Picture credit: Vinli

If you wanted a connected car, you would have to put down a considerable sum of money for a car technologically-savvy enough. Yet one Dallas-based firm is aiming to turn all that on its head.

Meet Vinli. The startup, which debuted at TechCrunch Disrupt SF in September, has the simple mission statement of “turning your car into a smart connected car”, by installing a $99 device into your vehicle and utilising Vinli’s apps, app store and 4G LTE connection. And the startup seems to have many fans – it recently announced a $6.5 million series A funding round, as well as smashing its Indiegogo campaign with more than three weeks to spare.

Vinli, which partners with T-Mobile, has a hotspot which is claimed to have an average speed of 30MB for upload and download. Among the apps in its app store include Flo, an app which improves driving skills through audio and visual feedback, Otto, which connects to nearby mechanics, and IoT automation app Samsung Smart Things.

It certainly gives a fresh meaning to the connected ecosystem. Vinli also partners with insurance companies which, in tandem with apps used in the car, could lead to lower premiums. The ecosystem also assesses the speed and driving of teenage motorists – an issue this publication touched upon back in May.

The firm was hoping to raise $75,000, through a flexible funding model which meant they would still get all the money raised even if they missed their target. At the time of going to press, it had raised more than $102,500.

Find out more about Vinli’s Indiegogo campaign here.