I Tried the $99 Miles Plug for Vehicle Tracking and Privacy
Testing the $99 Miles OBD-II plug that offers vehicle tracking, crash detection, and roadside assistance without selling your data.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- The Miles Plug is an OBD-II smart device starting at $99.
- Provides location tracking, driving habit analysis, and emergency response.
- Emphasizes data privacy with zero data-selling and no ads.
- Subscription plans start at $11 a month on a three-year commitment.
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, senior reviewer at The Verge, tested The Miles Plug, a compact smart device designed to give parents peace of mind while teenagers are learning to drive. The device connects directly to a vehicle's OBD-II port to monitor real-time location, driving behavior, and vehicle health while adding emergency crash response and roadside assistance.
Marketed as a "wearable for your car," Miles links with a mobile application to deliver trip insights, speed alerts, and hard-braking data. The app also features an integrated AI chatbot called the Miles Mechanic, which decodes dashboard warning lights, determines repair urgency, and estimates fixing costs.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The device was created by cofounders Matt McGovren and Kit Klein, who bring extensive backgrounds from smart home companies including Wink, Amazon, and Ubiquiti. McGovren stated in a press release that the hardware was engineered to keep parents and teenagers on the same team by providing transparent access to identical trip logs and alerts.
As modern connected cars increasingly gather and monetize driving habits—exemplified by automakers like General Motors facing scrutiny and restrictions over selling driver data to third-party brokers—aftermarket hardware that strictly prioritizes data privacy addresses a growing consumer demand for connected vehicle features without surveillance capitalism.
"You’re the customer, you’re not the product. Your data is not the product."
Matt McGovren
The hardware retails for $99, accompanied by a $180 annual membership fee, totaling $279 or roughly $15 per month. Alternatively, a three-year plan costs $396, bringing the effective rate down to $11 monthly. All plans require upfront payment with no automatic renewals, and the device is compatible with most gasoline and hybrid vehicles from 2008 onward alongside select electric vehicles.
Regarding data security, McGovren emphasized that all vehicle and trip information is encrypted, with highly sensitive details utilizing end-to-end encryption. Because location tracking ties directly to the vehicle rather than an individual smartphone, tracking halts the moment the driver walks away. Users retain full control with options to download data, pause location collection, or permanently delete accounts and stored records.
Source: The Verge
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