Applus (News - Alert) Technologies is not just the global leader in automotive emissions and diagnostic testing solutions; it is also in the business of tapping the brains of more than 99 percent of the vehicles on the road today.

“Applus was founded out of a need to provide fast, reliable vehicle emissions testing for customers,” Tom Springer, CEO of Applus, told TMCnet. “In the process of servicing tens of millions of vehicles for more than a decade, we’ve developed highly advanced, customizable solution for everyone from parents of teenagers, to operators of large taxi fleets.”

“We’re pioneers in on-board computer diagnostics (OBD) solutions and have more experience than anyone in this space,” he added. “Armed with data, experience and an entrepreneurial spirit, we set out to find new ways to help make people’s lives safer and more efficient.”

Since 1996, Applus has served as America’s most experienced program management contractor in the field of vehicle safety inspection and emissions testing. Its experience with deploying OBD solutions for more than 17 million vehicles a year gives Applus a “leg up in the connected car business,” Springer said.

Its latest release, the A+ Tracker, is the next logical step in the evolution of Applus, merging Applus’ expertise in automotive diagnostic testing solutions with wireless broadband and telematics applications to provide an innovative solution for the transportation and insurance marketplaces.

“The A+ Tracker, developed by Applus is a simple, self-installed, low cost device that creates a flexible platform for delivering ‘connected car’ services across multiple industries by capturing and transmitting over 70 data points for vehicle and driver performance,” Springer said.

Applus’ latest release also fits into the current state of the tech space, the “age of the app,” according to Springer. Like a smartphone or other connected device, the A+ Tracker can be quickly and easily outfitted with a variety of business and consumer apps that unobtrusively empower people.

The applications include: Distracted Driving, which helps modify employee or teen distracted driving behavior, reduce crashes, and cut risk and liability by enforcing safety rules for texting and calling while driving; Fleet Management, which monitors and optimizes driving routes as well as vehicle maintenance needs; Insurance Safe-Driver Discounts, which helps customers earn safe-driver discounts based on their monitored driving behavior; and Roadside Assistance, which enables fleet or personal vehicles to call for help themselves when emergency service and support is required.

To help take its company and latest offering to the next level, Applus has teamed with Sprint, a machine-to-machine (M2M) leader.

“Sprint’s (News - Alert) leadership in wireless services and next gen technology, coupled with its advancements in M2M for the enterprise and consumers makes it an ideal partner,” Springer said as to why Applus forged this partnership.

“We’re also excited about the opportunity to work with Sprint to help millions of wireless customers improve driver safety, increase business efficiency, lower costs, and reduce their carbon footprint,” he added.

So what's next for Applus and its industry?

“Applus will continue to push the envelope of innovation by expanding the capabilities of the A+ Tracker from a hardware and software perspective,” Springer said. “Already in beta testing is our A+ TrackerHD for heavy-duty; this will bring the concept of the connected car to everyone, including long-haul truckers, making the road safer and travel more efficient for everyone.”

“The growth in the vehicle telematics industry is just getting started,” he added. “With more than 250 million vehicles in the U.S. requiring an after-market solution and the ease of creating applications on a platform like the A+ Tracker, the benefits to consumers and businesses will be enormous.”