Ford will be coming out with an aftermarket plug-in device that allows for remote starts, security alerts, Wi-Fi hotspots as well as receiving vehicle location assistance on 2010-2016MY Ford & Lincoln cars.
By using SmartLink technology, the new device allows Ford cars that don’t come pre-equipped with a modem, to be more connected – users will be able to lock and unlock doors remotely, and receive engine management alerts too.
The way it works is that you plug it into the car’s OBD II port below the steering wheel – a port (generally used for diagnostics) which all cars built after 1996 are mandated by law to have.
While Ford has not disclosed a price as of yet, the automaker has stated that the device would be sold at dealerships starting with this summer, as reported by Autonews.
Furthermore, another reason to come up with such technology is that third-party devices can interfere with embedded systems, thus introducing security bugs and possibly even exploit data such as the car’s health or total number of miles driven.
In other words, the device would compete directly with similar products sold by other companies, such as AT&T and Verizon who can already add a Wi-Fi hotspot to older vehicles.
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