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CES: Griffin CarTrip monitors driving efficiency via Bluetooth, app

Griffin debuts hardware and software that connect a smartphone to your car's onboard computer.

Antuan Goodwin Reviews Editor / Cars
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Expertise Reviewing cars and car technology since 2008 focusing on electrification, driver assistance and infotainment Credentials
  • North American Car, Truck and SUV of the Year (NACTOY) Awards Juror
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Antuan Goodwin
Griffin's CarTrip hardware and CleanDrive app work together to peek into the mind of your car.
Griffin's CarTrip hardware and CleanDrive app work together to peek into the mind of your car. Antuan Goodwin/CNET

There's all sorts of information being processed by your car's sensors and computers to which the average driver simply isn't privy. Griffin wants to give you a peek behind the scenes with its CarTrip OBD monitoring system and CleanDrive app.

The hardware consists of a small CarTrip module that plugs into your vehicle's onboard diagnostics (OBD-II) port and collects data from the car's computer, storing to its internal memory or an optional SD card expansion. The unit is able to then connect wirelessly to an iOS or Android device via Bluetooth and transmit that data to the CleanDrive app.

CleanDrive then analyzes the data and presents it in a way that Griffin thinks will be easily understood and can be used to increase driving efficiency. Monitored metrics include estimated fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions, which are blended with other factors to create a "Carbon Score."

Additionally, users will be able to monitor vehicle trouble codes when the check engine light illuminates, a feature that Griffin states will contribute to the overall safety of the vehicle.

The CarTrip module will be available in early 2011 at an MSRP of $89.99. The iOS version of the app will also be available at that time, with Android compatibility coming in Q2.