I used to drive all around northern and southern California, and my reaction to my car's check engine light was typically, "I need to look into that," followed by...not looking into that. This was from 2016 to 2020 – the dark ages of AI before ChatGPT and its ilk.
Even then, there were tools to help me understand what's going on. For nearly 30 years, cars have featured a port called OBD-II that provides diagnostic data from their onboard computer. This can include check-engine codes, sensor data, and other fault information. The OBD-II port was originally meant for mechanics, but a cottage industry of consumer devices that plug into the port has grown up since the early 2000s. I first wrote about the phenomenon in the mid-2000s.
Still, these weren't exactly layman-friendly. You’d get diagnostic codes such as P0300 (Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire) or P0420 (Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold). Then you'd have to Google (or Bing or Duck Duck) them. And it was a one-way conversation: These devices spoke, but didn't listen.
Since ChatGPT debuted in 2022 (followed by Claude, what Google now calls Gemini, and other bots), we've grown accustomed to talking to computers in natural language. SPARQ has brought that technology to car maintenance with an eponymous gadget that plugs into your car's OBD port and communicates with a smartphone app. (It's currently available for iOS; the company says that an Android version is coming soon.) The SPARQ device costs $129.
And that's the total price: SPARQ does not have a subscription fee to keep working. However, it does leverage an online service. So if parts of the internet go down (as it keeps happening), there might be a glitch. And if SPARQ goes out of business, your device may, too. Although for just $129, it would not be a huge financial loss.
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With SPARQ, you can get plain-language diagnostics, such as a readout of the tire pressure in all your wheels, and a clear alert if any of them are low. It can also alert you to problems such as a triggered check-engine light or other diagnostic trouble codes.
But it goes even further. Getting back to tires, you can snap a photo and ask SPARQ if they are too worn to keep using. The balding rubber example SPARQ shows should be obvious to anyone. I'd be curious about less extreme cases.
If you aren't clear on anything SPARQ is telling you, just ask. For instance, you can ask it to explain a confusing check-engine message, identify a strange engine noise you've recorded, or tell you whether a mechanic’s estimate seems fair.
Beyond potentially saving your car or your life, SPARQ can also save you money. Based on its interpretation of diagnostic data indicating the need for repair, it can look up the average cost for the job. If your mechanic asks for a lot more, you can bargain or go elsewhere. (If they charge less than average, tell all your friends.)
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SPARQ also generates comprehensive maintenance reports, which I would have loved when I got rid of my car as I prepared to move back to New York City. My 2014 Ford Fiesta's glove compartment was jammed with crinkly carbon copies detailing my somewhat irregular tune-ups. But not all of them. I wound up giving the car away to a family I know. It was partly in thanks for the many kind things they had done for me over the years, but also, I confess, to save me from trying to sell the thing with scant repair documentation. (I understand it's mostly running well a couple of years later.)
The holiday travel season is about to start, as well as rough winter conditions ranging from snowstorms in the east to atmospheric river rains out west. This is a great time to pick up a device that gives you a heads-up on car problems that could leave you stranded or even in danger. I know I'd be a lot more likely to take action based on a detailed conversation with an AI mechanic than on a little yellow light.
SPARQ is available now on Amazon for $129.00.
[Image credit: SparQ]
