In these economically uncertain times, CarChip can help cost-conscious consumers save money by keeping an eye on how their cars are being driven, pinpointing needed repairs, and providing valuable data in the case of an accident.

Aggressive driving costs money: high speeds waste gas and accelerate tire deterioration; sudden starts and stops increase tire wear; and revving the engine not only wastes gas, but also increases engine wear and can cause the catalytic converter to overheat. With graphs showing speed, acceleration, deceleration, and idle time for each trip, CarChip can let you see exactly how your car is being driven. It may help you convince a family member or an employee to change their driving habits, or it might just be an eye-opener for yourself.

CarChipE/X can also pay for itself by catching faults quickly, before other components can be damaged. For example, a poorly performing sparkplug can cause the engine to misfire. Repeated misfires can quickly degrade the performance of the catalytic converter, leaving you with an expensive repair bill. By monitoring the performance of your engine, Car-Chip can help you catch these problems. And the longer you keep your car in good shape, the longer you’ll be able to keep it.

If you’re a used car buyer, CarChip can provide valuable information on the condition of the car before you make the purchase whether you’re spending a few thousand dollars for an older Geo Prizm or tens of thousands of dollars for a late-model Mercedes Benz.

Since a single at-fault accident can raise insurance premiums significantly, CarChip can also save you money by giving you the information you need to settle a contested insurance claim. With CarChipE/X, you can check the speed your car was traveling before the accident, plus throttle position and brake use, to help prove that you were not at fault. Just how fast was James Dean going, before his infamous 1955 crash? Estimates vary widely, from 100-plus mph to just 57 mph.4 If CarChip were available back then, we’d know for sure.

• As the average cost of a new car rises relative to income, consumers are keeping their cars longer: an average of 8.5 years, the highest in 40 years.

• Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration, and hard braking) can lower gas mileage by up to 33%.

• The average auto insurance premium in the U.S. was $786 in 2000; it is expected to reach the $1000 mark in 2003.