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Automatic to shut down and end support for its car diagnostics dongle
Automatic, the company behind an on-board diagnostics (OBD-II) dongle for cars, announced that it’s shutting down due to COVID-19.
AT&T and Harman bring connected features to your existing car
AT&T is joining the ranks of carriers that can bring a whole suite of connected car technology to older passenger vehicles. It's launching the Harman Spark, an OBD-II dongle that adds diagnostics, tracking and LTE data to cars from 1996 and beyond. Unlike the old ZTE Mobley, this isn't just about internet access. It can alert you to car trouble (including theft), help you find and pay for roadside help and locate your vehicle.
Vodafone branches out into internet of things things
The UK's major carriers have mobile all sewn up, and after a bit of broadband here and TV there, they're turning to other things to get their kicks, grow their brands and pad their bank accounts. For O2, that meant moving into smart home gear, and for Vodafone, that means launching a range of internet of things (IoT) devices under the banner "V by Vodafone." Available to Vodafone customers in the UK and a handful of other European countries from today is a car telematics dongle, pet tracker, bag tracker and connected camera, with more products due to join this launch lineup next year.
Ford SmartLink brings WiFi, LTE-connected features to older cars
If you want new car features like the ability to remote start via an app or have a WiFi hotspot onboard without buying a new car, then Ford's new SmartLink is one way to add them. Chrysler has offered WiFi and other features as a part of Uconnect since 2008, while GM followed on most vehicles in 2014 but Ford's Sync platform leaned more on customer's own devices. Now, owners of 2010 - 2016 model year Ford and Lincoln vehicles without a built-in modem can add a 4G LTE connection that plugs into the car's OBD-II diagnostic port underneath the steering wheel.
T-Mobile's SyncUP Drive adds 4G LTE to your aging vehicle
For the road warriors and frequent drivers who want a connected vehicle without shelling out for a new car with built-in WiFi, T-Mobile's just announced SyncUP Drive should fill the coverage gap between your cell phone and your home internet. The new device brings the big pink carrier up to speed with competition at AT&T and Verizon (both of which already have similar devices) and adds smart vehicle diagnostic features as well as a phone-free connection to T-Mobile's 4G LTE network.
Samsung Connect Auto brings LTE data to your car
You didn't think Samsung would stay out of the connected car race, did you? Sure enough, the Korean electronics giant has unveiled its own take on smarter vehicle tech in the form of Connect Auto. The Tizen-powered (and Knox-secured) dongle plugs into your car's OBD-II port and provides LTE data to everyone in the car through a WiFi hotspot. And like other connectors, it should help with your driving. The adapter promotes safer driving habits (including through insurance partnerships), keeps tabs on maintenance, helps you find your parked car and even alerts your contacts if you're ever involved in an accident.
Google denies scooping up your car's data through Android Auto
If you ask Motor Trend, Porsche is leery of supporting Android Auto. The sports car badge supposedly refused to use it due to an agreement that required sending Google tons of data about a vehicle, from its speed to its oil temperature. That would be pretty damning if true -- but it's not, according to the search firm. Google tells The Verge that it doesn't collect any of the information mentioned in MT's Porsche piece, and that you only opt in to sharing things that improve your Android Auto experience, such as hands-free control and navigation.
AT&T offers a plug-in WiFi hotspot for your car
Your existing car probably doesn't have a built-in WiFi hotspot, but AT&T will soon have a way to add one and deliver that sweet, on-demand internet access. The carrier is launching the ZTE Mobley, a WiFi hotspot that plugs into your car's OBD-II port and shares an LTE data link with everyone inside. Yes, you could just tether your phone, but AT&T is counting on simplicity to reel you in -- the hotspot goes live shortly after you turn your car on, and you don't have to worry about battery life. It won't cost you much to give this concept a shot, at least. The Mobley will be available for 'free' on a 2-year contract, or $100 outright. The biggest expense is the data itself, which will cost you $20-plus for stand-alone service or $10 if you add the Mobley to a shared plan.
New York City wants to track your car to save you time and money
Insurance outfits have been eager to track cars in the name of lower costs and driver safety, but it looks like even major urban centers are getting in on the action. New York City is launching a Drive Smart test program that will have 400 drivers install an OBD-II tracking device in return for a range of perks. If you get in, you'll get tips on fuel efficiency, route planning and safety based on your driving habits. You'll also receive up to a 30 percent discount on Allstate insurance if you're sufficiently cautious. Ideally, this will save both you and NYC some money, not to mention a lot of frustration -- you won't add to the city's notorious traffic congestion.
