CarMD
CarMD is a private Irvine, California-based connected vehicle services company that builds OBD2 diagnostic hardware, mobile apps, and AI-powered vehicle repair guidance for individual car owners, families, and automotive repair shops.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersIrvine, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What CarMD does
CarMD is a private US-based connected vehicle services company founded in 2006 and headquartered in Irvine, California, operating as CarMD, LLC under the corporate umbrella of Innova Electronics Corporation. The company builds consumer-facing OBD2 diagnostic hardware paired with a mobile app — its flagship product, CarMD Connect — that delivers real-time vehicle health monitoring, AI-powered repair guidance (Ask CarMD), and family-oriented location tracking with geofencing. Supporting offerings include the CarMD ProScan professional inspection tool for repair shops, the CarMD API for B2B integrations, and the annual Vehicle Health Index industry report, which analyzes over 39 million vehicle diagnoses and is widely cited by media including Forbes.
The company's core technology combines a Bluetooth-enabled OBD2 dongle with a proprietary knowledge base of over 100 million verified technician-backed vehicle repair records that powers its domain-specialized Ask CarMD AI chatbot. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time hardware sales of the CarMD Connect device (priced $49.97 on sale to $119 regular, available in 2, 3, and 5-pack bundles) sold direct-to-consumer via Shopify, at Walmart retail, and through app stores, with no subscription fees. Secondary revenue streams include the ProScan professional tool, the CarMD API, and the media and PR value of the annual Vehicle Health Index report. CarMD serves individual car owners, multi-vehicle households, parents of teen drivers, used car shoppers, and automotive repair shops, currently operating only within the United States.
CarMD firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CarMD
- Legal name
- CarMD, LLC
- Website
- https://carmd.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- CarMD is a private Irvine, California-based connected vehicle services company that builds OBD2 diagnostic hardware, mobile apps, and AI-powered vehicle repair guidance for individual car owners, families, and automotive repair shops.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CarMD industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Connected Vehicle Diagnostics
- NAICS
- Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (336320)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Video Telematics, ADAS & AI Dashcams (TLAEAFAG)
Keywords
Where CarMD is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Irvine
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
CarMD business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations
Revenue model
- Hardware Device Sales: CarMD Connect dongle sold as one-time purchase. Single device priced at $49.97 (sale) to $119.00 (regular). Multi-pack options available (2-Pack, 3-Pack, 5-Pack). No subscription required to access all features.
- App Downloads and Access: Free app downloads included with device purchase. App provides vehicle health monitoring, location sharing, AI diagnostics, and family co-management features at no additional cost.
- Vehicle Health Index Industry Reports: Annual Vehicle Health Index reports providing data on check engine repair trends, costs, and reliability rankings. Published since 2011 and widely cited by media including Forbes and PR Newswire.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | CarMD Connect Single Device - One-time purchase with all features |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | CarMD Connect Multi-Pack Bundles - Volume pricing for families/households |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
CarMD product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CarMD designs and sells the CarMD Connect OBD2 Bluetooth dongle paired with a free mobile app that delivers real-time vehicle health monitoring, check engine light diagnostics, AI-powered repair assistance ("Ask CarMD"), and family location tracking with geofencing. The company also offers CarMD PRO SCAN for professional repair shops, the CarMD API for developer integrations, and the annual Vehicle Health Index industry report derived from over 100 million technician-verified repair records.
Product overview
CarMD offers a connected vehicle ecosystem centered on its flagship CarMD Connect plug-in device and companion mobile app. The product portfolio includes consumer products (CarMD Connect dongle with AI-powered Ask CarMD chatbot, vehicle health alerts, location tracking with geofencing), professional tools (CarMD PRO SCAN for repair shops), developer products (CarMD API for partners), and data/analytics products (Vehicle Health Index annual report, CarMD Garage online service). The unified platform connects vehicles via OBD2 port to deliver real-time diagnostics, AI-powered repair insights, and family safety features with no subscription fees required.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CarMD Connect: All-in-one location-sharing and vehicle-health monitoring system with plug-in device and no-subscription app.
- CarMD ProScan
- CarMD Garage
Products and services
- CarMD Connect All-in-one consumer location-sharing and vehicle health monitoring system consisting of a Bluetooth OBD2 plug-in dongle and a free companion mobile app providing real-time diagnostics, AI-powered repair assistance, geofencing, and SOS alerts for individual drivers and families.
- CarMD PRO SCAN Professional-grade vehicle inspection solution for automotive repair shops and technicians enabling diagnostic scanning and standardized customer-facing health and repair cost reports.
- CarMD API Data solutions API providing vehicle diagnostic information, maintenance data, TSBs and recalls, most-likely fix recommendations, part identification, predicted future failures, cost estimates, trip logging, and location sharing for B2B partners and developers.
- Vehicle Health Index Annual industry report revealing common check engine issues, repairs, costs, regional trends, and reliability rankings by make and model, widely cited by media such as Forbes and Yahoo Finance.
