Miles Plug tracks cars for $99, with a $279 first-year total

Miles is a small cellular and GPS-enabled device that plugs into a car’s OBD-II port. It connects to an app that shows real-time location, driving alerts, trip summaries, and vehicle health. The app also includes Miles Mechanic, an AI chatbot that interprets warning lights, estimates repair costs, and describes how urgent a fix may be.

The device costs $99. Membership adds $180 for a year, bringing the first-year total to $279, or $15 a month. A three-year plan costs $396, including the Plug, and is paid upfront without auto-renewal. Miles says the device works with most gas and hybrid cars from 2008 onward and some electric vehicles.

In a hands-on test for The Verge, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy used Miles in a 2014 Toyota Highlander. Setup identified the car, and the app logged trips and sent home arrival and departure alerts. The test also surfaced hard acceleration and three hard-braking alerts. Tuohy had used the device for only a few days and said it was too soon to assess battery drain.

Cofounder Matt McGovren says Miles will not sell vehicle, trip, or location data and that the app has no ads. He said all vehicle and trip data is encrypted, then clarified that “the most sensitive data” is encrypted. Users can download their data, stop location collection, and delete their account. The Verge reported that location tracking is tied to the car and stops when the user walks away.