System and methods for mobile applications using vehicle telematics data

A computing system, comprising:

• a telematics control unit (TCU) configured to interface with an OBD system of a vehicle via an OBD protocol compliant diagnostic port connector, the TCU programmed with instructions executable by the TCU to:
• receive vehicle state information from the on-board diagnostic (OBD) system of the vehicle via the OBD protocol compliant diagnostic port connector, and
• transmit an indication of vehicle state from the TCU over at least a first wireless data link component of a communications network to a service platform for delivery to a mobile computing device, the indication of vehicle state being based at least in part on the vehicle state information received at the TCU;
• and
• the service platform including one or more server devices programmed with instructions executable by the one or more server devices to:
• receive the indication of vehicle state from the TCU, and
• transmit the indication of vehicle state over a second wireless data link component of the communications network for delivery to the mobile computing device, the indication of vehicle state utilized at a mobile application program of the mobile computing device to:
• present the indication of vehicle state via a graphical display of the mobile computing device, and/or
• augment a functionality of the mobile computing device responsive to the indication of vehicle state.

A method for a service platform hosted at a server system including one or more server devices, the method comprising:

• for each of a plurality of telematics control units (TCUs) residing on-board respective vehicles and interfacing with respective OBD systems of those vehicles via an OBD protocol compliant diagnostic port connector, initializing each of the TCUs by:
• receiving an identifier of a mobile computing device and an identifier of the TCU wirelessly transmitted over the communications network by the mobile computing device via a mobile application program, and
• creating a user account that associates the TCU with the mobile computing device;
• receiving vehicle state information from each of the TCUs, the vehicle state information received from each of the TCUs over a first wireless data link component of a communications network;
• storing the vehicle state information received from each of the TCUs in a database system in association with respective user accounts created by said initializing;
• receiving, via an application programming interface, requests from third-party services for vehicle state information stored in association with the respective user accounts;
• and
• responding to the requests by transmitting vehicle state information to the third-party services over the communications network for the respective user accounts for delivery by the third-party services to respective mobile application programs of those third-party services via at least a second wireless data link component of the communications network.