Delphi, Verizon unveil Connected Car tracking and monitoring device

Shawn Knight

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Staff member

Delphi has partnered with Verizon to unveil a new Bluetooth-enabled automotive accessory called Connected Car that allows users to track, monitor and control their vehicle remotely. The device connects to a vehicle’s OBD2 port which is typically located behind the dashboard of vehicles built in 1996 or later and uses Verizon’s CDMA data network to transmit information from the device to the owner’s smartphone app or a web portal.

Car Connect is capable of monitoring engine temperature, fuel levels and interpreting error codes that could potentially trigger the check engine warning light. The device can also lock or unlock doors on certain model vehicles.

An embedded GPS chip allows the user to receive a warning if the vehicle exceeds certain speeds or if the engine RPMs go too high, things that protective parents might certainly be interested in. Furthermore, the car owner can set virtual boundaries for the car and receive notifications if the vehicle travels outside the predetermined limits.

Users can also track a vehicle in real time and see its progress on a map, things that would be extremely helpful in the event of a theft. A 911 speed dial function allows users to alert authorities in such an instance, we’re told.

Pricing and a potential release date have not been revealed as of writing but we do know that users will be required to sign up for a two-year data connectivity service agreement with Verizon up front.

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If you're not trying to stalk family members I would recommend buying a cheap(~$30) bluetooth OBD2 adapter online and using a $5 app called torque on android. it can do just about everything mentioned in this article, as long as you're in the car.
 
If you're not trying to stalk family members I would recommend buying a cheap(~$30) bluetooth OBD2 adapter online and using a $5 app called torque on android. it can do just about everything mentioned in this article, as long as you're in the car.

That's kind of defeating the point of having the GPS in it then if you have to be in the car to see where it is....

This is outstanding because it is essentially low jack except you can track in real time.
 
I bet you can't lock and unlock your car with that torque app...
 
Sweet... I hope its a good price...This will be a great thing to have with my up and coming teen driver to keep him honest!
 
Is everyone blind to the fact that Verizon will surely have a back-door capability of shutting your car down when ever they want? Think about how many people they could sell this data to. If Verizon sold your pre-recorded speeds to your car insurance company I bet they'd love to increase your premium for speeding! Think about it.
 
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