O2 Car Connection: M2M Remote automobile diagnostics via smartphone app

O2 Car Connection: M2M Remote automobile diagnostics via smartphone app

At the IAA’s carIT congress “Connected Car – the future of mobility” Telefónica announced the next step towards the connected car: O2 Car Connection is another ground breaking digital M2M product that upgrades even older cars to state-of-the-art vehicles that are at all times connected to their drivers via the mobile network.

Munich – Available from October, O2 Car Connection by Telefónica provides drivers with an entirely new service. The company is one of the first to offer a full package for improved safety, efficiency and no-fuss driving experience. O2 Car Connection consists of an M2M hardware unit (OBD II plug), which drivers can easily install in their cars, a smartphone app and matching service for data transmission.

Peter Rampling, Managing Director Digital at Telefónica in Germany, says:

“More than 75 percent of all Germans won’t leave their homes without their mobile phone, and their car is one of their favourite possessions. O2 Car Connection combines these two trends: The smartphone is connected to the car at all times and drivers have full mobile control over their vehicle.”

Safe, simple and efficient: All-round car service

With O2 Car Connection drivers can connect their car with their smartphone to receive important diagnostic information directly to their phone. Error codes, problem reports or reminders to visit the service station are conveyed in no time and in an uncomplicated manner, helping to improve safety on the road. By drawing on information about the condition of the engine or the voltage of the battery, the driver can evaluate possible damage – and thus prevent unpleasant surprises when the car is taken for its service.
If someone steals the car or the driver forgets where it was parked, the vehicle finder is a practical tool to detect the location of the car, displaying it on a map on the connected smartphone. When the vehicle, for instance, is lent to another driver, the owner can easily use geo-fencing to track it once the vehicle moves beyond certain boundaries.

Eco driving: An app for environmentally friendly and cost-conscious driving

O2 Car Connection also contributes to protecting the environment: An integrated GPS unit tracks all journeys, assessing individual driving. A corresponding app encourages economical and low-wear travel, which not only saves money and helps protect the environment. It also invites different users to a fun challenge of comparing their driving.

O2 Car Connection: Telefónica in line with current trends

Only recently, Telefónica’s Connected Car Industry 2014 Report found that the majority of drivers show significant interest in connected car services: Around 50 percent of those interviewed consider connected features as one of the most important criteria when choosing their next car. 71 percent of surveyed drivers said that they already used connected car services or showed great interest in them.

O2 Car Connection by Telefónica now offers an affordable and upgradeable solution for almost all cars younger than ten years. O2 Car Connection consists of an M2M plug-in unit and app and includes one year’s service. The package is available online and in selected O2 Shops for a one-off expense of 149 Euros. After the first 12 months, the service costs 5 Euros a month. The technology is provided by the telematics company Zubie.

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