A new car device that does everything from directing drivers to their parking spots to letting them know if they're braking too hard should be available in Apple stores soon, Gigaom reported.
The $100 cartridge, which connects directly to a car's internal computer, is from San Francisco-based startup Automatic Labs. The company's vehicle data device is now available for purchase at Apple's 250 U.S. stores and in the Apple online store.
Called Automatic Link, the device connects through the ODB-II port standard in all vehicles made after 1996. It then connects to an iPhone through Bluetooth, collecting a plethora of data in the app.
The device collects data from the driver's every move, noting if the brakes are over-used or if the speed limit is exceeded too often. It also does a rough calculation of fuel economy and expenses based on nationwide gas prices and the vehicle make and model.
If the check engine light comes on, Automatic alerts the driver with a text message that contains detailed diagnostic information.
While Automatic is supplying basic driving information and driving tips today, it plans to build more sophisticated services on top of that core data, Automatic co-founder and CEO Thejo Kote said in an interview this week.
One example is a program in beta called Crash Alert, which can determine if drivers have been in an accident and alert their families.
Automatic will become much smarter as more people start using Link, Kote said. More users will allow the device not only to access one vehicle's data, but also to compare that data to thousands of other cars of the same make and model, many of which are driving the same streets.
That's why the Apple deal is key, Kote said. Right now Automatic is a small operation, emerging from Y Combinator in 2011 and backed by Andreessen Horowitz and Founders Fund. Before Tuesday, Automatic was selling its Link solely through its own website.
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