ODBII
Latest
Dodge repurposes its parking tech to safeguard police
Fiat Chrysler has cleverly re-purposed some not-state-of-the-art tech on its police cars to protect officers. The radar and cameras at the rear of its Charger Pursuit vehicles can now detect movement behind the car when it's parked, alerting officers with a chime, locking the doors, rolling up the windows and flashing the taillights. It also activates the vehicle's rear camera, letting cops know what's going on at their "six."
Automatic Link connects phone and car for better driving, we go hands-on (video)
Scanners that can read data from your car's OBD-II port (which is in every car built since 1996) aren't exactly new; they're on-hand at every mechanic's workshop and curious car enthusiasts can buy them from most hardware stores. But few port readers are consumer-friendly enough for the everyday driver to grok. Enter the newly announced Automatic Link, which uses Bluetooth 4.0 and a paired smartphone to deliver diagnostic info with a decidedly novel twist. Instead of just hard facts, it offers an innovative array of features that range from monitoring driving habits, dialing 911 in case of an accident and even letting you clear a check engine light if you can fix the problem yourself. Join us after the break where we give the Link a bit of a test drive, speak to Automatic's lead product guy and find out a bit more about the potential of this tiny plastic nub.
SAM gives drivers the skinny on their ailing vehicle
Although Uncle Sam might not have the most pleasant plans in mind for your auto's garage, another form of SAM is most definitely looking out for your ride's well being. SAM, or Smart Auto Management, is a computerized system that is debuting at various Jiffy Lube, Speedemissions, Dekra Emission Check, Kwik Kar Lube & Tune, and gasoline stations around the country to give customers a quick, painless printout of precisely what's ailing their whip. Typical diagnostic procedures require a (usually pricey) trip to the dealership or knowing what all that mumbo jumbo means that comes flowing out of your ODB II reader, but SAM provides step-by-step instructions at each kiosk and prints out problems in laymen terms. So if you own a vehicle produced in 1996 or later, and feel that $15 is well worth knowing why all those lights and buzzers are turning your car into a low-rate K.I.T.T., be sure to hit the read link to find a SAM (hopefully) near you.[Via Gizmag]
