OBDLink MX WiFi Turns a Standard Automobile into a Smart Car

A lire sur: http://www.atelier.net/en/trends/articles/obdlink-mx-wifi-turns-standard-automobile-smart_427936

By Eliane HONG March 11, 2014 

OBDLink MX WiFi is an easy-to-use gadget which works with in tandem all mobile platforms to provide a comprehensive, real-time check on the information in your car computer.

When a red or orange light appears on your car dashboard it is not always easy to work out what the problem is and constantly having to drive over to the maintenance garage can become rather costly. To make life easier for the car-owner, Phoenix, Arizona-based OBD Solutions has now developed its OBDLink MX WiFi, a WiFi-connected device which plugs into your car and, via a dedicated mobile application, provides access to the information stored in your car’s computer. You can thus turn your standard automobile into a smart car, as long as the vehicle has an embedded OBD diagnostics system – which has in fact been mandatory on all European cars since 2004 and for much longer in the United States.

Mechanical expertise on mobile

The aim of the engineers who developed the OBDLink MX WiFi was to come up with a product that was small, fast, secure and easy-to-use, enabling anyone and everyone to obtain an analysis of their car’s mechanical status in real time. Their little WiFi-connected gadget plugs into the OBD port, which is located just under the steering wheel in recently-built vehicles, and links up to a dedicated app on your mobile device. This enables you to check fuel consumption, to create a virtual dashboard and to determine the cause behind any warning light that comes on.  So amateur mechanics as well as the professionals can easily get a handle on a car’s performance and take the necessary action to prevent future breakdowns or other inconveniences.

A customisable system

The creators of the gadget pride themselves on the fact that OBDLink MX WiFi potentially has unlimited functionality as it is designed in open architecture and compatible with many third-party applications on the market today, such as the apps that let you for instance remote start (certain types of) vehicles and lock and unlock car doors. Moreover, the system could prove very useful when buying a used car. A potential buyer will be able to check up on the vehicle’s overall health before committing to purchase. The gadget is not yet in production but OBD Solutions’ recent Kickstarter campaign designed to finance the next move towards a market launch attained its financing objective. The app will be compatible with all mainstream mobile devices, including iOS, Android and Windows-based equipment.