Automatic today sent out an update email to customers eagerly awaiting one of its Link connected car systems, announcing that the public release date of the product has been pushed back yet again.

automatic-reader

As we work to fulfill your pre-order, here’s an update. In short, we’re making a lot of progress towards the public launch of Automatic, but we’re pushing back that date by just a few weeks. Read on!

In the email, Automatic says that despite shipping a number of test units to customers who volunteered for a private beta, production delays have prevented them from shipping additional devices to beta customers who have yet to receive a Link.

Unfortunately, we recently experienced a production delay, which has temporarily affected our ability to ship Links to Beta customers. We’re working around the clock (literally!) to fix the issue and our hope is to ship to all remaining Beta customers by the end of the month.

Beta customers were originally supposed to receive both the Link and the accompanying app in mid-June, but the company now expects the remaining Links to ship out by late August.

The Automatic Smart Driving Assistant can currently be preordered from the Automatic website for $69.95. Automatic claims that the Link and iPhone app will begin shipping out to standard customers in September and in the meantime, MacRumors has posted a hands-on look at the device and its accompanying app.

(Thanks, John!)

Top Rated Comments

Gemütlichkeit Avatar
147 months ago
This device also doubles as a Nintendo 64 memory pack.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iansilv Avatar
147 months ago
I don't understand why this thing is so hyped- aren't there a dozen or so Wifi-enabled or bluetooth enabled odb-II dongles that work with any app, not just the one Automatic makes?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cisco_Kid Avatar
147 months ago
I don't understand why this thing is so hyped- aren't there a dozen or so Wifi-enabled or bluetooth enabled odb-II dongles that work with any app, not just the one Automatic makes?

I agree with you, and most new vehicles have all of the features of this device built in to the dash computer.

Pretty hard to find a new vehicle without a screen in the dash these days, this product has peaked before it has even shipped.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
herr_neumann Avatar
147 months ago
Literally doesn't mean what it used to: http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/15/living/literally-definition/index.html?hpt=hp_inthenews
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

18 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Wednesday November 13, 2024 2:09 am PST by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 next month, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls incoming as well....
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases Firmware Updates for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Monday November 11, 2024 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released firmware updates for both AirPods 4 models (version number 7B20) and the AirPods Pro 2 with both Lightning and USB-C charging cases (version number 7B21). All of these AirPods models were previously on firmware version 7B19. It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in firmware versions 7B20 and 7B21, but we will update this story if we find...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 Camera Modules to Enter Mass Production Next Month

Tuesday November 12, 2024 2:56 am PST by
Apple's camera module supplier for the upcoming iPhone SE 4 is set to begin mass production of the components in December, according to a new report coming out of Korea. Economic newspaper Ajunews reports that LG Innotek will supply the front camera module for the budget-friendly fourth-generation device. Final tests are now said to be underway, with mass production of the module following...
airpods pro spring blue

Apple Customers Sue Over Unfixed AirPods Pro Crackling Issue

Wednesday November 13, 2024 11:01 am PST by
A trio of Apple customers this month filed a class action lawsuit against Apple, accusing the Cupertino company of violating California consumer protection laws and false advertising for continuing to sell AirPods Pro models that had ongoing issues with crackling or static sounds. A few months after the AirPods Pro came out in October 2019, buyers began to complain about crackling, rattling, ...
iPad iOS 16 WP Display Feature eric edit

Apple to Launch AI-Powered Home 'Command Center' as Soon as March 2025

Tuesday November 12, 2024 1:09 pm PST by
Apple is planning to launch an AI-powered smart home display as soon as March 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The display will measure in at approximately six inches, and while it is similar to an iPad, it is square rather than rectangular and it has thick bezels around the edges. There is a camera at the top front so that it can be used for FaceTime, plus there are internal speakers...
new mac holiday

The Best Early Black Friday Mac Deals

Monday November 11, 2024 7:45 am PST by
Black Friday is getting closer, and prices on MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, and Mac mini computers have started to drop as the shopping holiday nears. These deals include the latest models of the M4 MacBook Pro and iMac. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site...
maxresdefault

M4 Max MacBook Pro: Real-World Usage Tests

Wednesday November 13, 2024 11:59 am PST by
Apple last week replaced the M3 Max MacBook Pro with the new M4 Max MacBook Pro, and we picked up one of the new high-end MacBook Pro machines to see how it compares to the prior model with both benchmarks and real-world tests. We tested an M4 Max with a 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, and 48GB RAM against an M3 Max MacBook Pro with similar specs. The two machines look similar, but the display on...
iOS 18

Here's Everything New in iOS 18.2 Beta 3

Monday November 11, 2024 4:53 pm PST by
Apple seeded the third betas of iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 to developers for testing today. While the third betas of each update are minor relative to the first two betas, there are still a handful of changes across the Photos app, TV app, and more. A corresponding iOS 18.2 public beta with these changes will likely be released later this week, and Apple previously confirmed that the software...
final cut pro magnetic mask

Apple Releases Final Cut Pro 11 for Mac

Wednesday November 13, 2024 3:02 pm PST by
Apple today announced the launch of major updates for its Final Cut Pro video editing software designed for Macs and iPads. Final Cut Pro has been version 10 since 2011, but after 13 years, Apple is finally ready to debut Final Cut Pro 11. Apple first teased a new version of Final Cut Pro when introducing the new M4 Macs in October, and now the updated software is available for download with ...