The amount of additions that you can add to any alarm system is definitely endless. But some are more valuable than the others.
Deciding what you need and want usually is a harder decision. When it comes to your family, the decision not only becomes easier, but also much clearer. The Alarm.com Connected Car is one of those additions that should be considered. Adding both convenience, and safety for the expensive cars that you own, as well as letting you know what is happening with your loved ones. Now don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a spy device for parents with teens and new drivers that are now on the road. Although it will keep an eye on them for when they need it the most. Along with any family member that could benefit from one of the many features the Connected Car has.
To start off, the Connected Car will give you the location and trip route of a car that it is connected to. Unfortunately it does not give a live/current location. But when the car engine is stopped, the Connected Car will use the sim card to upload the trip to your Alarm.com customer app. This makes the device fantastic for home and family use, but not as suited for commercial or fleet use.
The backup battery that lasts an additional 24 hours without the vehicle charging it, will track whether it is plugged into the car, or pulled out and tossed into the back seat. As long as there is battery, it will track and upload a trip that the vehicle has taken. From an elderly loved one that may have lost a wallet along their route, to a high schooler that is finally driving themselves to one of fifty given hobbies they have picked up, it may be worth it to you to get one or more of these devices.
For the less vigilant, the Connected Car will send alerts that the car has, straight to your phone. Currently it will send you an alert as soon as the “check engine” light has come on the dashboard. making it easy to keep track of maintaining a car whether you or someone else is the driver. As of right now, it will not read codes that the car may throw, but I was told that may be an option that is coming in the future. No promises though…
Even more important than maintaining your cars though, is maintaining the health and safety of your family. Other notifications that the Connected Car will send straight to you phone are things like: high speed, sudden acceleration, low fuel, low battery, hard braking, ignition on, and unexpected movement. These options and alerts are all things that a vehicle goes through when bad things happen on the road. Sometimes unavoidable, and sometimes offensive maneuvers, the vehicle moves through these motions to also keep people safe. Nonetheless, the movements are a precursor to accidents on the road as well. In my opinion, it is better to get an alert and learn that it was nothing, instead of getting nothing and wishing you had some sort of knowledge when something does happen.
Finally is how easy it is to install. We as a company are more than happy to come out and install it on your vehicle. We need about half an hour and it can be installed, linked to your phone, and ready to go. We work with you through you customer app to get it ready to go.
I believe the one downside to the Connected Car, is the fact that it will not currently work on hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, or cars that are linked with and On Star subscription.
After all is said and done, the Connected Car can, and at some point, help keep your family and property safe. There are some downsides and stipulations, but if you find yourself or one of your vehicles outside of that, you should look further into getting a connected car for yourself or a family member. You really can’t put a price on safety.
