MF Exclusive: MINI USA to Launch Roadside Assistance Smartphone App
To help ease the complexity of dealing with roadside assistance MINI USA is releasing a smartphone application this Thursday. With the roadside assistance program being free (and a great selling point for the car) MINI USA is looking to leverage the application to help get word out and make life easier should make the process easier.
Here’s how it works:
1. The App will allow you to set up a profile via registering your VIN on the Application. This profile will store your VIN, Model & Model Year. You can also upload a picture of your MINI, give it a nickname & select the color MINI that you have.
2. You can select a service such as; jump start, tire change, fuel, lock out assistance, tow for mechanical reason, or accident.
3. Once you’ve selected a service you can hit the call button and you will be connected with Roadside.
4. The App will then push all of the above data to the roadside rep on the other end of the phone as well as (with your permission by selecting “allow current locationâ€) the latitude and longitude of your current location.
Once you have completed the call there is also a screen to get service details. Here you will have a screen that shows your reference number, type of service you requested, the provider that has been selected to service you, and the estimated time of arrival.
The official launch is slated for this Thursday (8/20) and will be available on the iPhone (all versions) and the Blackberry Bold/Curve that is offered by AT&T, Alltel, T-Mobile, TracFone. As you would expect the app is free.
One note; Yes the appears to be from the insurance company Allstate. Apparently Allstate roadside services is a branch of Allstate (the insurance company) that provides all roadside assistance to MINI. Allstate is simply hosting the website and service or MINI.
+ Smartphone Roadside Assistance App / MINI USA
<p>Looks handy.</p>
<p>I always wonder what Roadside assistance would do for you if you got a nail in your runflat? They are not going to come out and swap your tire on the side of the road. And I’m not so eager for a 250$ replacement runflat either. But no dealer will plug them, and I’d expect roadside would not either.</p>
<p>Not available on the Curve through Verizon???</p>
<p>AAA has a similar app on the Apple App Store, I suspect this is the same thing, rebranded and hooked in to only the MINI databases, rather than AAA databases.</p>
<p>Not for Verizon Blackberry?</p>
<p>Cool idea. I hope I never have to use it.</p>
<p>It would be nice to have an owners app.</p>
<p>so I guess the only way to use this is to not have a Verizon Phone?</p>
<p>It is a great idea, too bad not everyone will be able to use it.</p>
<p>Wonder why they have ignored the Windows Mobile crowd? I know they’re not as cool as iPhone’s and BlackBerry’s, but there are plenty of us MINI users stuck using company WM devices.</p>
<p>I need this app on Nokia Symbian platform (S60) very very badly!!</p>
<p>Only for iPhone? I hope they make a Android App</p>
<p>Yeah, they could have made a java or web app and let everyone use it… Goofy. Instead, marketing and management thinks that the checkbox is checked, without actually looking at who can actually use the tool.</p>
<blockquote>lavardera Aug 18th, 2009 Link
Looks handy.
I always wonder what Roadside assistance would do for you if you got a nail in your runflat? They are not going to come out and swap your tire on the side of the road. And I’m not so eager for a 250$ replacement runflat either. But no dealer will plug them, and I’d expect roadside would not either.</blockquote>
<p>Do what a buddy of mine does, carry your own plug kit.
I’ve patched tires (run-flats) that had only a nail.
Most shops will mount it after you patch it. Just don’t tell.
Patched one with a nail hole “1” off the shoulder, shop refused to fix it saying it was a risk. That tire wore out with the patch in place.
It’s all BS to make money.</p>
<p>Installed and configured fine on my 8310/att.
Verizon phones are not GSM, which i am sure had a lot to do with the app not being made for that carrier.</p>
<p>Let’s see MINI Roadside assistance… I had a blown motor near Palm Springs, Ca., 105º outside temp, they wanted to take me and my MINI to Irvine, Ca., as it was the closest mileage wise, I had to get them to understand MINI of Monrovia was closer, I live in the next town over, got approved, got 1st tow truck, a cradle snatcher type, told the guy “No Way, send a flat bed,” they did, they proceeded to drop me off at a Denny’s near bumf#@k Egypt, came back 3 hours later, 8 hours in total, I was at Monrovia MINI, 9:30 am. Priceless!</p>
<p>I’d use the AAA AP.</p>
<p>Wonder if it will work if you have two MINIs?</p>
<p>I’m pretty low-tech, so I just added the MINI Roadside Assistance phone # and the MINI Tire Hazard phone # into my cell phone. What added benefits do you get by having these additional “apps”?</p>
<p>PS: The MINI Tire Hazard Warranty/Service is something East Bay MINI offered as “insurance” against all run-flat tire and/or wheel failures. It includes free tire and/or wheel repair or replacement. At the time it seemed worthwhile, but can’t say how convenient or helpful it will actually be when you’re out in the middle of nowhere.</p>
<p>Occasions where we seek roadside assistance are normally rare. But when it happens, isn’t it imporatant to convey the essential details quickly and get the service promptly? This looks to be a pretty useful app to me to do exactly that!
Hopefully they’ll make an Android version soon..</p>
<p>Cool App. Simple basic utility services to start with. Hopefully they extend to other smartphones and mobile devices for rest of the manufacturers</p>
<p>the complexity of dealing with roadside assistance?</p>
<p>Is dialing the 800 # all that complex?</p>
<blockquote> nickminir56 Aug 18th, 2009
I need this app on Nokia Symbian platform (S60) very very badly!!</blockquote>
<p>do you need roadside assistance that often?!</p>
<p>Nice app!!.. this could be a handy tool to request the services & to get the details, but I too wonder whether it will work if you have two MINIs.</p>
<p>So I admit I downloaded it today “just in case” and to see what it was all about (looks cool). Then tonight my MINI is stranded in my parents’ driveway 100+ miles from here – doubt sending them my gps coordinates will help.</p>
<p>Cool little app. Now have it downloaded, though I hope I won’t need it.</p>