Almost everything is a song to me. If there's not a song associated with something, I'll make it up. So when I bought this little Automatic gizmo thingy for my car in 2013, I never really stopped singing that amazing song from the Pointer Sisters. And now I've got you singing too!

This little device plugs into your car's diagnostic port. Download the app on your phone, connect it to your Automatic device, and now you can track your driving habits and find all kinds of useful data.

You can use Automatic to improve your driving habits in real time—it started a little rough for me! Thankfully, there was no shock therapy involved… only annoying beeps if you brake too hard, take off too fast or exceed 70 MPH. After a few days, I turned out to be a pretty good driver after all.

It will also let you know if your car is having mechanical issues and needs attention. And it can help you find your car if you lose it. That would never happen, right? And it does a whole bunch more stuff that's really cool and helpful (and could be used for stalker-ish purposes).

The app has matured quite nicely in the last few months. The monthly reports have been great. But this year, I received an end of year report that I simply must share. I'm old enough now to overshare personal information, so here goes. Linda Bodie's Year at the Wheel.

Read Element Federal Credit Union CEO Linda Bodie's complete CU Watercooler discussion exploring how members can benefit when credit unions attach meaning to the numbers and data collected.

Instant Insights /

No Way to Control It. It's Totally Automatic.

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