The era of seamless car connectivity through Automatic’s OBD2 dongle is coming to an end. Automatic, the company recognized for its innovative on-board diagnostics (OBD-II) dongle designed for vehicle health monitoring and connected car features, has announced it is ceasing operations. Citing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as the primary cause, the company stated that its services, including the popular Automatic Obd2 Dongle and associated smartphone applications, will be discontinued. Users are advised to dispose of their adapters responsibly as the service officially shuts down on May 28th at 12 PM PT.
In an official announcement posted on their website, Automatic explained the difficult decision: “Just like many other companies in the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted our business. With fewer consumers purchasing and leasing vehicles and drivers on the road, we unfortunately do not see a path forward for our business. These are unprecedented times, and with so much uncertainty ahead, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue the Automatic connected car product, service and platform.” This statement highlights the significant economic downturn and shift in consumer behavior brought about by the pandemic, directly affecting businesses reliant on vehicle-related products and services like automatic obd2 dongles.
Automatic’s journey began in 2013 with the introduction of its first-generation Automatic Link device. This initial automatic obd2 dongle offered users the ability to track trips and monitor fuel consumption. While diagnostic capabilities were somewhat basic in the first iteration, it laid the foundation for future advancements. Expanding on this, the company launched a second-generation adapter a couple of years later, accompanied by an app store, enhancing the functionality and user experience of their automatic obd2 dongle. However, prior to this shutdown announcement, Automatic had already communicated the discontinuation of support for its first and second-generation adapters, signaling earlier challenges.
While the global pandemic has led to product delays and project cancellations across various sectors, the complete shutdown of a company like Automatic, centered around its automatic obd2 dongle, underscores the profound economic impact. As the pandemic persists, industry analysts anticipate further business closures and consolidations, particularly within markets sensitive to economic fluctuations and changes in consumer spending.
For users who have integrated their Automatic obd2 dongle with third-party applications, continued access will be available until June 28th. Furthermore, Automatic users with linked PayTollo accounts will receive specific instructions from PayTollo regarding their accounts and service continuity. This shutdown marks the end of an era for Automatic and its contribution to the connected car market through its automatic obd2 dongle technology, a casualty of the widespread economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
