Anyone wish that their car was as intelligent as their smartphone? Often a light comes up when there is an issue, or a warning sign will appear; and for some cars, a scanner is needed to detect what the specific problem is. An online automobile repair marketplace that is based in Boston may have the solution. As many older cars do not have the technology to communicate to drivers when a problem arises, the company Openbay has come up with a service to help car owners when it comes to fixing their car. In fact, using technology from the insurance industry, the new Openbay service could have mechanics lined up within moments after your car’s engine light turns on.

Yahoo reports that openbay has approximately 20,000 automobile repair shops that currently bid on jobs which are submitted by drivers, who know exactly what the problem with their car is. However, this new service, which is being called Openbay Connect, will target car owners who don’t know what the warning lights mean, or have not even noticed it pop up.

How does it work? While newer automobiles have OnStar systems (or something similar) which can detect problems remotely; there are still many older vehicles that do not have this type of technology, with owners that need assistance. Openbay Connect simply needs an OBD-II port for customers to link into the service; a feature built into cars made in 1996 and onward. Working with technology from auto insurance companies, Openbay will connect to those drivers who use monitors (provided by insurers as a discount option) to track braking, driving speeds and additional data. Using the OBD-ll port, data is sent back to the insurer. This data will offer Openbay an opportunity for diagnose on any potential issues. As such, Openbay will be able to provide drivers with bidding quotes from mechanics, on how to fix the problem, before it escalates into a larger issue.

Openbay Connect is currently free through the company and specific partners, including auto insurance providers. While in test mode now, if the service is successful, Openbay might consider ramping up something similar for cars that have OnStar-lite, in the future.
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