan designs also provide for two televisions on a wall separating sections of the living area and dining area.

Additional entertainment center components are also finding their ways into outside storage compartments. It is not unusual now to see 40” to 60” televisions being viewed outside by those entertaining guests. Many of these systems include complimentary sound and DVD components for the ultimate entertainment experience. The more sophisticated units being offered today have built-in HD/digital tuners (ATSC/NTSC), 720p and 1080p resolution, anti-glare screens, true surround sound, HDMI interfaces and universal remote control devices that allow you to operate all components from a single device.

GPS systems, prevalent in most new passenger automobiles, are now working their way into the cockpits of new RVs. Individual systems such as Garmin®, a world leader in Global Positioning System technology, offers an OEM system that manufacturers are installing as part of an integrated navigation system. The traditional StreetPilot navigation unit that mounts on the dashboard of the RV provides a 7” TFT touch-screen display; the text-to-speech feature for turn by turn directions; pre-loaded maps that can be viewed in two-dimensional or three-dimensional perspectives; and a built-in photo sensor that automatically adjusts for varying light conditions.

We are also starting to see sophisticated integrated systems that include advanced electronics and computer technology such as the Navion R5000 from Lectronix. This innovative system features an AM/FM/WB  tuner, CD/WMA/MP3 playback, Sirius satellite radio, a three-camera/monitor system, trip and vehicle computer, navigation system and tire pressure monitoring. This all-in-one-system is mounted conveniently in the dashboard by forward-thinking manufacturers.

If you thirst for new technology, you will appreciate the innovations that manufacturers are building into their RVs. This brief overview of the new technology can not do justice to the many excellent products being integrated into what have become some of the most sophisticated RVs we have seen in the industry. Plan your next trip around a visit to Lazydays in Seffner, Fla. where you can walk through more than 1,200 RVs that are displayed in a beautiful park-like setting.