Redshiftt is my new, patent pending vehicle accessory control system. At its heart is a wireless Bluetooth remote controller housed in a handsome replacement gearshift knob. There are no individual buttons to feel for, nor anything you have to look at to operate the controller. The built-in mechanism is simple, solid, and highly tactile. It doesn’t require fine hand motions, so the driver can find any of the six accessory selection positions and send a command signal solely by feel, even while shifting gears, and even on rough terrain. Built-in battery power means no wires need to be run for the knob, just screw it on the gearshift stalk and it’s ready to use.The mechanism  has a lock-out position to avoid unintentional operation and to power down the electronics for maximum battery life. The knob can replace almost any knob on any standard transmission and some automatic transmission vehicles by simply using the appropriate thread adapter for that vehicle’s shifter stalk.

The knob controls weatherproof accessory relay boxes that can be mounted anywhere in or even under the vehicle. There will be different size relay boxes, with two, four, or six relays, plus a two-relay box with two electro-pneumatic solenoid valves to operate air-powered accessories like ARB and Eaton differential locks. Each individual relay box has its own Bluetooth receiver. The knob and receivers form a wireless network, so the single knob controller can control multiple boxes. The modular, networked system allows the user more design flexibility, because rather than having to run a lot of wires and/or air lines to one central control box, different boxes can be installed at locations more convenient to connect with the systems the user wants to control.

Completing the system, but not necessary to use it at all, an app can be installed on your smartphone or tablet that will act as a monitor and parallel controller. On-screen touch buttons will indicate the knob controller’s selector position to augment the tactile nature of the controller, indicate the state of every relay, and control the relays in parallel by touch. Each relay channel will be able to be programmed for conditional controls, such as remaining on for a period of time after the ignition is turned off, or operating channels according to speed, time, or other factors. And the screen will always display basic navigational data: time, speed, heading, altitude, system voltage, etc. and give a warning when the knob battery needs replacement.

So, that’s a basic rundown on the Redshiftt system. Things are moving along pretty rapidly toward production, I hope to be able to roll it out before year’s end. I’ll have more details, including special applications for Vanagon Syncros, so check in again soon!