App diagnoses car engine problems

To find out why your car is giving you ‘check engine’ warning, you’ve had to take it to a mechanic with an expensive diagnostic computer. Until now.

A new app and tiny device called Automatic Link -- due to hit the US market in May for about $70 -- will analyse your car’s problems and feed the information to your smartphone.

The device plugs into your car’s onboard diagnostics (OBD) port and sends the information to your iPhone via Bluetooth.

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Automatic Link doesn’t stop at diagnosing your vehicle’s health. It will analyse your fuel use and driving style – and give you a weekly score based on efficiency and safety, with a few hints about how to improve.

The device continually monitors engine behaviour, fuel and distance travelled and the smartphone app crunches the data into information that could save you money at the bowser – and in expensive repairs if you ignore an engine alert.