I'm a junkie for "smart" devices. Have the Nest thermostat and smoke detectors. Rain Machine to control my sprinklers (more on that cool device some other time). A security system that is completely controlled from smart phone. Lights also. Recently I came across the Automatic Driving Assistant.
It's a device that plugs into your car's OBD port--it's the same port that mechanics use to get all kinds of information from you car's on-board computers. And it turns out most cars after 1996--the Clinton Administration--have this and is compatible with Automatic. The device pairs with your smartphone through Bluetooth 4.0 and leverages a very neat app.
The app runs in the background sucking virtually no battery power and as soon as you turn your car on, it connects to the app and begins recording your trip. Essentially, the goal of the device/app is to make you a more economical driver; when you brake and accelerate hard, blow by 70 mph, it dings you, reducing your score from the perfect 100. It tracks how far you've gone, how long it takes, and thus can calculate miles per gallon and how much the trip costs in fuel. It also is able to help you with those pesky lights that appear when various things are on the fritz in your car.
The app has tremendous potential as it recently started utilizing Apple's iBeacon technology, in theory, with the potential to connect any device that utilizes iBeacon to connect to your car and phone. So imagine just flying through parking garages as your card is automatically charged through your phone. Drive through windows for food is another potential use.
Installation was easy--all companies can learn from them. For now, I find it interesting and look forward to the other uses of the technology. My one interaction with customer service was great. At $99, not a bad item to have if you're into smart gadgets.
It's a device that plugs into your car's OBD port--it's the same port that mechanics use to get all kinds of information from you car's on-board computers. And it turns out most cars after 1996--the Clinton Administration--have this and is compatible with Automatic. The device pairs with your smartphone through Bluetooth 4.0 and leverages a very neat app.
The app has tremendous potential as it recently started utilizing Apple's iBeacon technology, in theory, with the potential to connect any device that utilizes iBeacon to connect to your car and phone. So imagine just flying through parking garages as your card is automatically charged through your phone. Drive through windows for food is another potential use.
Installation was easy--all companies can learn from them. For now, I find it interesting and look forward to the other uses of the technology. My one interaction with customer service was great. At $99, not a bad item to have if you're into smart gadgets.
No comments:
Post a Comment