Automatic introduced its Automatic Link connected car system in March of this year, promising to ship out the app and the Bluetooth adapter beginning in May.
The system includes a plug-in adapter that is designed to read data from a car's onboard diagnostics, turning nearly any car manufactured after 1996 into a connected car. The adapter utilizes an accompanying iPhone app to provide detailed information on driving habits and car health.
Unfortunately, Automatic has experienced some problems with the aforementioned iPhone app and as a result, it has decided to delay (via Engadget) the final release of the system until August to work out some of the kinks.
The good news is that the Link – that little device that plugs into your car – is ready and being manufactured! Unfortunately, we underestimated the time needed to complete the iPhone app and we're sorry to say that it won't be ready until the end of August.
As it is only the software that needs to be tweaked (the hardware is already in production), Automatic is offering its first preorder customers the opportunity to test a beta version of the system. Customers that opt-in to the beta will receive the dongle and the app in mid-June, but the company warns that the current version of the app lacks support for Crash Alert, multiple cars, and multiple users.
Customers who are eligible to participate in the early release of the Automatic Link should have already received an email from the company with details on how to proceed. Customers who ordered later or who order today can expect to receive the Link in August.
The Automatic Link retails for $69.95 and can be preordered from the Automatic website.
Top Rated Comments
Engine: "Kaboom."
Not once, never, did a single sensor reading give an accurate cause for the error.
Your server reports a high temperature on a sensor and a low rpm on the fan near the sensor. Is it a worn bearing? Has a cable slipped and it is dragging against the fan-blades? Flocks of dust interfering with the fan blades? Is there a dead mouse (http://www.nutz.nl/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/2008-11-20-18-28-15.jpg) inside your server?
If you look a lists of OBD-II codes, you'll quickly see that almost every code has a bunch of possible reasons. You'll need a guy with dirty hands and a bunch of experience to actually look and find the cause.
Right. This coming from someone in a country who's big contribution to the world is popularizing jumping off cliffs secured only by a giant rubber band. :D
What's special is
#1 its cheaper than the others.
#2 the iPhone app is designed for regular people - ala my wife and kids.