Armed With Capital, Automatic Labs Looks To Grow Its Connected Car Platform

Connected car app company Automatic Labs is banking on a recent $24 million infusion from CDK Global, Comcast Ventures and United Services Automobile Association to fuel a fast track for its Automatic App Gallery and developer program, said CEO Thejo Kote in a Q&A with Comcast Ventures. Kote has lofty goals for Automatic’s connected car platform, which he said can allow developers to build apps that enhance the driving experience “just as Apple’s App Store unlocked the power of the smartphone.” The platform works with post-1996 vehicles regardless of make, model or year, using an in-car adapter that pairs with a smartphone app. The $99 Automatic adapter plugs into the standard diagnostic port that’s been installed under the dash in most cars since 1996, and when the Automatic app links with the adapter, consumers can access their car’s data from the company’s app gallery, he said. Automatic’s app enables users to call for help, remember where they parked, diagnose engine trouble and display trip history, while also connecting them to “dozens” of online services, he said. Kote developed the Automatic platform to move beyond the “few token ‘connected car’ features we have today, such as streaming radio and GPS,” he said. The key to unlocking the full potential of the connected car is a “thriving ecosystem” of apps designed for the car environment, he said. An example of a third-party app in Automatic’s gallery is expense-account software from Concur that tracks mileage to simplify the process of submitting expenses for reimbursement. The app logs mileage, route map, start/end address and a visual receipt “so your expenses are accurate and defendable,” said Kote. Apple Watch users can access the information by tapping the watch, he said. Kote is "surprised" by the lack of attention paid by others in the vehicle space to “the mountain of valuable data hidden under the hood of our cars.” Streaming music and GPS, what most people think of when they hear connected car, “only scratches the surface of what’s possible,” he said.