(c)iStock.com/xijian

When it comes to ensuring the best interaction by driver and car, just having a smartphone in the vehicle is no longer sufficient. If you want to scan all vehicle parameters continuously, and simultaneously record the route history using GPS navigation, you need a more scalable solution. The best option is telematics: the area of information technology that covers electronic communications, and the use of OBD devices in particular.

An OBD device is a compact gadget that attaches to the...

(c)iStock.com/AzmanL

Most of us take part in customer loyalty programs of airlines, large retail chains and hotels, but very few use car dealerships’ loyalty programs.  Clients of car dealerships often benefit from such programs even without knowing it, and the programs themselves do not always offer sufficient incentives for clients to return and order services.

Telematics should change this situation by making loyalty programs work for both dealerships and clients and offering discounts to those...