By JOHN R. QUAIN
Even cars that have reached their teenage years can now enjoy the benefits of social networking. Their ability to stay connected comes with the introduction of Zubie, a plug-in device and service that not only monitors a vehicle’s condition and location but also lets owners share that information with family and friends.
The hardware side of Zubie is a Fig Newton-size “key” that plugs into a car’s OBD-II diagnostics port, a receptacle found in all vehicles built since 1996, usually under the dashboard. The Zubie unit has a GPS receiver and its own cellular data connection, keeping the car in touch anywhere a cell signal is available. The $99.95 price includes a year of unlimited tracking and monitoring at less than half the cost of competitors like Audiovox’s Car Connection.
Drivers can get access to information from their cars using a Zubie app for iPhone or Android devices. Zubie tracks trips, logs driver actions and relays diagnostic data (including plain-language descriptions of what a Check Engine warning means). The car’s location can be shared automatically by setting up groups that will be notified of your whereabouts, a useful feature for families.
There is also a nanny aspect to Zubie. It records the types of driving events that pique insurance companies and mileage-watchers. “Hard brake detected on JQ” was listed several times during my test drives. Simply tapping on the notification revealed a map of my trip and the precise location and time when I decelerated with extreme prejudice. (Honest, I was cut off by someone on the F.D.R. Drive.)
Color-coded icons also note rapid acceleration, top speed — no comment — and idle times. On a trip I took to get a Christmas tree, I earned a red warning icon for a rapid acceleration, a maneuver that had been necessary to make it up a steep and snowy 900-foot driveway.
Should you feel the urge, you can share all this information on Facebook.
Zubie does not require drivers to share their locations; going incognito is permitted. And requests to join your group can be turned down. It can also be used to monitor a new driver, issuing email alerts about excessive speed (from 70 to 85 miles an hour) or venturing beyond a predetermined distance (up to 25 miles).
Zubie cannot shut off the engine if a thief steals your car, but that’s information you probably don’t want to share anyway.
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