Cars nowadays have a lot of high tech features.
So, if you’re driving an oldie but goodie -- say from the 90s -- sometimes you miss out on the latest connected technology.
Now, the realm of aftermarket connected car services is growing. Devices like Zubie, Automatic Liteand Verizon's Hum all aim to smarten up your beloved older ride.
Plug it into your OBD port, download an app — and at your fingertips, maintenance reminders and vehicle health information.
Steve Van Dinter of Verizon spoke about Hum's capabilities on 7 Action News this morning on TV20 Detroit.
Hum's features include vehicle diagnostics, roadside assistance, driving history, and maintenance reminders. The gadget also gives you access to a mechanics hotline to get personalized information for specific questions related to your vehicle.
Van Dinter says he bought the device before he joined Verizon and it saved him from paying a hefty repair bill. He also likes to use the app for finding his ride.
"If you're like me, you go to the airport, you go to the mall...suddenly, you've forgotten where you parked your car," said Van Dinter. "You just click on vehicle location and parking reminders and instantly you're going to see exactly where your vehicle is located in real time down to the parking spot."
Van Dinter points out that the Hum could especially be useful for seniors or parents of teen drivers.
"With driver alerts, you can set speed alerts or boundaries alerts, so if your teen says they are just going from school to work to home -- and they deviate from that, you're going to get a text message as a parent," he said. "If you've got elderly parents...this is a great way to have peace of mind."
Hum works with most vehicles with model year 1996 or newer. You can check if your vehicle is compatible here.
