How It Works, Top Safety Features & Cost (2023)

Bouncie GPS Car Tracker

What Bouncie Offers

– Location Companies

– Accident Notifications

– Car Well being Studies

– Actual-Time Driving Insights

Professionals

No contract

Simple to arrange

Dwell updates each 15 seconds

Cons

Restricted to 3G service

Monitoring can’t be turned off until unplugged

Affiliate Disclosure: Bouncie despatched us this unit freed from cost. We weren’t compensated by the corporate for this product evaluation, though we had been allowed to maintain it. As an Amazon Affiliate, Automoblog earns from qualifying purchases, together with the unit featured right here.

Bouncie is a GPS car monitoring machine designed that can assist you keep protected and conscious. The machine plugs into the OBD2 (on-board diagnostics) port in your car and provides real-time updates and driving knowledge. You may see your automotive’s location and journey particulars like pace, driving habits, and accident notifications.

For fogeys, it might offer you peace of thoughts when your teenager drives house late at night time; for enterprise homeowners, Bouncie can present useful perception relating to managing your fleet. On this evaluation, we’ll share our firsthand expertise and clarify the options in additional element.

Temporary Historical past of Bouncie

Bouncie was launched in 2017 by Tail Mild LLC, a tech firm in Plano, Texas. Because the launch, a number of new and necessary options have been added.

2019: The corporate expanded its service space to Mexico and Canada, sped up notifications, and allowed customers to view journeys in progress.

2020: Accident detection and notifications had been added.

2023: After the deliberate phase-out of 3G mobile networks, older gadgets will cease working and would require a substitute with a 4G unit, anticipated to final a minimum of 4 years. The month-to-month knowledge subscription doesn’t change with a 4G machine.

What Does Bouncie Value?

As of this writing, there’s a one-time fee of $77 for the machine and an $8 monthly subscription. There are additionally reductions out there if you happen to determine to get a number of gadgets.

Set up & Setup

The setup course of took us round quarter-hour from opening the field till we began driving. You may entry all the pieces from Bouncie.com, however we advocate getting the Bouncie app from the App Retailer or Google Play. Once you create an account, it is going to ask you to enter details about your car, like your make and mannequin, VIN, and present mileage.

The whole lot is easy, and there’s a “Chat With Bouncie” button you’ll be able to click on to connect with a help chat. Through the setup, you’ll have to plug the machine into the OBD2 port. Usually the OBD2 is close to the driver-side door panel, beneath the steering wheel, however verify your proprietor’s guide if you happen to need assistance.

After it’s put in, you’ll have to drive round for a minimum of 10 minutes for the machine to attach and calibrate. After the primary drive, you’ll start getting stay data and stats about your journeys.

Bouncie has many options and settings you’ll be able to regulate. Some, like accident notifications, will have to be activated earlier than they begin working. The primary drive received’t be recorded, however you’ll get all the primary stats after the primary 10-minute drive with out adjusting any settings.

Bouncie provides helpful insights whether or not you’re a mum or dad involved concerning the security of your youngsters, a enterprise proprietor monitoring bills, or perhaps a common driver who desires to maintain monitor of issues for enjoyable. Some options might be roughly useful relying on what you’re utilizing it for. Here’s a listing of every characteristic, with a quick description of how they work.

Options for Mother and father

As a mum or dad, letting your youngsters drive may cause an excessive amount of stress and much more grey hair! Here’s what Bouncie provides:

Dwell Location

The unit detects your teen’s location throughout a drive and makes use of accelerometers to trace pace constantly. Throughout a drive, you may get up-to-date data each 15 seconds. The machine will present you an overlay on Google maps of the automotive’s location, when the journey began, and how briskly your youngsters are shifting.

You may also arrange a geo-zone. When your automotive enters or leaves a geo-zone, you’ll get a notification. That is useful whenever you don’t need your youngsters leaving a selected space or to know once they get to their vacation spot.

The one drawback we discovered with that is it’s restricted to a circle, slightly than a straight line from level A to B, however you can also make it as large or small as essential. You may put a geo-circle round your neighborhood if you would like your youngsters to remain shut by, or round a particular home or tackle if you should know when your youngsters arrive.

Accident Detection

We didn’t take a look at how properly this works for apparent causes! Nonetheless, the machine can detect an impression or a sudden lower in pace and ship a notification. You’ll get a notification and have the choice to name 911. You may add a setting that sends a textual content message if an accident is detected.

Roadside Help

Bouncie can ship assist your approach, and the price is included in your subscription. In case your teenage driver runs out of gasoline, wants a leap begin, or has a flat tire, you’ll be able to make the most of a community of roadside help suppliers. That is out there to make use of 3 times in any 12-month interval and could be a large assist whenever you want it.

Unsafe Driving Notifications

These notifications allow you to monitor how your youngsters are driving. Within the settings, you’ll be able to regulate the sensitivity of issues like laborious braking and fast acceleration, whereas additionally setting pace notifications.

Throughout our take a look at drives, we adjusted the sensitivity settings from low to excessive. With excessive sensitivity, we acquired notifications for laborious braking and fast acceleration of over eight mph per second. Low sensitivity notified us of incidents over 14 mph per second. Throughout regular driving situations, we didn’t get any notifications.

Based mostly on our assessments, we’d say that oldsters shouldn’t be involved about one or two notifications per week, however various could also be a security concern, particularly for brand new drivers. The machine offers you particulars of every incident and the place it occurred as soon as the journey is accomplished. You may also set a curfew and get a notification if the automotive is being pushed after your set hours.

