Photo: Kickstarter
Imagine a tiny device you connect to the on-board diagnostics (OBD) - II port of your car. Two minutes later, you suddenly have everything from a dashboard to a driving log, standard diagnostics, door lock/unlock, vehicle location and advanced alerts at your disposal, and more.
The San Francisco-based startup initially set out to develop aftermarket technologies that could save fuel and reduce automotive pollution. Once they went past the 1950s-looking devices and created the electronic version, Voyo’s creators started focusing on acquiring advanced data from cars. Next thing you know, the device could enable features such as Immobilizer, Stop / Park, and EcoStart.
It took them four years to complete a functional prototype that they could present to the world. As a matter of fact, the company claims they have more than one functional device they have been testing on over a hundred vehicle models.
So what does this thing do? Well, it transforms terabytes of data created by your car into apps that increase driving safety, convenience, and fuel efficiency.
Voyo is based on a specialized, high-speed data logger that is typically used by automakers in their development work. Apparently, any car built since 1996 has an OBD-II port and, therefore, should be compatible with the device. Most of Voyo’s Standard Features will be supported in a broad number of cars, but its features will vary depending on each model and on the package customers will opt/pay for.
For instance, for certain models/years of GM, Ford and Toyota, pledgers will have the option to add the company’s remote-controlled Relays that increase Voyo’s fuel savings and add unique security features. As a matter of fact, you can check which “enhancements” are supported on your model car on a particular website the device’s makers have created.
The Kickstarter campaign is 28 days away from ending, and the $50,000 goal has already been met, so we should expect to see Voyo on the market soon. The device looks promising, but we’ll wait to get our hands on one before we trust it can truly turn an older car into a smarter car.
It took them four years to complete a functional prototype that they could present to the world. As a matter of fact, the company claims they have more than one functional device they have been testing on over a hundred vehicle models.
So what does this thing do? Well, it transforms terabytes of data created by your car into apps that increase driving safety, convenience, and fuel efficiency.
Voyo is based on a specialized, high-speed data logger that is typically used by automakers in their development work. Apparently, any car built since 1996 has an OBD-II port and, therefore, should be compatible with the device. Most of Voyo’s Standard Features will be supported in a broad number of cars, but its features will vary depending on each model and on the package customers will opt/pay for.
For instance, for certain models/years of GM, Ford and Toyota, pledgers will have the option to add the company’s remote-controlled Relays that increase Voyo’s fuel savings and add unique security features. As a matter of fact, you can check which “enhancements” are supported on your model car on a particular website the device’s makers have created.
The Kickstarter campaign is 28 days away from ending, and the $50,000 goal has already been met, so we should expect to see Voyo on the market soon. The device looks promising, but we’ll wait to get our hands on one before we trust it can truly turn an older car into a smarter car.
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