Tantalum Corporation announced today it has partnered with Openbay to deliver an automotive repair and maintenance services platform to wireless carriers and auto manufacturers. Tantalum’s Connected Car platform integrated with the Openbay marketplace seamlessly connects motor vehicles with a nationwide network of automotive service providers.
Vehicles with an illuminated dashboard indicator (e.g. check engine light) or a maintenance interval due will receive notification from the Tantalum-Openbay solution guiding the vehicle owner to nearby automotive service providers. In the case of a dashboard indicator, the solution will offer an explanation of the issue along with pricing information from local shops to select from and book a service appointment.
The platform also allows vehicle owners to request specific services or describe problems they experience with their vehicle, receive service pricing from multiple automotive service providers nearby, select providers that best meet their needs (e.g. distance, price, reviews), book service appointments and pay online. The platform also maintains a history of service for the vehicle.
The platform will be made available through a host of leading wireless carriers and market leading automotive manufacturers.
Ozgur Tohumcu, CEO of Tantalum, commented, “Our partnership with Openbay will provide our customers with the best online auto repair network in the U.S. Openbay’s nationwide coverage, their high service quality and transparency in pricing will give peace of mind and savings to our customers. This partnership is another important milestone for Tantalum as we build our global vehicle services ecosystem and our presence in the US market.”
“The Tantalum-Openbay platform delivers a much needed service to the connected-car market. Existing solutions lack a connection to a nationwide network of automotive repair facilities. Vehicle owners want the process of getting their vehicles serviced to be convenient and efficient,” said Rob Infantino, founder and CEO of Openbay. “Any of today’s online services must meet the expectations and needs of the modern consumer in order to increase customer retention.”
About Tantalum
Tantalum Corporation is an innovator in the connected car space as an end-to-end services provider. Tantalum’s mission is to offer the most innovative and open marketplace for aggregation and monetization of vehicle-related services.
To drive the connected vehicle market forward, Tantalum has engaged with trusted partners to create the next generation “go-to” global ecosystem for the connected vehicle. Tantalum has built a device-agnostic platform to be integrated with non- proprietary platforms such as Android and iOS smartphones; and for in-vehicle embedded solutions, included in autonomous vehicles. Tantalum connects its data and billing platform to customers’ value chains. Customers include telecom operators, auto manufacturers, insurance underwriters and brokers, government agencies and consumers.
Tantalum’s partners include global technology and automotive leaders: Samsung, TomTom, ATOS Worldline, SAP, PwC, Jaguar Land Rover and TNT.
About Openbay
Openbay is an online marketplace and SaaS software company transforming the experience for automotive repair and services for consumers, and the way that automotive care businesses acquire and service customers. Openbay is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., is privately held, and its investors include Stage 1 Ventures, Boston Seed Capital, GV (formerly Google Ventures), a16z seed, and several individual investors.
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