- CarMD Garage Online service providing vehicle owners, used car shoppers, and automotive industry partners with past, present, and predicted vehicle health and history reports.
Quantifiable outcome
- Saved individual customers over $1,400 in unnecessary repair costs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use CarMD
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CarMD technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability6 records
Feature6 records
CarMD partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.
- WalmartmajorCarMD Connect made retail debut at Walmart for the 2025 holiday season. This represents CarMD's first major brick-and-mortar retail partnership, bringing the product to mainstream consumers in Walmart's automotive section. The launch was announced via PR Newswire on October 22, 2025.
- Car AdviseminorThird-party referral partner identified by CarMD to help consumers find the best price for car maintenance and repairs. CarMD enhances diagnostic information by identifying Car Advise as a resource consumers can contact directly.
- AutoZoneminorAutoZone is referenced as a location where users can conduct vehicle diagnostic scans. CarMD Terms of Service state 'Company may provide you with links to third-party cost consolidators' and note users 'expressly assume all liability for any and all interactions with any AutoZone location.' This appears to be a referral/location partnership rather than formal integration.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CarMD competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bafx: Bafx makes consumer OBD2 Bluetooth scanners with companion apps for vehicle diagnostics. Competes on price in the consumer OBD2 dongle category alongside CarMD Connect.
- Hum by Verizon: Hum is a Verizon-owned connected-vehicle service with plug-in device and app offering diagnostics, location tracking, and family safety features. Direct competitor to CarMD Connect's combined vehicle-health + family-safety positioning.
- BlueDriver: BlueDriver offers a professional-grade OBD2 scanner paired with a mobile app providing diagnostic trouble codes and repair reports. Competes directly with CarMD Connect and CarMD ProScan across both consumer and professional channels.
- FIXD: FIXD sells a consumer OBD2 sensor and mobile app for vehicle health monitoring and maintenance reminders. Direct competitor targeting the same DIY consumer segment as CarMD Connect, with comparable plug-in hardware and app-based diagnostics.
- Carly: Carly offers brand-specific (BMW, Mercedes, VW) OBD2 diagnostic tools with advanced coding features. Competes with CarMD at the premium end of consumer diagnostics, particularly for European vehicle owners.
Emerging players
- EnginePal: EnginePal is a smaller consumer OBD2 diagnostic tool with mobile app offering engine code reading and repair insights. Emerging player in the same consumer DIY category as CarMD Connect with partial feature overlap.
Broad incumbents
- Matco Tools: Matco Tools is a professional diagnostic equipment provider (e.g., Maximus series) sold through franchised distributors to repair shops. Comparable to CarMD ProScan in the professional automotive diagnostics market.
- Bosch Automotive Service Solutions: Bosch is a global incumbent in automotive diagnostics equipment (e.g., OBD 1350, ADS series) serving professional repair shops. Comparable to CarMD's ProScan professional line, with much broader portfolio and global distribution.
- Snap-on Diagnostics: Snap-on is a major professional automotive diagnostic tools brand serving repair shops with scanners like Modis and Solus. Comparable to CarMD ProScan in the professional shop-grade diagnostic segment.
- Innova Electronics Corporation: Innova Electronics is CarMD's parent and a long-standing incumbent in automotive diagnostic tools (since 1982). Provides strategic backing and shared technology base, with a broader professional and consumer scanner portfolio.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CarMD social profiles
Digital presenceCarMD financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CarMD leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
CarMD funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CarMD M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CarMD
What does CarMD do?
CarMD designs and sells the CarMD Connect OBD2 Bluetooth dongle paired with a free mobile app that delivers real-time vehicle health monitoring, check engine light diagnostics, AI-powered repair assistance ("Ask CarMD"), and family location tracking with geofencing. The company also offers CarMD PRO SCAN for professional repair shops, the CarMD API for developer integrations, and the annual Vehicle Health Index industry report derived from over 100 million technician-verified repair records.
Is CarMD a public or private company?
CarMD is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was CarMD founded?
CarMD was founded in 2006. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is CarMD based?
CarMD is headquartered in Irvine, United States, in the North America region.
How does CarMD make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Hardware Device Sales are the primary driver. The others are app Downloads and Access and vehicle Health Index Industry Reports.
Who are CarMD's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bafx, Hum by Verizon, BlueDriver, FIXD and Carly. EnginePal is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Matco Tools, Bosch Automotive Service Solutions, Snap-on Diagnostics and Innova Electronics Corporation.
Does CarMD have an API?
Yes. CarMD offers a data solutions API providing vehicle diagnostic information, location sharing, trip logging and tracking, and vehicle management services. The API enables partners and developers to access vehicle diagnostics, maintenance data, TSBs and recalls, most likely fix recommendations, part identification, predicted future failures, and cost estimates. Available at api.carmd.com as a member-facing service. Developer documentation is at api.carmd.com/member.
What industry is CarMD in?
CarMD's product category is Connected Vehicle Diagnostics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAEAFAG, Video Telematics, ADAS & AI Dashcams. Its NAICS code is 336320.