Hackers control connected cars using text messages
It's not only Chrysler drivers that have to worry about hackers taking control of their cars from afar. UC San Diego researchers have found that you can control features on cars of many makes by exploiting vulnerabilities in cellular-capable dongles that are sometimes plugged into the vehicles' OBD-II ports, such as insurance trackers and driving efficiency tools. In the example you see above, the security team compromised a Corvette touting a Mobile Devices dongle (one of the most common varieties) through everyday text messages -- they could turn on the wipers or even cut the brakes. That same device is also set to allow remote tunneling using a universal 'private' key, making it easy for an intruder to get complete control over the adapter and its unfortunate host car.
Metromile's Tag uses Apple iBeacon tech to track your driving
For almost three years now, Metromile has offered a pay-per-mile insurance service that tracked your trips via an OBD-II reader (a device that plugs into your car's data port) called the Pulse which also provided other useful info like your mileage, parked location and fuel costs. Today, Metromile has unveiled the Tag, a wireless device that uses Apple's iBeacon tech to do almost the same thing. Instead of plugging into that aforementioned OBD-II port -- which is in every car built and sold in the US since 1996 -- the Tag can be placed anywhere in your vehicle. It then communicates that same car and trip info to your phone over Bluetooth LE (which does mean that both the Tag and your phone needs to be in close proximity in order for it to work).
Automatic Link review: an expensive way to learn better driving habits
We love when we find new ways to bring our toys together. The Automatic Link does just that: it connects your iPhone to your car's computer, using Bluetooth Low Energy as a bridge to the On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) interface that's been standard in most cars since 1996. Coupled with a free app, you can log various stats from your road trips, including how aggressively you drove and how much gasoline your car consumed. Basically, it's sort of like a quantified-self tracker, but for your vehicle. So, does this $100 driver's assistant deliver? Let's see.
Automatic Link promises to be personal driving assistant, available now for $100
First Automatic said its driving assistant dongle and related iOS app would be ready in May, and then it said the app needed until August to fully bake. Well, it's now October, and at long last, it appears the San Francisco-based startup is finally ready to launch its connected car platform to the general public. As a reminder, Automatic utilizes a piece of hardware called the Link that attaches to your car's OBD-II port -- most cars built after 1996 have one -- along with an iPhone app that communicates with it via Bluetooth LE and translates that onboard diagnostic information into usable data. For example, the app will monitor your driving habits and let you know when you're riding the gas pedal too hard or hitting the brakes too aggressively. If your car's Check Engine light shows up, it'll give you its best guess as to what caused it and even lets you clear it if you've managed to solve the problem. There are other uses too, like dialing 911 if you've been in an accident or finding a parked car. Have a peek at our hands-on for more info, and if you feel like picking one up yourself, Automatic's Link hardware is on sale for $99.95 on Apple's online store and retail locations starting today.
Automatic delays connected car platform until August as it seeks to perfect iPhone app
It's an age-old problem: do we clamor for a company to ship a product that's not ready, or do we swallow delays with grace as it aims to deliver when things are good and ready? Such a choice has to be made when it comes to Automatic, the California-based startup which had originally hoped to start shipping its automotive dongle + app platform at the end of this month. Those (including yours truly) who pre-ordered on day one received an email last night delivering the news that things were running a bit behind schedule. The hardware itself is actually already being manufactured, but stellar components are only a piece of the total puzzle. The software -- an iPhone app, in this instance -- still needs more time in the proverbial oven, and now we're being told that packages won't ship until "the end of August." A three-month hiccup is nothing to scoff at, and Automatic seemingly knows it. In order to sate those who were hoping to use the $70 product during their upcoming summer road trips, the company is giving early pre-orderers the option to beta test the app as it stands today. For those who agree, they'll receive their hardware in mid-June, but they'll be forced to use it with a version of the app that "lacks a few features like Crash Alert and support for multiple cars and users." We'll be keeping a close eye as the situation develops, and will definitely endeavor to pass along a review just as soon as we're able. If you're curious, we've embedded the email in full just after the break.
Insert Coin: Dash charts your car data live, with gauges and a dashcam (update 3: back as Lynk)
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. We've seen a few stabs at smartphone-enhanced car diagnostics as of late, but many good solutions like Automatic Link and Delphi's Vehicle Diagnostics are primarily useful after you've parked. The upcoming Dash OBD-II adapter is certainly up to that side of the job, telling a Bluetooth-connected iOS device (and eventually, Android) about your car's problems and estimating fuel costs based on the gas tank's levels. Where it stands out is its usefulness while on the road: the custom app offers custom live gauges, including a Green-Meter for ideal fuel economy that you won't usually find in a real instrument cluster. There's even a dashcam mode that overlays travel details on captured video, whether it's to support insurance claims or just to immortalize a drive through the back country.
