2003-07-15 08:35 ☼ post
New gadget reveals car’s secrets to the mechanically challenged [via Boing Boing]
The basic CarChip ($139) stores up to 75 hours of data and generates tables and graphs that show trip duration, minute-by-minute speed, average speed, maximum speed and incidents of heavy acceleration and braking. If your “check engine” light comes on, CarChip will tell you what’s wrong ó in plain English. If the problem doesn’t look serious, CarChip can reset the check-engine light so that you can see whether it crops up again (sometimes it’s a fluke).
My trusty Accord is too old to support the CarChip, but I’m sure my wife’s car would have the necessary OBD 2 connector and obviously any new vehicles we buy down the road are going to work with it. While I’m not exactly a car tinkerer (beyond the occasional oil change), I am definitely a computer geek and having a “black box” for my car does have a certain appeal.
Looks like you can currently order the CarChip for $125.10 at thecarchip.com.