Along with the great benefits, there are certain common queries and concerns related to plug-and-play OBD tracking devices that we regularly come across. Let’s see few of these issues in detail and what to look out for before you choose an OBD device:
1. Battery Drain
All electronic accessories added to your car consume power from the battery, even when the engine is not running. So a poorly designed OBD device, when left plugged into the OBD port, might completely drain your battery. Worse still, if a device is not carefully designed, it can turn on your ECU even while the car is not running, draining your battery even faster.
What you need to check is –
• Does the device support a sleep mode, where it is programmed to draw minimal power from the battery?
• How much power is being used when in sleep mode?
Ideally, your chosen OBD tracking device should support a sleep mode, where it draws a maximum 20mA or current from the battery, or less.
Coming down to the Ingenious, battery drain is not a cause of worry because:
• It supports a sleep mode
• It draws less than 20 mA of power when in sleep mode
• It does not keep the vehicle ECU on if the engine is switched off
2. Risk of Data Hack
The lack of connectivity in your vehicle acts a natural barrier against any malware interfering with your electronics, or data leak. Car owners worry that adding an OBD tracking device opens the door to security breaches, and can have serious safety issues.
While data security is a concern with any connected device, you should check if your OBD device offers a basic set of security measures to protect your vehicle data. Some key information that you should look for:
• How secure is the data stored on the device?
• How the data transfer happens, and is the data securely encrypted?
• Is the data being transferred on public networks and stored on a public cloud; or does the manufacturer use private networks and servers?
3. Interference with Internal Vehicle Electronics
Because OBD tracking devices can access your vehicle’s internal electronics, it’s important to make sure that it does not compromise the performance and safety of your car. Hence, you should check if:
• The device has been thoroughly checked and certified by independent industry bodies
• The device is compatible with the exact make and model of your car, and does not cause performance issues
4. Susceptible to Damage
Most OBD tracking devices are installed on the driver side of the vehicle, and frequent impact on the device can lead to damage. It’s also easy to spot and one can simply unplug the device during a theft. While this is a valid concern, there are several ways to get around it.
In case of vehicle models where the device is clearly visible and susceptible to damage, the installation can be tweaked to solve the issue. With an OBD cable extension and 3M tape, the device can be placed in a safe and convenient location.
As you see, the Ingenious is carefully designed to address all the common challenges faced with a lot of OBD tracking devices, so we deliver all the benefits without putting your car at risk. The device also goes beyond vehicle diagnostics and actively helps you improve fuel economy.