Automatic Link converts your iPhone into a personal driving assistant (video)
That OBD II port that has been installed on just about every US-bound automobile since 1996? Its potential has just been tapped. For years, ambiguous dashboard lights have clued motorists in on internal issues, but driving to a body shop just to borrow a data port reader is so last decade. Enter the Automatic Link -- a simplistic nub that plugs into said port and utilizes Bluetooth 4.0 to connect to your iPhone 4S or 5 (prior iPhones use older versions of the BT stack). Once linked, it'll monitor your driving habits and routes, sending gentle reminders to not brake so suddenly or accelerate so quickly in a bid to save fuel. Moreover, it'll dial 911 and alert your relatives should you get in an accident, and perhaps most intriguingly, it'll send full diagnostic reports to your iPhone whenever a warning indicator lights up. Heck, it'll let you clear the code through your phone once you've remedied whatever has gone wrong.
Mavizon Mavia tracker reaches pre-order at last, makes best friends of cars and iPhones
Remember Mavizon's plans for its Mavia car tracking device (formerly the AutoBot) from almost two years ago? The company promised availability sometime in 2012, and we're here in earnest with the car companion ready for pre-order. The business model has changed significantly since 2010, however. It's a cheaper $169 up front for the Bluetooth cellular OBD-II peripheral -- $99 for the first hundred through the gates, or $299 for a two-pack -- but the full tracking service will cost $5 a month, or $49 every year. Those who do make the leap can get a look at their car's vital signs as well as set up geofenced notifications, track long-term performance and receive impromptu driving directions to a friend's coffee shop check-in. The first batch of Mavia units should arrive within several weeks, we're told, and should have both browser- as well as iPhone-based apps waiting in the wings.
Electric Motor Werks hands-on at Maker Faire (video)
Have a BMW 3-Series that requires major engine work? Want to convert it to electric and improve performance, ActiveE style? The folks at Electric Motor Werks have you covered. Instead of making purpose-built electric cars, the company -- which showed a converted 3-Series sedan and coupé at Maker Faire Bay Area 2012 -- provides affordable and environmentally responsible electric conversion kits for the BMW E46. These are available directly to consumers but Electric Motor Werks is also building a network of installers (via tuner / speed shops) and setting up its own facilities. We chatted with founder Val Miftakhov who gave us a tour of the prototype kit in the vehicles on display, so head past the break for more information and for our hands-on video.%Gallery-155864%
SCT iTSX lets you tune your car from your iPad (video)
Viewing vehicle information wirelessly from an OBD-II port? Been there, done that. Actually tuning your car and making it faster over OBD-II? That's genuinely new, and that's what SCT is up to with its iTSX. For $350 you get the Bluetooth dongle and access to a free app that works on iOS devices. From there you get access to limited tuning parameters, like specifying idle RPM and fuel type. If you're familiar with SCT you know that's probably a little limited, but if you go to an SCT-authorized tuner they can create custom tunes, tweaking way more parameters than that, and download those tunes to your device. You can then apply them whenever you like or, even restore your stock tune if you're feeling really crazy. Compatibility is a little limited, though, only working with Ford and GM vehicles '96 and nearer. Right now the hardware is ready, just waiting on App Store approval, so look for release in the coming months. %Gallery-113463%
CarTrip will connect your iOS device and your automobile
Griffin kicked off CES with a bang today by introducing several new products including the new CarTrip hardware and CleanDrive app for iOS or Android. CarTrip is a Bluetooth-enabled monitor that plugs into your car's OBD-II port and compiles the data logged by the car's onboard computer. Data accessible to the Griffin device includes car acceleration, top speed, fuel consumption and diagnostic codes. The module can store this information to an external SD card using the built-in SD card port, or you can access the data directly using your phone or iPod touch/iPad and Griffin's CleanDrive application. The CleanDrive application reads and analyzes the data provided from your car. Both individual trip and long-term data helps you analyze the fuel efficiency of your car and troubleshoot that annoying and often mysterious "check engine" light. The application requires an iPhone, iPad or fourth generation iPod touch with iOS 4.0 or later, while the Bluetooth module requires a 1996 or newer car that contains an OBD-II compliant system. The CarTrip Bluetooth module will be available in Q1 2011 for US$89.99 from Griffin's website. The free, companion CleanDrive app will debut in Q1 2011 for iOS and Q2 for Android. Anyone interested in a personal OBD-II monitoring system?
