Startup Voyomotive will debut at the SEMA Show next week an aftermarket car device that can add Stop-Start technology to just about any car.
Called Voyo, it includes an OBD2 device and extra relays that can be installed by the user in minutes, although Voyomotive CEO Peter Yorke notes that some consumers will feel more comfortable with a professional installation.
Voyomotive will be signing up all types of retailers including 12 volt shops to carry the product, he said.
In a typical car with Stop-Start technology, the engine shuts off after the car has idled for 2 to 3 seconds, usually at a traffic light, and restarts when the driver steps on the gas pedal. It’s a means of saving gas. But Americans find it disruptive, said Yorke. For instance, the car doesn’t really know if it’s in traffic or at a stop sign or making a three point turn, he said.
With Voyo, the driver can press on the brake deeper than normal and it sends a command to the relays to shut down the engine. Then when the driver slightly reduces the pressure on the brake, it restarts.
“We’ve created a very intuitive method because the driver knows what is about to happen,” said Yorke, claiming that Voyo is both the first aftermarket Stop-Start product, and the first to be fully-controlled through the brake.
Voyo also performs a lot of other smart tech features including car tracking on your phone, door lock/unlock and trunk pop, which can be set manually for the next time you approach your car if you are expecting your hands will be full.
The product can warn you of car problems BEFORE the check engine light comes on and claims to read and decipher more advanced engine codes, as typically performed at a car dealer. These features are offered without extra service fees although there is a premium level of service that starts at $30 /year.
The Voyo itself will sell for $100 and each optional relay is $50. It is available for pre-sale now on Kickstarter and is expected to be released in February.
Voyomotive is also working on remote start from a phone for the future, which would require only two relays along with the Voyo.
Finally, the company claims to use a more sophisticated OBD2 than other products on the market. It runs on a high speed data logger that is the type used by car companies for testing and by fleets. By comparison, it claims typical OBD2 device are dumbed down consumer versions.
Getting back to the Stop-Start feature, there’s an app for Voyo that will tell you how much gas you’ve saved by not idling and how much CO2 you’ve saved. Then it tells you how many millions of gallons of gas all Voyo users are saving.
You can read about more Voyo capabilities here and here.
Voyo will be display at booth #15123 at the SEMA Show November 3-6 in Las Vegas.
for the 1-2 mpg gain it does not make sense. especially with low gasoline prices
Yet another Automatic tribute band. It’s the Fisker of OBD devices — engineered by designers.
What could possibly go wrong?
Not to mention that the first time someone slams on the brakes to avoid an accident and the engine shuts off by mistake killing power steering and brakes, the fireworks will start.
This is a product similar to remote start, but one intended to be operated while the vehicle is occupied and being driven. So, the fact that remote start isn’t a consumer “plug and play” product should indicate that a product like this cannot be either. Heck remote start remains one of the most challenging dealer installed products we offer, requiring training of the dealer base EVERY year.
I love the ambition these guys are showing. However, as a vehicle owner there is no way I would be willing to “randomly” add a start/stop system to any vehicle I own.
Vehicles that leave the factory with the start/stop systems have many differences to prevent any mechanical issues including different components that can’t be replicated by a simple plug and play system.
Best of luck guys!!
Sounds like a product I wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. ” it includes an OBD2 device and extra relays that can be installed by the user in minutes…”
Yeah, right there it convinced me that the CEO is someone to avoid for the rest of his career.