Connected Dealer Services

What Connected Dealer Services does

Connected Dealer Services (CDS), LLC is a privately held California company founded in 2016 and operating as a subsidiary of Procon Analytics. It provides connected vehicle technology to automotive dealerships across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, serving more than 2,800 dealers and having connected more than 6 million vehicles. Its platform combines GPS tracking hardware, proprietary CAN Bus technology, 4G LTE cellular connectivity, cloud-based software, and consumer mobile applications to deliver real-time vehicle location, diagnostics, odometer data, stolen vehicle recovery, battery health monitoring, and service marketing tools. CDS operates three wholly-owned sub-brands targeting distinct segments: Advantage GPS for BHPH dealers and subprime lenders, Elo GPS for independent dealerships, and CarRx for franchise dealerships.

The company's CAN Bus technology processes over 2 billion events per month and enables true odometer mileage reporting on 2021+ vehicles, a differentiator versus competitors relying on GPS-estimated mileage. CDS monetizes through a mix of hardware sales and recurring monthly subscriptions tied to installed devices, plus F&I add-on revenue at the dealership point of sale, and reports over 20% year-over-year revenue growth under President Shane Wilson. Go-to-market combines a U.S. agent partner network with exclusive territories and a direct enterprise sales motion supported by phone, email, and website demo forms; the new Irvine headquarters (expanded to roughly three times the prior facility) consolidates engineering, training, dealer support, and fulfillment. CDS holds multiple industry recognitions including the Direct Marketing Association Diamond Award (four consecutive years) and the 2023 Auto Dealer Today Dealers' Choice Award, and is led by a team with prior experience scaling automotive IoT operations, including two prior unicorn exits credited to COO Kristen Hale.

Name

Connected Dealer Services

Legal name

Connected Dealer Services, LLC

Website

https://connecteddealerservices.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Connected Dealer Services provides vertically integrated connected vehicle technology — GPS hardware, proprietary CAN Bus software, and mobile apps — to 2,800+ automotive dealers across franchise, independent, BHPH, and lender segments via its Advantage GPS, Elo GPS, and CarRx sub-brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Connected Vehicle Technology / Automotive Telematics

NAICS

Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers (441)

SIC

Wholesale-Motor Vehicle Supplies & New Parts (5013)

akta.pro primary industry

Fleet Tracking, Mapping & Real-Time Location Services (RTLS) (TLAEAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vehicle Diagnostics, Predictive Maintenance & Remote Monitoring (TLAEAFAE), Telematics, GPS Tracking & Connected Fleet Services (THADAKAF)

Keywords

• Connected vehicle technology
• Automotive telematics solutions
• GPS fleet tracking
• Dealership management software
• Vehicle monitoring services

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware-Enabled Subscription: GPS hardware devices installed in vehicles with recurring monthly subscription fees for connected services including vehicle tracking, health monitoring, and recovery services.
2. Hardware Sales: Sale of GPS tracking hardware devices for vehicle inventory management and consumer add-on products at point of sale.
3. Value-Added F&I Products: Connected vehicle technology sold as add-on in F&I office, with proven track record of boosting dealership revenue by average of $1,200 per vehicle retail. Creates new profit center for dealers.
4. Service Retention Marketing: Platform enabling proactive maintenance reminders and service marketing that drives customers back to dealership service departments, generating additional service revenue.
5. Agent Recurring Revenue: Agents earn recurring monthly revenue stream once they secure dealer contracts, with exclusive territories providing steady income.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Connected Dealer Services provides a vertically integrated connected vehicle technology platform combining GPS tracking hardware, proprietary CAN Bus technology, a 4G LTE cloud platform, and consumer-facing mobile applications. Through its sub-brands Advantage GPS, Elo GPS, and CarRx, the company delivers real-time vehicle tracking, true odometer mileage reporting, vehicle health monitoring, stolen vehicle recovery, geofencing, and service marketing tools to automotive franchise, independent, and BHPH dealerships across the United States. The platform processes over 2 billion events per month and has connected more than 6 million vehicles across 2,800+ dealers.

