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Automatic: Your Smart Driving Assistant

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Re: Automatic: Your Smart Driving Assistant

#261

Post by gfodor »

masoninthesis wrote: post #249
gfodor wrote: post #248

Ok I know this is going to sound harsh given the praise of this thread, but I am just not getting it. The design is brilliant, the idea seems great, but of the applications listed there isn't anything there that makes me want to reach in my pocket and spend $70 on this. I'm not interested in how efficiently I am driving. This is not going to help me find my car in a parking lot, since it is an estimate and often thes…

I commend you for being part of the solution, but I have to say- for myself, the ability to check the cause of the check engine light would be worth it. If your car is fairly new, you may experience the check engine light very rarely. But for cars over 5 years old, I think that's the best feature. As opposed to taking it into a mechanic where you are completely ignorant of what the cause was.

I think it's an interesting feature, but it's still something that is a "once in a long while" feature. And, when I do use it, it's often pointless since I will need to take it to the mechanic anyway. If this was a free feature on my car, sure, I'll use it, but I'm not going to buy a product for that feature. More importantly, people who really don't care about cars in general and just take it in when the lights go on aren't going to either. (Especially when you consider the cost of getting your own self-diagnosis wrong. How is my mom supposed to know if a loose gas cap is a big deal or not?)

I think there's a lot of potential here but it needs to be something that a) I will use all the time and b) I will get real, tangible value out of it, not academic understanding of my driving habits or a few bucks a month off of my gas by changing them. (Which, by the way, is another "thing" I now have to worry about: is Automotive telling me my driving is ok? What do I need to change? Now I feel like a loser when I don't "do well" one month.) It needs to make my life easier or allow me to do things behind the wheel that are valuable but currently hard/dangerous to do. I think there's plenty there.

Re: Automatic: Your Smart Driving Assistant

#262

Post by stcredzero »

jessaustin wrote: post #254
stcredzero wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Depending on the jurisdiction, you could be liable for stuff that happens if someone steals your unlocked car.

If this is a common thing, how does the party holding you liable typically show that the car was unlocked?

Usually a confession by the perp, and/or by the owner. It's not unusual at all for people not to know the details of the law like this and blurt out factoids, and for there to be harsh but difficult to enforce laws in the US.

Re: Automatic: Your Smart Driving Assistant

#265

Post by skeletonjelly »

jonny_eh wrote: post #111
hyperbovine wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the service turns out to actually be usefil, I hope they will consider charging money for it in lieu of spiriting away my personal information as you suggest.

It's not free, it costs $70.

And Facebook's not free because you (presumably) paid for your computer.

Re: Automatic: Your Smart Driving Assistant

#266

Post by NuZZ »

vyrotek wrote: post #43

I would label this as "Mint.com for your Car". And along with that, I'm sure your data will be collected, analyzed, and sold. I imagine they'll eventually partner with insurance companies too and these stats will influence your rates. Companies like Progressive are already doing this. Don't get me wrong though. I'm not saying any of this is wrong or bad. I'm just trying to imagine what the bigger picture here is for…

Well from what I have seen, you buy that device and then you install an app on your phone. Surely you could use a firewall on your phone to block outside contact as the connection between the device and your phone is over a closed bluetooth network.

I'm just assuming here that the phone app doesn't self destruct when there is no internet connection.

Re: Automatic: Your Smart Driving Assistant

#267

Post by jessaustin »

stcredzero wrote: post #262
jessaustin wrote: post #254

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If this is a common thing, how does the party holding you liable typically show that the car was unlocked?

Usually a confession by the perp, and/or by the owner. It's not unusual at all for people not to know the details of the law like this and blurt out factoids, and for there to be harsh but difficult to enforce laws in the US.

I'd expect a "confession" by one who stole a car to be worth very little in a civil action by a third party against the owner of that car.
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