Whenever you see old cars on the road, they tend to stick out like sore thumbs in a sea of sleek, small, eco-friendly vehicles on the market today. There are many people who refuse to hang up the keys to their older vehicles either because they are committed to the vintage, classic vehicles and don’t want all the bells and whistles of the newer models, or because they can’t afford to change out cars every time something newer and better is introduced.
Still, technology has come a long way in improving car manufacturing and features and older cars are outdated not just in style, but in safety.
In most cars made today, standard technological improvements work with the driver to ensure safety, such as back up cameras, monitors, assisted parking, cruise control, in-car GPS and more.
These features have only become standard in the last few years and people with older cars may not be able to upgrade; but they may still need (and want) the benefits of technology-assisted driving and safety. That’s where a new product called Vinli comes in.
What is Vinli?
Vinli is a device that, in a sense, turns older cars into newer ones by connecting with the older car to provide technological updates and features through apps accessed by the device. In any car built after 1996, a driver can plug Vinli into the vehicle’s diagnostic port and access over 150 apps through the device. Vinli is the brainchild of Dialexa Labs, an innovation and development lab in Dallas, Texas.
Some of the apps included in Vinli’s repertoire include:
- Beagle, a teen safety driving app called Beagle
- Otto, a diagnostic application that analyzes potential problems in a car before they get too serious
- Flo, which helps drivers work on navigational and driving skills
- eCall, an emergency call service that notifies loved ones and emergency contacts in the event of an accident
- Roadside Assistance
- SafeDrive, which rewards drivers who do not touch their cell phones while they are on the road. The rewards come in the form of points that a driver can cash in for discounts and other rewards.
More than 250 million cars in the country are over 11 years old and Vinli’s development team hopes that the device will make these cars safer for drivers and allow them to utilize their smartphones and computers.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that older cars are more likely to be involved in deadly accidents, but safety and technological connectivity is one way to combat that. Most people cannot afford to buy a new car just to keep up, but Vinli can provide these drivers with another option for keeping up and driving safer.
At Levine Law, we represent anyone who has been injured as a result of another driver’s error or mistake — whether the error was due to a vehicle malfunction or safety issue or caused by the driver’s negligence.
Every driver has the responsibility to take steps to ensure his or her safety and the safety of others on the road. In the years ahead, it’s possible to see how devices like Vinli will be changing the playing field for drivers with older cars.
For more information on personal injury and car accidents, contact the Denver auto accident attorneys at Levine Law today.
