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The Miles Plug is a $99 OBD-II device that pairs GPS and cellular tracking with driving alerts, vehicle-health information, emergency accident response and roadside assistance. Membership raises the upfront cost to at least $279, and the company says it will not sell users’ vehicle or location data. The Verge’s short test found setup straightforward, but it was too brief to assess battery use or long-term reliability.
The Verge tested the Miles Plug, a $99 device that connects to a car’s OBD-II port and sends trip, driving and vehicle-health information to an app, with emergency accident response and roadside assistance among its advertised services. The product is pitched partly to families with teen drivers, but its required membership raises the reported starting price to $279, and its privacy and reliability claims have not been independently established by the short test.
The compact plug uses GPS and cellular connectivity to provide location updates, trip summaries and alerts such as speeding, hard braking and hard acceleration. Its app also displays vehicle information and includes Miles Mechanic, an AI chatbot that interprets dashboard warnings and offers maintenance guidance. Miles says the service supports most gas and hybrid cars from 2008 onward, as well as some electric vehicles; buyers can check compatibility before ordering.
The Verge reviewer installed the device in a 2014 Toyota Highlander and reported that setup was simple and the app correctly identified the car from its vehicle identification number. During a few days of use, the app logged routes and trip details, sent home-arrival and departure alerts, and flagged hard driving. The reviewer also used the chatbot for maintenance information. The report did not establish how accurate the driving assessments or repair estimates are over time.
The stated pricing was $99 for the device plus $180 for a one-year membership, or $279 total. A three-year plan was listed at $396 with the Plug included, equivalent to $11 a month when spread across the term. Plans are paid upfront and, according to the report, do not automatically renew. Miles says multiple family members can use the app with separate driver profiles.
A Family Tracker With a Subscription
Miles combines several functions that families might otherwise get from separate products: vehicle location, driving alerts, roadside assistance and car-health information. For parents considering a tracker for a new driver, a shared app could provide trip visibility without an in-car camera. But the same monitoring raises questions about how drivers—especially teenagers—agree to being tracked and who controls the resulting information.
The upfront cost matters, too. The $99 device price does not include a year of service, and the full first-year price reported by The Verge is $279. The company’s pitch depends on customers valuing the bundled services and its stated privacy approach enough to pay in advance. Whether the service remains available over the long term is also relevant: a connected device can lose much of its use if its company or supporting service shuts down.
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How Miles Frames Privacy and Cost
Miles was founded by Matt McGovren and Kit Klein, who have experience at companies including Wink, Amazon’s Ring and Blink businesses, and Ubiquiti. McGovren told The Verge that Miles charges for membership rather than relying on selling customer data. He also compared the price with buying roadside service and family tracking separately, saying those services together could cost $30 or $40 a month. That comparison is his estimate, not a price audit by the publication.
The Verge report points to the history of similar connected-car products as a reason for caution. Automatic, which sold an OBD-II device with location and crash-monitoring features, shut down its service in 2020. McGovren said Miles charges upfront for membership in part to avoid relying on a business model that expects to make money later. He described the company as well capitalized, but the report did not provide financial details to independently assess that statement.
“We built Miles to support teens and parents together, and keep them on the same team.”
— Miles cofounder Matt McGovren, in a company press release
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Battery Use and Service Longevity
The Verge’s hands-on test lasted only a few days, so it could not determine whether the Plug affects a car battery over longer periods. McGovren said the device sleeps when the vehicle is off and advised removing it if the car will not be driven for a while. The review also did not test emergency dispatch or roadside assistance in a real incident, or verify the accuracy of the app’s alerts and maintenance recommendations over an extended period.
Miles’ privacy promises are company claims. McGovren said the company will not sell vehicle, trip or location data and described encryption and data-control features, including downloading information, stopping location collection and deleting an account. The report does not document an independent audit of those protections. The company’s financial health and how long its app and services will remain supported also cannot be confirmed from the review.
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Longer-Term Use Will Test the Claims
The next evidence for prospective buyers will come from longer-term use: whether the device’s battery draw is negligible in different cars, whether alerts and vehicle-health readings remain useful, and whether emergency and roadside services work when needed. Families considering the product can use Miles’ compatibility checker and review the membership terms, data controls and coverage details before paying upfront.
The Verge report did not give a longer follow-up date or a company milestone beyond the product’s availability. Miles’ continued operation, future pricing and any independent review of its privacy and security practices remain open questions.
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Key Questions
What does the Miles Plug do?
It connects to a car’s OBD-II port and sends location, trip, driving and vehicle-health information to an app. Miles also advertises emergency accident response and roadside assistance.
How much does the Miles Plug cost?
The reported price is $99 for the device plus $180 for one year of membership, or $279 total. A three-year plan was listed at $396 with the Plug included. The plans are paid upfront and were described as having no automatic renewal.
Which cars are compatible?
Miles says the Plug works with most gas and hybrid vehicles from 2008 onward and some electric vehicles. The company provides a compatibility checker; not every vehicle is supported.
Does Miles sell driving or location data?
McGovren told The Verge that Miles will not sell vehicle, trip or location data and said the data is encrypted. These are company statements; the report did not include an independent audit of the privacy or security measures.
Has the device’s effect on the car battery been established?
No. The reviewer had not tested the Plug long enough to assess battery drain. McGovren said it sleeps when the car is off and recommended removing it if the vehicle will not be driven for an extended period.
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