ANWB allows Roadside Assistance customers to detect car problems at an early stage via OBD dongle

The ANWB will sell members with Roadside Assistance a connector with which the vehicle data can be analyzed and tips about maintenance can be given. This allows subscribers to receive a warning before they break down, for example if a battery becomes weak. The Smart Driver package will be available from Thursday for ANWB members who also have a Roadside Assistance package. The package costs 2.50 euros per month on top of the regular membership. This consists of an OBD dongle that customers can put in their car themselves. It contains a SIM card and GPS. Users also install an app on their phone with which they can read the dongle that reads information about the car, such as the condition of filters and sensors. If maintenance is required, the app can indicate this at an early stage. According to the car association, this is useful because drivers can then carry out maintenance before their car comes to a standstill. “According to research, problems with the battery are experienced as the most annoying,” writes the Autobond. “Smart Driver detects potential battery problems before they actually occur and informs the driver as soon as a warning light on the dashboard illuminates.” Customers can use the GPS functionality in the app to locate their car and to call Roadside Assistance if roadside assistance is still required. The ANWB can also call in 112 if assistance may be needed. The conditions state that the ANWB may also use the collected data “ for conducting research. ” The ANWB does not write exactly which cars are suitable, but does say that cars must be from after 2004. The union has a license plate check to check whether vehicles can use the dongle. The app works on smartphones with Android 7 and higher, and iOS 13 and higher.Update: This report initially stated that the ANWB could calculate an ‘ecoscore’ based on the driving behavior of drivers. That is not true. The ANWB says that this functionality is only in a similar program called Connected Car, but not in Smart Driver.