Home » Tech » Car USB Port: 5 Creative Uses You Didn’t Know

Car USB Port: 5 Creative Uses You Didn’t Know

by Lisa Park - Tech Editor

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Chris Bayer/ZDNET

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ZDNET’s⁣ key‍ takeaways

  • your car’s USB ports can do much more than charge your phone.
  • use your USB ports to play music or update your car’s system.
  • Even with wireless tech, USB ports‍ still have their place.

In 2005,about

The automotive ‌USB port is becoming something of a relic,but it’s still incredibly useful. Beyond the obvious⁤ charging function, it’s a way to⁢ power⁤ your ⁢phone while also exploiting it’s ⁤”smartness.”

Also: Your ⁢Apple carplay is getting a big upgrade:‌ 3 features I’m ‌using on iOS 26 right now

There are other advantages‌ to using‌ a USB port to connect with your vehicle’s mobile device projection systems. Namely, it provides a more ​stable connection, higher audio fidelity, and reduced ⁣potential for interference.

What is firmware? Think of it as a kind of bridge between‍ the hardware and software configurations within smart electronics. All modern devices require manufacturer ‍firmware⁢ updates to keep them running smoothly. Your vehicle’s multimedia unit is no exception.

While over-the-air updates are available in some of the newest vehicles (especially EVs), many still require USB drives for installation. Typically, this entails downloading the⁤ firmware⁣ file from the vehicle manufacturer’s website to a USB drive and inserting it into a vehicle’s data transfer‌ port to initiate ⁢the ⁤update. From there, follow the prompts on your unit head display, usually starting with the⁣ “system Updates” option.

Also: This car charger doubles as an ‌emergency device

The‌ exact steps to install these updates via USB will vary depending on your car’s ​make and model. Also, you need to format the ​USB drive in a file system compatible with the vehicle. Depending on your car’s manufacturer,‍ this could be ‍exFAT or FAT32. Fortunately, most ‍store-bought⁤ USB flash drives come pre-formatted with the ability to read these files.

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The second most common use of ⁢automotive USB ⁤ports is ⁣for listening to music.

I ‌love music as much as I love all tech wireless. ​Yet I still have a tiny sandisk MP3 player loaded with thousands of songs in my 2025 Civic. It dangles from a six-inch cable connected to my car’s only USB-C port, which‌ incidentally is the only​ data port in that car.This way I can listen to my carefully curated songs, but it’s kind of a bummer that I need to use that port for either the MP3 player or to interface with my phone,⁢ not ⁤both.

Also: Is your Roku TV spying on you? It’s possible, but here’s how you can easily stop it

However, your vehicle ‌may have a USB port that transfers data and allows you to play music directly from a

Okay, I will analyze the provided JavaScript code snippet according to the strict guidelines.

PHASE 1: ADVERSARIAL RESEARCH,⁢ FRESHNESS & BREAKING-NEWS CHECK

The⁤ code snippet is a Facebook Pixel implementation. It initializes ‌the Facebook‌ Pixel with a specific ID (‘789754228632403’) and sets autoConfig to false. This pixel⁣ is used for tracking website visitor behavior for advertising purposes on Facebook and Instagram.

* Factual claims ​Verification: the ⁤code itself ⁣doesn’t contain factual claims ⁢ per se,⁤ but it⁢ references a Facebook Pixel ID.⁢ The validity of the ID and its association with a specific entity is the key verification point.
* Contradictory/Correcting Information: A search for “Facebook​ Pixel ‌789754228632403” does not reveal any publicly‍ available information about the ‍owner or purpose of this specific pixel. This is expected, ​as pixel IDs are generally not publicly linked to owners for privacy reasons.​ However,​ the absence of negative information doesn’t confirm its legitimacy.
*​ Breaking News Check (as of 2026/01/25 09:36:46): There have been ongoing developments regarding data privacy and Facebook’s tracking practices. Specifically, changes to apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework and evolving privacy regulations (like GDPR and CCPA) continue to impact the effectiveness of pixels. However, these changes do not‌ invalidate the code itself; they affect how the pixel functions and the data it collects. As of the current date, Facebook pixel remains a widely ​used⁢ advertising tool, albeit subject to increased scrutiny and limitations. Facebook’s privacy Updates details⁣ ongoing changes.
* Latest Verified Status: The code snippet is a valid implementation of the Facebook Pixel ⁤as of January⁤ 25, 2026. its functionality is subject to ⁢the user’s ⁤browser privacy settings and applicable data privacy regulations.

PHASE 2: ENTITY-BASED GEO (GENERATIVE ENGINE OPTIMIZATION)

Primary Entity: Facebook Pixel

Related Entities:

* ⁢ Meta Platforms, Inc. (Meta about Page) – The parent company of Facebook.
* Facebook (Facebook​ Homepage)⁢ – The⁢ social media platform utilizing the pixel.
* Instagram (Instagram About Page) – Another platform utilizing the pixel ⁤for advertising.
* Data Privacy Regulations ‍(GDPR, CCPA) (GDPR Official Website,CCPA Official Website) – Laws impacting pixel usage.
* ‌ App Tracking Transparency (ATT) (Apple ATT Page) – Apple’s framework impacting⁢ ad tracking.

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What is a Facebook Pixel?

A Facebook Pixel is a snippet of JavaScript ‌code that is placed on a website to track visitor actions and report them back to Facebook ⁢for advertising ⁢purposes.

The pixel allows advertisers to track conversions, optimize ads, build targeted audiences, and retarget website visitors. It works by setting cookies on visitors’ browsers and ⁤sending data to Facebook when specific events occur on the website, such as page views, add-to-cart actions, or purchases.

for example, an e-commerce store might use a Facebook Pixel‌ to track which visitors add items to their cart but don’t complete the purchase. They can then create a retargeting ad campaign on Facebook specifically targeting ⁤those visitors, reminding​ them of the items in their cart and encouraging them to ⁤complete the purchase. facebook’s documentation on retargeting provides further details.

The Role of Meta‌ Platforms,Inc.

The Facebook Pixel is a product ⁣of Meta Platforms, Inc., formerly known as Facebook, Inc. Meta is responsible for the development, maintenance, and operation of the Facebook Pixel and‌ the associated advertising platform.

Meta’s data policies govern how data collected through⁤ the Facebook Pixel is used and ⁣protected. Advertisers using the ⁣pixel are required to comply with meta’s advertising policies and applicable data privacy regulations.

As ⁤a notable example, Meta’s Business Policies (Meta ‌Business Policies) outline⁢ acceptable advertising⁢ practices, including requirements for transparency and⁢ user consent.

Impact of Data Privacy Regulations

The use of Facebook Pixels⁢ is significantly ⁤impacted by

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