Connected car app Automatic is now available on your wrist
Automatic turns almost any car into a connected car, using its app and an adapter that plugs into your vehicle’s On Board Diagnostics (ODB-II) port. Automatic monitors your car’s performance, helping you learn fuel-saving driving habits and find out what that check engine light means without going to the mechanic. In its most recent update, Automatic now comes with an Apple Watch companion as well as new features that users have been asking for.
A new Trip Details View allows you to view all of the information about your travels with interactive pinch and zoomable maps. You can also tag trips as being business-related, so you can keep tabs on the expenses that should be billed back to your company. There is also now an option to set what grade of fuel you use, so the app can give you more accurate cost calculations.
Most exciting, though, is the integration with Apple Watch. With Automatic’s companion for Apple Watch, you can view your parked location and tag trips as business-related right from your wrist. This makes it easier than ever to keep track of where you left your car, while also allowing you to quickly and efficiently mark your most recent trip as business-related for later export to your expense report.
The update also includes the ability to see firmware version and upgrade status under the vehicle settings for troubleshooting, and various improvements to usability, performance, and stability.
Automatic is available for free on the App Store, and is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The Automatic car adapter costs $99.95, and is available from the company’s Web page.