Ought to I Inform My Children We’re Utilizing Bouncie?

For those who’re uncertain of tips on how to discuss to your kids about why you’re going to make use of Bouncie, they wrote this beneficial article on the subject. For those who don’t inform your youngsters concerning the machine, it’s unlikely that they’ll discover it. Nonetheless, it’s greatest to speak the advantages and inform them you’re utilizing it for his or her security, not since you don’t belief them.

Options for Companies

Bouncie might be utilized by companies which have supply drivers, rideshare drivers, or staff who continuously journey for work. For just a few {dollars} monthly, enterprise homeowners and fleet operators can accumulate helpful knowledge to trace productiveness and bills.

Historic Stats

Bouncie tracks and collects knowledge that may be exported right into a spreadsheet for later evaluation. You may view the whole driving time, miles pushed, and idle time for any car for any date vary.

Know Your Common Journey

The machine data what number of journeys you’re taking, the typical size of these journeys, and the way a lot gas is required for every one. You may monitor the precise price per journey and monitor every car and driver’s productiveness.

Options for Private Use

Even if you happen to’re not utilizing Bouncie for a enterprise or to observe younger drivers, it has another useful advantages.

Max Driving Distance

You may set a mileage alert for as much as 500 miles with the machine. That is wonderful if you’re presently leasing your car. For instance, in case your lease is proscribed to 12,000 miles per yr, you’ll be able to set an alert for 230 miles – the weekly restrict for 12,000 per yr. The alert may also help you keep away from hitting the mileage restrict earlier than your lease is up.

Care Plan

The Care Plan helps you create reminders for normal upkeep and maintenance. You may set a reminder at sure mileage intervals or a particular date to obtain notifications accordingly. This helps whenever you need a reminder about altering your oil, changing your windshield wipers, or different issues like renewing your registration. Bouncie can even monitor your battery and warn you if a verify engine mild comes on.

Hook up with Sensible Gadgets

You may join the machine to Amazon Alexa, Google Dwelling, and IFTTT (If This, Then That). We requested Alexa, “Ask Bouncie if I want gasoline.” Alexa answered, “The Honda has 70 % gasoline left.” We additionally requested the place our automotive was, and Alexa gave us the tackle the place we parked. You may arrange IFTTT to show in your good lights whenever you get house.

How Bouncie Compares

There are just a few different common choices for GPS gadgets. We in contrast Bouncie side-by-side with the most well-liked opponents.

	Bouncie	AutoBrain	Vyncs
Gadget Value	$77	$30	$99 & up + Activation
Recurring Value	$8/month	$9/month	$99+/yr
Contract	No	No	1 12 months
Free Trial/Refund	45 Days	30 Days	30 Days
Dwell Updates	15 Seconds	10 Seconds	60 Seconds
Journey Historical past	Limitless	Limitless	Limitless
Availability	US, Mexico, Canada	US, Restricted in Canada	200+ International locations

How We Examined Bouncie

Our first drive after putting in the machine in our 2013 Honda Accord was round 12 minutes. After that, we refreshed the app, and it was prepared to begin monitoring. We drove 200 miles over 24 journeys with no points or sign loss. We examined Bouncie in San Diego, so we can not say how it might work in a rural space the place cell service may be restricted.

If the machine loses its sign whereas driving, it is going to nonetheless monitor the whole miles, however the stay updates could also be delayed. Bouncie additionally overlays your driving pace, so a short lived lack of sign may trigger some lacking pace knowledge.

After we used the stay monitoring, we had been at house, and another person was driving round in our 2013 Honda Accord. Nonetheless, the machine up to date each 15 seconds as anticipated. We noticed the present pace, location, and the place the journey began.

General, we had been impressed with the convenience of all the pieces and the simplicity of the info. You don’t have to be a tech guru to begin utilizing the machine or the app, and all the driving stats are straightforward to evaluation and perceive.

Buyer Service

Fortunately, through the setup course of and through our drive, we didn’t want any assist. It does give us peace of thoughts that there’s assist out there, together with a stay chat throughout enterprise hours, and a Assist Middle with fast solutions and how-to’s out there within the app and on the web site.

Is Bouncie Proper for You?

We are able to see the advantages of the machine, whether or not you’re a mum or dad, enterprise proprietor, or get pleasure from having your entire stuff related. As soon as put in, you’ll be able to set it and overlook it, whereas monitoring the driving data that’s most necessary to you.

Bouncie has a strong score on TrustPilot with lots of of fine buyer opinions, and, primarily based on our analysis and testing, we give it our stamp of approval. General, the machine is a cost-efficient and easy-to-use software to maintain your loved ones protected or enhance the effectivity of your enterprise.

Often Requested Questions

Is Bouncie authorized?

For those who’re the proprietor of the automotive, it’s authorized to put in and use.

Does it work in different nations?

Bouncie works in the US, Canada, and Mexico. The machine will work all over the place you get service. There could also be some lacking journey data if the machine can’t join.

Can I pause or droop my service?

You may cancel your month-to-month subscription at any time and proceed utilizing it till the following invoice is due. If you wish to cease the monitoring, the simplest approach is to unplug the machine. It is going to take a couple of minutes to reconnect whenever you plug it again in.

Can I exploit it for multiple car?

The machine can solely monitor a single automotive at a time. You may swap it over to a different car or buy a number of gadgets for different automobiles. When you have three or extra gadgets, the month-to-month price drops to $6.70 monthly, per machine.