Product overview

Connected Dealer Services is a parent company operating a vertically integrated connected vehicle technology platform with multiple sub-brands targeting distinct dealership segments: Advantage GPS serves BHPH dealers and subprime lenders; Elo GPS supports independent dealerships with GPS tracking, lot management, and consumer mobile apps; and CarRx serves franchise dealerships with a combined lot management, theft protection, service retention, and service marketing platform. The company also operates an Agent Program that partners with automotive agents to represent its portfolio across franchise, independent, BHPH, and lender channels. CDS provides hardware-enabled software, mobile applications, cellular connectivity, and operational support, and has connected more than 6 million vehicles across over 2,800 dealers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Advantage GPS: Connected vehicle technology serving BHPH dealers and subprime lenders for portfolio protection and asset visibility
• Elo GPS
• CarRx

Products and services

• Connected Dealer Services Platform Vertically integrated connected vehicle technology platform spanning hardware design, cellular connectivity, cloud software infrastructure, consumer mobile applications, and operational support for franchise, independent, and BHPH dealerships.
• Advantage GPS Connected vehicle technology brand serving Buy Here Pay Here dealers and subprime lenders, providing portfolio protection, lot management, asset visibility, and consumer add-on products for subprime vehicle finance.
• Elo GPS Connected vehicle technology platform supporting independent dealerships with real-time vehicle tracking, lot management, battery health alerts, stolen vehicle recovery, and consumer-facing mobile app with driver behavior monitoring and service mileage notifications.
• CarRx Connected vehicle technology solution for franchise new car dealerships combining advanced lot management and theft protection with service retention tools, real-time vehicle diagnostics, maintenance alerts, and a built-in customer service marketing platform to boost fixed ops profits.

Quantifiable outcome

• Boosts dealership revenue by average of $1,200 per vehicle retail
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Geotab: Geotab is a leading fleet telematics platform with extensive vehicle diagnostics and tracking capabilities. While focused on commercial fleets, its connected vehicle technology and data scale are broadly comparable to CDS's telematics stack.
• CalAmp (now part of Sensata): CalAmp provides telematics hardware and software platforms for connected vehicles across fleet, automotive, and IoT use cases. Its hardware-plus-software model and dealer-channel partnerships overlap with CDS's vertically integrated approach.
• Samsara: Samsara is a large connected operations platform serving fleets with GPS tracking, vehicle diagnostics, and telematics. While primarily focused on commercial fleets rather than retail dealerships, its vehicle health and location capabilities overlap with CDS technology.
• DealerSocket (CDK Global): DealerSocket, now part of CDK Global, is a major dealer management system (DMS) provider with CRM, inventory, and fixed ops tools. It is an adjacent incumbent that integrates with or competes against CDS's service retention and F&I solutions.

Direct peers

• Spireon: Spireon is the most direct competitor to CDS, offering connected vehicle and GPS tracking solutions for dealerships, BHPH/subprime lenders, and auto finance. It acquired Inilex in 2015 (where CDS's Michelle Jackson previously worked), making it a near-perfect overlap in product, customer, and channel.
• PassTime GPS: PassTime GPS is a direct competitor in the BHPH, subprime auto finance, and dealer GPS tracking market, offering stolen vehicle recovery and payment reminder solutions. It overlaps most directly with CDS's Advantage GPS brand.
• Connected Holdings: Connected Holdings offers connected vehicle solutions for the BHPH, subprime, and franchise dealer markets under multiple brands, closely mirroring CDS's multi-brand strategy in the same customer segments.
• Positioning Universal / Carlog: Positioning Universal (Carlog) provides GPS tracking and connected vehicle solutions specifically targeting Buy Here Pay Here dealers and subprime lenders, directly competing with CDS's Advantage GPS offering.

Emerging players

• GPS Insight: GPS Insight provides GPS fleet tracking and telematics with vehicle diagnostics and maintenance features, with growing presence in dealer and commercial fleet channels that intersects with CDS's offerings.

Others

• Motormindz: Motormindz is an automotive industry consultancy and solutions provider connecting dealers with technology vendors. While not a direct telematics competitor, it operates in the same dealer-services ecosystem and could be a partner or channel to CDS's products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ConnectedDealer

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Connected Dealer Services