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The Miles Plug is a $99 OBD-II device that reports vehicle location, driving events and health information through an app, with emergency response and roadside assistance included in a paid membership. A Verge reviewer tested it for a few days and found setup straightforward, but long-term reliability, battery impact and the startup’s durability remain untested.
Miles has launched the Miles Plug, a $99 device that connects to a car’s OBD-II port to report location, driving events and vehicle health, while a paid membership adds emergency accident response and roadside assistance. The product is aimed in part at families with teen drivers, but its claims about privacy and service coverage come from the company, and a Verge reviewer had tested the device for only a few days.
The small, screen-free device uses cellular connectivity and GPS to send information to the Miles app. Features include trip routes and recaps, speeding and hard-braking alerts, and vehicle-health information. The app also includes Miles Mechanic, an AI chatbot that interprets warning lights, suggests how urgent a repair may be and estimates costs, according to the company.
The Verge reviewer installed the Plug in a 2014 Toyota Highlander and reported that setup was simple: the device read the vehicle identification number and identified the car. During a few days of use, the app logged trips, delivered home-arrival and departure alerts, and flagged hard acceleration and braking. The reviewer also said the app displayed vehicle information and gave maintenance guidance through its chatbot. These observations are a short-term test, not evidence of performance across vehicles or over time.
The Plug costs $99, with membership priced at $180 for one year, for a reported total of $279, or $396 for a three-year plan that includes the device. Miles says the plans are paid upfront and do not automatically renew. The company says the product works with most gas and hybrid vehicles from 2008 onward, along with some electric vehicles; drivers can check compatibility before buying.
Tracking Comes With a Subscription
Miles packages several functions—family location sharing, vehicle monitoring and assistance services—in one product. That may appeal to households seeking information about a new driver without installing an in-car camera. Whether the combination is worth the cost depends on the buyer’s needs and on what the membership’s assistance services actually cover.
Privacy is another central selling point. Cofounder Matt McGovren says Miles will not sell vehicle, trip or location data and that the app carries no ads. Those are company commitments, not independently verified findings in the report. A connected device that records routes and driving behavior still requires buyers to weigh the data collected, how it is secured and who in a family can see it.
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A New OBD-II Service Model
Miles was founded by Matt McGovren and Kit Klein, who have backgrounds at smart-home and connected-device companies, including Wink, Amazon-related products and Ubiquiti. McGovren described the service as a way for parents and teens to share trips and alerts rather than conceal information from one another.
The product resembles earlier OBD-II trackers, including Automatic Pro, which offered location and crash-monitoring features before its service shut down in 2020. Miles is using a different revenue model: membership fees are charged upfront. McGovren told The Verge that charging for service is intended to support the company’s ability to keep operating rather than rely on a later business model.
The report also places Miles’ privacy pitch against concerns about automakers collecting and sharing driving data. The Verge noted that General Motors had been barred from selling data to brokers for five years. That history provides context for the company’s promise, but it does not establish how Miles will handle data in every future circumstance.
“We built Miles to support teens and parents together, and keep them on the same team.”
— Miles cofounder Matt McGovren, in the company’s press release
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Battery Life and Company Longevity
The reviewer said the test was too short to assess car-battery impact. McGovren said the Plug sleeps when the car is off and uses a small amount of data to wake and sync, but advised removing it if the vehicle will sit unused for a while. The report does not provide independent battery testing or long-term results.
It is also not yet clear how consistently the device and assistance services will perform across supported vehicles, or how responsive emergency and roadside help will be in practice. The report describes the membership prices but does not establish the specific limits, exclusions or service response times. The company’s privacy and encryption statements are attributed to its cofounder; the short review did not independently audit those practices. Miles’ long-term financial stability is also unproven, despite its paid membership model.
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Longer-Term Use Will Be the Test
Potential buyers can check vehicle compatibility and review the membership terms before purchasing. For current users, the next useful evidence will come from longer-term reports on battery effects, tracking reliability and assistance response, as well as details about data handling and service coverage. The Verge reviewer said they had not yet tested the app with their daughter, leaving open how driver profiles and shared trips work when multiple family members are in the car.
Miles’ continued operation will also matter to customers who depend on a connected service. The company has said upfront membership payments are intended to fund the service, but that does not guarantee how long it will remain available. The report offers no announced milestone for additional testing or service changes.
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Key Questions
What does the Miles Plug do?
It plugs into a car’s OBD-II port and sends location, trip, driving-event and vehicle-health information to the Miles app. The app also includes an AI mechanic chatbot, while the paid membership includes emergency response and roadside assistance, according to Miles.
How much does the Miles Plug cost?
The device costs $99. The Verge report listed a one-year membership at $180, bringing the total to $279, and a three-year plan at $396 with the Plug included. Miles says plans are prepaid and do not automatically renew.
Does Miles sell location or driving data?
Cofounder Matt McGovren says the company will not sell vehicle, trip or location data and that the app has no ads. The report attributes those statements to Miles; it does not independently verify the company’s data practices.
Which cars are compatible?
Miles says the Plug works with most gas and hybrid cars made from 2008 onward and some electric vehicles. The company offers a compatibility checker, so owners should check their specific vehicle before buying.
Has the Plug’s effect on a car battery been tested?
Not in the reported review. The Verge reviewer said a few days of use was not long enough to assess battery drain. McGovren said the device sleeps when the car is off and recommended removing it if the car will not be driven for an extended period.
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