Company Launches a Connect Device to Turn Your Used Car into a Smart Car

A leading multi-brand used-car company (Mahindra First Choice Wheels) has launched Konnect First, a device that can ‘upgrade a used car into a smart car’ at a cost of a few thousand rupees (less than Rs 8,000). The company claims that this device, which has been developed by Wipro, is different because it is compatible with 200+ car variants across brands and enables users to interact with the vehicle via a mobile app, available on both iOS and Android platforms. It offers car owners a comprehensive package of safety, loss prevention, utility, maintenance and driving analytics in one seamless interface. The device can be plugged into most cars’ OBD ports. Such devices have been introduced in the past in the Indian market. For example, Honda Cars India Limited had launched a similar connecting device (Dongle). Once installed, users can share their location in real time, locate their car if someone else is driving it, monitor the health of the engine, and get reminders if car service is due. All these appear on the smartphone app one has installed. Such devices are not provided by all carmakers but an app on a smartphone works more or less like the devices mentioned above, providing users navigation services, personalised search support, 3D maps with live traffic updates, vehicle maintenance data, and roadside assistance, among other features. Source: The Financial Express