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Miles Labs has launched a $99 OBD-II device that tracks a car’s location, driving activity and vehicle health, with emergency response and roadside assistance included in paid membership plans. The company says it does not sell vehicle or location data, but the product’s long-term reliability and battery impact remain unproven in the report.
Miles Labs has launched the Miles Plug, a $99 device that connects to a car’s OBD-II port to track trips, driving behavior and vehicle health, while offering emergency accident response and roadside assistance through a paid membership. The product is aimed in part at families with teen drivers, and its maker says it will not sell vehicle, trip or location data.
The small, screen-free plug uses GPS and cellular connectivity to send information to a phone app. Features include real-time vehicle location, trip summaries, speeding and hard-braking alerts, and a health overview. The app also includes Miles Mechanic, an AI chatbot that interprets dashboard warning lights and gives maintenance guidance and estimated repair costs.
The Verge reviewer installed the device in a 2014 Toyota Highlander and reported that setup was straightforward and that the plug identified the vehicle from its VIN. During a few days of testing, the app logged trips and delivered arrival and departure alerts, as well as hard-acceleration and braking notifications. The reviewer said the chatbot provided maintenance recommendations, but noted the test period was too short to judge battery drain or longer-term performance.
The device costs $99, with a one-year membership priced at $180, or $279 total. A three-year plan costs $396 with the plug included, equivalent to $11 per month when spread across the plan. Miles says plans are paid upfront and do not auto-renew. The company lists compatibility with most gas and hybrid vehicles from 2008 onward and some electric vehicles; buyers can use its compatibility checker.
A Family Tracker With Paid Assistance
Miles packages family location sharing, vehicle monitoring and roadside services in one product. For parents of new drivers, trip and driving alerts may offer information about where a car is and how it is being driven, while accident response and roadside assistance add services beyond basic tracking. Those functions may be useful, but the company’s claims about safety and peace of mind are not evidence that the device prevents crashes.
The price also changes how the product should be compared. The upfront cost and membership may be more expensive than a simple tracking device, but Miles cofounder Matt McGovren told The Verge that customers could otherwise pay separately for roadside and family-tracking services. Whether the package saves money depends on what a household already uses and which Miles services it values.
Privacy is another point of distinction. Miles says it does not sell vehicle, trip or location data and provides controls to stop location collection, download data and delete an account. These are company statements, not an independent audit of the service’s data practices. Buyers still need to weigh the convenience of ongoing vehicle monitoring against sharing driving information with an app provider.
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How Miles Prices the Service
Miles was developed by cofounders Matt McGovren and Kit Klein, who have experience at smart-home companies including Wink, Amazon’s Ring and Blink businesses, and Ubiquiti. McGovren told The Verge the service is designed so parents and teens can see the same trips and alerts. Each driver can have an app profile, and family members can use the app.
The product resembles earlier OBD-II tracking services, including Automatic Pro, which tracked mileage and location and monitored for crashes. Automatic shut down in 2020. McGovren told The Verge that Miles charges membership fees upfront in part to avoid a business model that depends on making money later. He said the company was well-capitalized; the report does not independently verify that description.
Automaker data collection has also drawn scrutiny. The source report notes that General Motors was banned from selling data to brokers for five years. Miles’ privacy promise is therefore part of its pitch, but its policies and technical protections should be distinguished from independently established findings.
“We built Miles to support teens and parents together, and keep them on the same team.”
— Matt McGovren, Miles cofounder, in a company press release
Battery Life and Data Practices
The Verge’s hands-on test lasted only a few days, so it did not establish how the plug affects a car battery over weeks or months, how reliable alerts are across different vehicles, or how well emergency response works in a real crash. McGovren said the device sleeps when the car is not in use and that its background activity has no material battery impact, but that is the company’s account; he advised removing the plug if a car will sit unused for an extended period.
The company’s long-term prospects are also untested. The report does not provide an independent security review of Miles’ encryption or verification of its data-retention and deletion practices. It is also unclear from the source what response times, coverage limits or exclusions apply to emergency and roadside services, or how those services work where cellular coverage is weak.
Longer-Term Testing Will Matter
Miles is available through its website, and prospective buyers can check whether their vehicle is supported before purchasing. The next practical test is whether the plug maintains a reliable connection, delivers useful alerts and avoids meaningful battery drain during longer use. Families considering the device should also review the membership terms and the company’s privacy controls, including how to stop location collection or delete account data.
The Verge reviewer said they had not yet tested the device with a teen driver or for long enough to assess battery impact. Further use could clarify how the app assigns trips when multiple family members are in a car and whether the monitoring feels acceptable to both parents and young drivers.
Key Questions
How much does the Miles Plug cost?
The device costs $99, plus $180 for a one-year membership, for a reported total of $279. A three-year plan costs $396 with the plug included. Miles says plans are paid upfront and do not auto-renew.
What does the Miles Plug track?
It connects to a car’s OBD-II port and uses GPS and cellular connectivity to provide location, trip details, driving alerts and vehicle-health information in an app. The app also offers an AI maintenance chatbot.
Does Miles say it sells location or driving data?
No. Miles cofounder Matt McGovren told The Verge that the company will not sell vehicle, trip or location data. The app also offers controls to stop location collection, download data and delete an account. Those privacy commitments are company statements, not an independent audit.
Will the plug drain my car battery?
The report does not establish the long-term battery impact. McGovren said the device sleeps when the car is off and has no material effect, but the reviewer had not tested it for long enough to assess that claim. He advised removing it if the car will not be driven for a while.
Which vehicles are compatible with Miles?
Miles says the plug works with most gas and hybrid cars from 2008 onward and some electric vehicles. The company provides a compatibility checker for specific vehicles.
Source: rss
