Today there are 2.6 billion smartphone users worldwide and this number is projected to increase to 6.1 billion by 2020. In the U.S. there were 62 million smartphone accounts in 2010 and in 2016 that number increased to more than 207 million. What do smartphones have to do with the automotive aftermarket and OBD-II? You may have heard the saying, “There’s an app for that” and there are many OBD-II related mobile applications.
Smartphone apps
OBD-II related apps are an inexpensive way for vehicle owners to have a fully functional scan tool that as a bonus makes phone calls. Many of these applications do more than simply read and erase trouble codes. They can display real-time data from the car’s engine management system, provide instant fuel economy numbers and create custom dashboards with all types of gauges. With all the OBD-II data available it’s no wonder that some of these applications also offer some fun, behind-the-wheel features.
Smartphones are equipped with the accelerometers and GPS locating capabilities allowing apps to provide a sophisticated view of a car's performance. Based on the vehicle’s weight, horsepower, torque and acceleration can all be calculated and displayed in the form of performance gages or graphs.
For example, vehicle owners who purchased an expensive exhaust system, or high-flow air cleaner can find out if these components really added the “50” horsepower claimed by the manufacturer. By running before and after installation performance tests, data displayed on the smartphone’s app provides the consumer proof that the aftermarket components worked as advertised, or fell short.
Initially, the apps that used OBD-II data mainly focused on scan tool functionality, vehicle performance and fuel mileage. However, independent app developers have seen the benefits of leveraging this technology for the automotive aftermarket. Apps that are dedicated to vehicle maintenance, repair, and providing technical advice to consumers, based on vehicle OBD-II data, are showing up on GooglePlay and Apple’s app Store.
We’ll take a closer look at two of these types of apps, RepairLync and Mechanic Advisor.
RepairLync
RepairLync is an automotive repair app that puts vehicle owners in contact with local repair shops. Vehicle owners can download the Android-only app from Google Play.com for free. The owner must purchase a generic, Bluetooth OBD-II dongle to connect the vehicle’s OBD-II data stream to the RepairLync app on their smartphone. The app scans the vehicle’s computer for diagnostic data and the owner can send the data, and their contact information, to local shops in exchange for a repair estimate that is sent directly to their phone. There is no obligation for a shop to provide a quote, nor for the customer to accept it.
If the OBD-II diagnosis information received by a repair shop is vague, or symptoms are too difficult to troubleshoot the issue remotely, the shop can text message the customer through the app requesting more details and/or provide the customer with an estimate for a physical inspection. If the customer accepts the inspection estimate, they make an appointment to bring their vehicle to the repair shop. The shop diagnoses the problem, charges the agreed upon inspection fee and provides the customer with a repair estimate to fix the problem. The app also works without the OBD-II dongle and the owner can manually input the type of service wanted, i.e., an oil change, tire rotation etc. App users can shop for repair services based on quotes received, location and other customers’ reviews of the repair facilities.
Many shop owners are concerned about receiving negative customer reviews and the online review process is a double-edged sword. On one hand, shops that receive positive reviews will attract more first-time customers. The downside is that unwarranted, negative reviews hurt business. RepairLync encourages feedback from shops and can delete negative reviews if justified. Customers that abuse quotes, or make unnecessary negative reviews on the RepairLync network can be banned and all of their reviews/history deleted.
Repair shops can register with RepairLync online (shop.repairlync.com) to open a free account. Access to RepairLync is through a customized, website portal dashboard. The dashboard has tabs for New Requests that show new requests for estimates for the past 30 days, Accepted Requests that displays requests/estimates accepted by customers and New Messages that displays quotes and information for specific customers. A graphic display shows: total quote requests received, quote requests accepted, the dollar amount of accepted quotes and other shop statistics. The customizable software allows shops to add specific disclaimers regarding: physical inspection, diagnostics and repair estimates that are sent with repair quotes to the customer’s RepairLync app on their smartphone.
Mechanic Advisor
Mechanic Advisor’s business model is different from RepairLync. My Mechanic, by the Mechanic Advisor Corporation, is a mobile app available for both Android and iOS devices that can be downloaded for free from the GooglePlay, or Apple iTunes websites. The app works through the Mechanic Advisor Connection Key dongle that can be obtained in one of two ways: purchased online at www.mechanicadvisor.com, or provided directly from a local repair shop; sometimes at no cost to their customers.
The dongle transmits data, via Bluetooth Low Energy, to the user’s smartphone and provides a real-time diagnostic check of the vehicle’s OBD-II system and can transmit trouble codes directly to the shop that provided the dongle to the customer. The app features alerts and explanations for more than 20,000 diagnostic trouble codes that range from a loose gas cap to severe engine issues. Overall the app provides vehicle owners the peace of mind to connect to a repair shop if their check engine light comes on. In the near future, the app also will transmit OBD-II sensor data to repair shops.
What makes the Mechanic Advisor product unique is how the app interfaces with repair shops. When the dongle is purchased directly from the Mechanic Advisor website ($99.95 including shipping) the mobile app can access a nationwide database of more than 260,000 repair shops. The Find a Mechanic feature allows customers to select a local repair shop (based on GPS coordinates) for repair work. Shop profiles and customer reviews are also listed on the app.
The app also features Ask a Mechanic that allows customers to ask questions and receive advice from a professional mechanic via text message or email. The app also helps customers manage their vehicle maintenance by tracking miles driven and alerting them when a specific service is due including oil changes, tire rotations and general preventive maintenance items. Other features include: clearing trouble codes, tracking multiple vehicles, notifications regarding present/past factory recalls and participation in the Mechanic Advisor community.
When the Mechanic Advisor’s dongle is obtained from the customer’s local repair shop the interface that the app presents to the customer is different. The app connects the customer’s vehicle directly to the repair shop and provides OBD-II data in real-time. The customer does not have access to the nationwide database of repair shops – only the shop they obtained the dongle from. If the vehicle’s check engine light comes on, the repair shop is alerted and can text message, email or even call the customer if the problem is of a serious nature, i.e., DTC P0300, Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected.
The customer can also text message or call the repair shop and ask for advice and/or make an appointment for repairs. Mechanic Advisor offers a $150 trial for the shop software with no time limit and up to 25 devices can be connected to the shop’s account. A dashboard makes displaying data easy to understand for repair technicians. Each shop is assigned to account manager that provides marketing support, including the creation of postcard and email campaigns and help with any software related issues.
The Mechanic Advisor software features a CRM & Telematics Suite that keeps track of when a customer’s vehicle is due for maintenance and can send a reminder to their phone. The Telematics Suite interfaces with more than 40 shop management systems, including ALLDATA, R.O. Writer, Michell1 and others to leverage customer data. With more than 150 key words, the software helps a shop advertise for new customers through online search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo. Retaining existing customers and providing quality communications is enhanced because there are no unnecessary customer outreach communications, only targeted, scheduled service or alerts for present or pending DTCs.
The cost to a repair shop for the dongle is $30 to $35, depending on volume, and Mechanic Advisor is developing sales programs that fit individual shops’ requirements. In consideration of the benefits that a telematically connected customer can bring in the form of repeat business, many shops provide the dongle to selected customers at no cost. To find out more about Mechanic Advisor for independent repair shops, go to their website (www.mechanicadvisor.com) or email them at [email protected].
In conclusion, there are many apps available that connect vehicle owners to repair shops and there are many more in development. Automotive OEMs will eventually provide more of a direct connection to this marketplace. These efforts will eliminate the OBD-II dongle and allow vehicles of the future to connect directly to smartphone applications and the automotive aftermarket.
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