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Miles Plug is a cellular- and GPS-enabled device that connects to a car’s OBD-II port and app, offering trip tracking, driving alerts, vehicle-health information and emergency response services. It costs $99 plus a membership, and its maker says it will not sell users’ vehicle or location data. A short hands-on test found setup and alerts straightforward, but did not establish long-term reliability, battery impact or the company’s staying power.
Miles Labs is selling a $99 OBD-II car plug that tracks vehicle location and driving activity, reports basic vehicle-health information and connects users with emergency response and roadside assistance. The product, tested for a few days by The Verge, requires a separate paid membership and comes with the company’s promise that it will not sell vehicle, trip or location data.
The Miles Plug is a small cellular- and GPS-enabled device without a screen or battery. It plugs into a car’s OBD-II port and sends information to an app, where family members can see trips, location, speeding and hard-braking alerts, and vehicle details. The app also includes Miles Mechanic, an AI chatbot that interprets warning lights and offers maintenance guidance and estimated repair costs.
The Verge’s reviewer installed the device in a 2014 Toyota Highlander. Setup was described as simple: the plug read the car’s VIN, and the app logged trips with routes, distances, times and driver initials. Home arrival and departure alerts arrived promptly, and the app flagged hard acceleration and braking. The reviewer said the test had lasted only a few days and did not establish longer-term performance.
The device costs $99, with membership priced at $180 for one year, or $279 total including the plug. A three-year plan costs $396 including the device. The plans are paid upfront and do not auto-renew, according to the report. Miles says the product works with most gas and hybrid cars from 2008 onward and some electric vehicles; buyers can check compatibility before purchase.
Tracking Comes With a Subscription
Miles combines functions that drivers might otherwise get from separate services: family location sharing, driving alerts, vehicle monitoring and roadside assistance. That could appeal to households seeking visibility into a teen’s driving or a way to keep tabs on an older vehicle. The service’s value depends on whether customers want those features together and consider the recurring membership worth the cost.
The company’s privacy promise is central to its pitch at a time when vehicle data collection has drawn scrutiny. Miles cofounder Matt McGovren told The Verge that the company would not sell vehicle, trip or location data. He also said the data is encrypted, with the most sensitive information end-to-end encrypted. These are company statements; the report does not independently audit Miles’ security practices or verify how the company may handle data over time.
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A Familiar OBD-II Approach
OBD-II plugs use a vehicle’s diagnostic port to access information about the car. The concept has appeared in earlier connected-car products. The Verge cited Automatic Pro, a similar device launched in 2016 that tracked mileage and location and could monitor for crashes; its service closed in 2020. That history makes the ongoing availability of the app and services relevant to anyone paying for a multi-year plan.
McGovren said Miles charges membership fees upfront to avoid business models that rely on finding revenue later. He told The Verge that the founders had seen companies struggle after offering services without a sustainable payment model. The report says McGovren described Miles as “well capitalized,” but did not provide financial details. Miles’ founders previously worked at smart-home companies including Wink and Amazon’s Ring and Blink, according to the report.
“We built Miles to support teens and parents together, and keep them on the same team.”
— Matt McGovren, Miles cofounder, in a press release
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Long-Term Reliability Still Untested
The hands-on report covered only a few days of use. It did not determine whether the device affects a car battery over weeks or months, how accurately its alerts perform across different vehicles, or whether emergency response and roadside assistance work as expected in a real incident. The reviewer also had not yet tested how the app identifies drivers when multiple users are in the same vehicle.
Other open questions include the company’s long-term viability and the practical details behind its privacy assurances. Miles says users can download their data, stop location collection and delete an account and its data. The report does not provide an independent security review, full service terms, or details sufficient to assess the extent and conditions of emergency coverage. McGovren advised removing the device if a car will not be driven for a while.
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Check Compatibility and Coverage
People considering the Miles Plug can check their vehicle against the company’s compatibility tool and review the membership and service terms before paying. The Verge report said Miles was available through mileslabs.com at the time of publication. Further testing would be needed to assess battery effects, reliability across a wider range of cars, and the performance of emergency and roadside services.
For families, the next practical test is whether each driver can use the app as intended and whether shared trip visibility feels acceptable to everyone. The product’s longer-term value will also depend on Miles maintaining its service for the duration of customers’ prepaid plans.
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Key Questions
How much does the Miles Plug cost?
The plug costs $99. The one-year membership is $180, bringing the reported total to $279. A three-year plan costs $396 with the plug included. The plans are paid upfront and do not auto-renew, according to The Verge.
What does the Miles Plug track?
The device connects to an app that records vehicle location and trips, and can send alerts about speeding, hard braking and other driving activity. It also provides vehicle-health information and access to emergency response and roadside assistance, according to the company’s product description.
Does Miles say it sells driving data?
No. Cofounder Matt McGovren told The Verge that Miles will not sell vehicle, trip or location data. He also described encryption and user controls for downloading data, stopping location collection and deleting an account. Those privacy statements were not independently verified in the report.
Will the plug work with every car?
Miles says it supports most gas and hybrid vehicles from 2008 onward and some electric vehicles. Compatibility is not universal, so prospective buyers should use the company’s checker and confirm coverage before ordering.
Has the device’s effect on the car battery been confirmed?
No. McGovren said the plug sleeps when the car is off and that syncing does not materially affect the battery, but The Verge reviewer had not used it long enough to assess battery drain. McGovren advised removing it if the vehicle will sit unused for a while.
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