The startup Miles has launched its new smart device, Miles Plug, a small technical accessory that plugs into the On-Board Diagnostics (OBD-II) port in vehicles. It provides real-time GPS tracking, collision detection, emergency roadside assistance, and mechanical fault diagnosis, all while adhering to a business model that refuses to sell user data or exploit it for advertising.
Device Specifications and Software Features
The device, which contains no screen or internal battery, operates using a built-in cellular connectivity unit and a Global Positioning System (GPS). It connects directly to a dedicated smartphone application to monitor driving behavior and analyze trips, such as tracking speeding and sudden braking, while sending real-time notifications when the vehicle leaves or arrives at specific destinations.
The application includes an intelligent chat agent called Miles Mechanic, which relies on artificial intelligence algorithms to decode dashboard warning lights and fault codes, determine the urgency of required maintenance, and provide rough estimates for repair costs and periodic replacement schedules, such as cabin filters and oil changes.
What Changes Practically Compared to Current Vehicle Tracking Solutions?
The launch of the device comes as a direct alternative to tracking systems provided by automakers and insurance companies, which have recently faced sharp regulatory and legal criticism, such as the ban imposed on General Motors (GM) preventing it from selling driving data to data brokers for five years. The details of the new product highlight the following operational differences:
- Data Protection and Encryption: The company has pledged not to sell vehicle data or trip routes and confirmed the complete absence of advertisements within the application, while implementing end-to-end encryption on sensitive data and providing the ability to delete the account and download records in full.
- Data Linked to the Vehicle: Measurements and location tracking are linked to the car itself rather than the driver's mobile device, which stops tracking as soon as the vehicle is exited to protect personal privacy.
- Support for Older Vehicles: The device is compatible with most gasoline and hybrid vehicles manufactured from 2008 onwards, in addition to some categories of electric cars.
- Future Integration with Smart Assistants: The company is currently developing an experimental server based on the Model Context Protocol (MCP Server) to allow vehicle data to be connected to smart environments and voice assistants such as Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant.
Pricing and Financial Sustainability Model
Miles was founded by Matt McGovren and Kit Klein, who have previous experience in the smart device sector and companies such as Wink, Ring, Blink, and Ubiquiti. Seeking to avoid the fate of previous companies in the field, such as Automatic, which shut down its cloud services in 2020 due to its reliance on one-time hardware sales without subscriptions, the company has adopted a prepaid subscription model without automatic renewal.
The hardware is priced at $99, along with an annual subscription of $180 (a total of $279 for the first year, equivalent to $15 per month), or a three-year subscription including the device for $396 (equivalent to $11 per month), with a 60-day money-back guarantee.