Car dealers can now offer used car buyers a connectivity and telematics package which promises servicing prompts, intelligent roadside assistance and cheaper insurance premiums.

The plug-in concept being introduced by Smartdriverclub is a UK-first and is available on vehicles registered after 2010.

Smartdriverclub enables dealers to receive information directly from the car such as mileage for proactive service booking, fault codes and battery low alerts, allowing them to contact the customer to arrange an appointment.

Also, by offering the benefits of in-car connectivity with services such as crash alerts, theft tracking, fuel consumption and early fault warnings, Smartdriverclub claims that it will enhance the sales proposition.

Smartdriverclub is the brainchild of motor and insurance industry expert Penny Searles. Searles said: “In-car connectivity is a powerful selling proposition for the dealer market. Smartdriverclub offers a simple and cost-effective upgrade which is within the reach of most used car buyers and will offer a raft of benefits in terms of safety and savings at less than the cost of a monthly music streaming service.

“It’s easy for motorists to have this level of protection in the US, without having to buy a new car, so I wanted to bring the same concept to the UK.  Why should UK motorists have to wait to have the advantages of new car connectivity?”

Smartdriverclub sees cars installed with a device which plugs in to the OBD2 port. 

The customer then downloads the free dealer branded Smartdriverclub app – Viewpoint – to access all the services provided by their membership.  

The club is available to new dealership members for single payment of £150+vat* (RRP) for a three-year membership plan or via a pay monthly plan which includes a £25 deposit and £6.60-per-month fee for 36 months.

In addition to essential safety features like automatic emergency assistance and breakdown help that can see the driver’s location to find them faster, a digital mechanic can identify faults to help motorists avoid worsening the damage or even prevent a breakdown.

This has the capability to link the customer back to the dealership to arrange repairs while a MyDeals service enables dealers to promote special offers directly to the customer.

Smartdriverclub also includes a used car valuation service for when a motorist is ready to sell their car, supported by CAP HPI.