A technology to make your cars smarter

Giving real time feedback on your car’s health and performance, CarIQ combines the power of IoT, cloud and analytics to make your cars smarter

Today, even when there is no dearth of flashy, high-end cars equipped with the most advanced automotive technologies, what the millions of car users in India would perhaps dream of is a simple technology that can make their existing cars ‘smarter’. With smart car technologies finding their way on Indian roads, you can now think of a scenario where you have access to all the information you want for your car, without the need to rely on a service station. With constant, real time updates on the health and overall performance of your car, you can take full control of your ride.

CarIQ is a Pune-based IoT start up that is making this possible with its simple plug-and-play technology device. The company claims to make cars smarter by connecting them to the cloud. Hence making it possible for the car owners to take real time decisions that would help save on maintenance cost, improve performance and ensure better safety.

It is an interesting convergence of cloud, IoT and analytics that makes this possible. Analytics lies at the heart of CarIQ’s business model. From identifying the best ways of driving the car, to predicting any potential damages, it makes it possible for car owners to take decisions based on real time data that is collected from the vehicle and sent to the user in a much simpler, actionable format.

How does it Work?

Basically, CarIQ is a plug-and-play device. It simply needs to be plugged in to the connecter near the steering wheel of the car. The device then collects data from various electronic systems in the car such as engine, ABS, air bag system etc. The collected data along with the cars location information is transmitted directly to the CarIQ platform. This way information such as engine health, driving data, fuel economy, etc is collected and valuable insights are drawn out of it and sent to the user.

“The CarIQ SmartPlug comes with a built-in SIM Card which transfers all the data collected to our secure servers. This is where our algorithms run and the number crunching happens. We relay the information back to the user in a much simpler format,” says, Deepak Thomas, co-founder, CarIQ.

The device also sources information on road conditions, weather etc and even sends out alerts to nearby workshops and mechanics in case a critical condition is detected.

In this way driver is alert and aware of any potential problem areas and can take preventive measure well in time. “You can take more care or pay immediate attention to prevent a major occurrence and avoid hefty mechanic bills,” suggests, Thomas.

As the car owner has access to continuous feedback on the overall performance of his vehicle, he can not only handle safety issues promptly, but also enhance the fuel efficiency and the whole driving experience.

Finding its way on Indian Roads

Smart car technologies are still new to many car owners in India, but the market holds huge potential. “Approximately 30 lakh new cars are added to Indian roads each year. Everyone wants to know what is happening with their car without relying on the service station or their mechanic,” says, Thomas.

Globally, Connected car devices present a huge potential for growth in the coming years. According to Gartner estimates, one in five vehicles on the road worldwide will have some form of wireless network connection by 2020, amounting to more than 250 million connected vehicles. And India with its exploding population of car owners is probably not going to lag far behind.

The company has sold more than 500 units across the country and is currently focusing on individual car owners. Each device currently costs around Rs 6500.  Yet there are challenges. “Connectivity is not yet seamless in India and smart car technologies rely on this for real time transfer of data,” adds, Thomas. Till now, such technologies are very much restricted to top end cars and CarIQ aims to bridge that gap with its product.