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Automatic Pro Car Tracker Adds Subscription-Free 3G

Automatic Pro adds always-on 3G connectivity, upgraded crash alerts, and better app integration.

 & Chloe Albanesius Executive Editor, News

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Automatic has updated its car-tracking device with always-on 3G connectivity, upgraded crash alerts, and better integration with popular third-party apps.

Automatic ProAutomatic Pro is available now for $129.95. It plugs into your car's ODB port, usually found underneath the dashboard to the left of the steering wheel, and connects to Automatic's smartphone app, as well as a 3G cellular service (free for the first five years) for on-the-go monitoring of your vehicle.

The company debuted in 2012, and released its Link device a year later. With the Pro, the device can now connect via 3G rather than Bluetooth alone, so you can keep tabs on your car from afar.

"You'll know when your spouse is on their way home, if your teenager took a wrong turn at the gas station and ended up in Timbuktu, or if your roommate is out joyriding—you can just open the app and see where the car is, in real time," the company says. "You'll even get notifications when the car starts or parks, so you always know what's happening...without having to fuss with your Bluetooth settings."

The Automatic Link included crash alerts, but it "didn't work if the Automatic user wasn't in the car with their phone," Automatic explains. With the Pro, "Crash Alert just works. As long as Automatic Pro can get a cellular signal, and regardless of who is in the car, Crash Alert is watching out. If your kids borrow the car for a weekend, they're still protected in case of a serious accident, no matter where you are."

Automatic Pro Crash Alert

Automatic added an app gallery last year, but now IFTTT integrations are built into the Automatic Pro app. "You can send your trips directly to a Google Sheet, send a text to someone when you leave work, post to Slack when you arrive, and more," the company says.

Automatic also promised better stats about your driving and that of its users overall. First up: data about the most aggressive drivers in the country.

About Our Expert

Chloe Albanesius

Chloe Albanesius

Executive Editor, News

My Experience

I started out covering tech policy in DC for The National Journal, where my beat included state-level tech news and all the congressional hearings and FCC meetings I could handle. I later covered Wall Street trading tech before switching gears to consumer tech. I now lead PCMag's news coverage.

My Areas of Expertise

Getting my start in DC means I still have a soft spot for tech policy; Congressional hearings can sometimes be as entertaining as a Bravo reality show, for better or worse. But PCMag is all about the technology we use every day, as well as keeping an eye out for the trends that will shape the industry in the years ahead (or flop on arrival). I've covered the rise of social media, the iOS vs. Android wars, the cord-cutting revolution that's now left us with hefty streaming bills, and the effort to stuff artificial intelligence into every product you could imagine. This job has taken me to CES in Vegas (one too many times), IFA in Berlin, and MWC in Barcelona. I also drove a Tesla 1,000 miles out west as part of our Best Mobile Networks project. Of late, my focus is on our hard-working team of reporters at PCMag, guiding and editing their robust coverage.

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