At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, U.S. operator Verizon announced Verizon Vehicle, a new connected-car service available directly to consumers in the U.S. It is designed to modernize traditional roadside assistance while enhancing driver safety an convenience and providing cost savings. Verizon Vehicle, which is set to become commercially available in the second quarter, is a subscription-based service that will include GPS-directed pinpoint roadside assistance, automatic urgent incident alert system, an auto health system with predictive diagnostics, a mechanic’s hotline, parking tools, maintenance alerts, stolen-vehicle location assistance and travel and repair savings. It operates via an OBD device that can installed in the car by the owner, and subscribers receive information through an app.

Tarifica’s Take

Connected-car technology is spreading and offering more features that are bound to appeal to a wide range of drivers. By creating and branding a service of this nature, Verizon is making a strong, proactive move. It is also keeping up with its competitor AT&T, which just entered into a partnership with the connected-car platform Mojio, by which AT&T’s global SIM will power Mojio’s devices.