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Bouncie GPS Vehicle Tracker Summary
Bouncie is a GPS vehicle tracker designed to increase safety and awareness.
Plugs into your OBD2 port for real-time updates with the latest driving data.
Provides live location and accident detection for parents of first-time drivers.
Recorded data from Bouncie can be utilized by businesses and fleet managers.
Customer reviews continue to be positive on Amazon, with most having a good experience.
How We Tested Bouncie & What We Found
Our first drive after installing the device via the OBD2 (on-board diagnostics) port in our 2013 Honda Accord was around 12 minutes. Once it’s installed, you’ll need to drive around for at least 10 minutes for the device to connect and calibrate. After the first drive following the installation, you’ll begin getting live info and stats about your trips.
Possible Signal Loss
We tested Bouncie in San Diego, California (screenshots below), so we cannot say how it would work in a rural area where cell service might be limited. In total, we drove 200 miles over 24 separate trips with no issues or signal loss for this review. If you are considering Bouncie, we don’t anticipate you would have any connectivity issues if you live in a populated area.
If the device loses its signal while driving, it will still track the total miles, but the live updates may be delayed. Bouncie also overlays your driving speed on the app, so a temporary signal loss could cause some missing speed data.
After the planned phase-out of 3G cellular networks, older Bouncie GPS vehicle trackers will stop working and require a replacement with a 4G unit. The monthly data subscription does not change with a 4G Bouncie device.
Customer Reviews
Bouncie has a solid rating on TrustPilot with hundreds of good customer reviews, in addition to positive reviews on Amazon. Overall, our experience matched the other positive customer reviews we read. We liked seeing our car’s location and trip details like speed, driving habits, and accident notifications if an emergency had happened.
Benefits for Parents & Business Owners
Parents who install Bouncie in their teenagers’ cars may find it gives them additional peace of mind, especially if they are on the road later at night. Business owners can leverage the data recorded by Bouncie to help them better manage their fleet of vehicles.
In this review, we will share more about our firsthand experience with Bouncie and cover the features in detail for parents and business owners alike.
Bouncie Installation & Setup
Setup took us around 15 minutes, from opening the box and plugging the Bouncie unit into our OBD2 port to downloading the Bouncie companion app via the App Store or Google Play. When you create an account, it will ask you to enter information about your vehicle, like your make and model, VIN, and current mileage.
Although we didn’t need it, there is a “Chat With Bouncie” icon you can click to connect to a support chat through the app. As for the ODB2 port, they are typically near the driver-side door panel, underneath the steering wheel, but check your owner’s manual if you are unsure.
Bouncie Features & Settings
The Bouncie GPS vehicle tracker has features and settings you can adjust. Here is a list of each feature, with a brief description of how they work. We will start with the list of features for parents, then cover the features for business owners and personal use.
Features for Parents: Live Location
The unit detects your teen’s location and uses accelerometers to track speed continuously. When your teen hits the road, you will have up-to-date info every 15 seconds. The app will show you an overlay on Google Maps of the car’s location, when the trip started, and how fast your kids are moving.
Features for Parents: Geo Zones
Bouncie allows parents to establish a circular geo zone, sending a notification when the car equipped with Bouncie enters or leaves that zone. This is helpful if you want to avoid your kids going to a particular area or you want to know when they get to their destination.
You can make the circle as large or as small as necessary. For example, you can create a smaller geo zone around your immediate area if you want your kids to stay close or around a specific house or address so you know when they arrive safely.
Features for Parents: Accident & Safety Notifications
We didn’t test how well this works for obvious reasons! However, the Bouncie device can detect an impact or a sudden decrease in speed and send a notification. You will receive a notification and have the option to call 911. If an accident is detected, you can add a setting that sends a text message.
To help prevent an accident, Bouncie allows parents to monitor how their teens are driving. In the settings menu on the app, you can adjust the sensitivity of things like hard braking and rapid acceleration while also setting speed notifications.
We adjusted the sensitivity settings from low to high during our test drives around San Diego. With high sensitivity, we received notifications for hard braking and rapid acceleration of over eight mph per second. Low sensitivity notified us of incidents over 14 mph per second. During normal driving conditions, we didn’t get any notifications.
For parents of younger drivers, the Bouncie app will provide details of each incident and where it happened once the trip is completed. You can also set a curfew and get a notification if your teen’s car is being driven after your set hours.
In the event of an emergency, Bouncie can send roadside assistance, and the cost is included in your subscription. If your teenage driver runs out of gas, needs a jump start, or has a flat tire, Bouncie can make use of a network of roadside assistance providers. Bouncie’s roadside assistance plan is available to use three times in any 12-month period.
Should I Tell My Kids We’re Using Bouncie?
If you’re unsure of how to talk to your children about why you’re going to use Bouncie, they wrote this helpful article on the topic. If you don’t tell your kids about the device, it’s unlikely that they’ll notice it. However, it’s best to communicate the benefits and tell them you’re using it for their safety, not because you don’t trust them.
Features for Businesses & Fleet Operators
Bouncie can be utilized by businesses with delivery drivers, rideshare drivers, or other employees who frequently travel for work. Business owners and fleet operators can collect valuable data from Bouncie to track productivity and expenses.
Historical Stats
Bouncie tracks and collects data that can be exported into a spreadsheet for later review. You can view the total driving time, miles driven, and idle time for any vehicle for any date range.
Average Trip Data
Once installed, Bouncie will record how many trips a specific vehicle in the field has taken, the average length of those trips, and how much fuel is required for each one. You can track the exact cost per trip and track each vehicle and driver’s productivity.
Features for Personal Use
Even if you’re not using Bouncie for a business or to monitor young drivers, it has other helpful benefits.
Max Driving Distance
You can set a mileage alert for up to 500 miles with the Bouncie GPS vehicle tracker. This is excellent if you are currently leasing your car. For example, if your lease is set for 12,000 miles per year, you can set an alert for 230 miles – the weekly limit for 12,000 miles per year. The alert can help you avoid exceeding the mileage limit before your lease ends.
Care Plan
The Care Plan helps you create reminders for regular maintenance and upkeep. You can set a reminder at certain mileage intervals or a specific date to receive notifications accordingly.
This helps when you want a reminder about changing your oil, replacing your windshield wipers, or other things like renewing your registration. Bouncie will also monitor your battery and alert you if a check engine light comes on.
Connect to Smart Devices
You can connect the device to Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and IFTTT (If This, Then That). For fun, we told Alexa, “Ask Bouncie if I need gas.” Alexa answered, “The Honda has 70 percent gas left.” We also asked where our car was, and Alexa gave us the address where we parked.
What Does Bouncie Cost?
Not counting any deals or promotions, there’s a one-time payment of $90 for the Bouncie device on Amazon and a $9 monthly subscription.
There are a few other popular options for GPS vehicle trackers. We compared Bouncie side-by-side with two other competitors.
BouncieAutoBrainVyncsDevice Cost$90$30$99 & up + ActivationRecurring Cost$9/month$9/month$99+/yearContractNoNo1 YearFree Trial/Refund45 Days30 Days30 DaysLive Updates15 Seconds10 Seconds60 SecondsTrip HistoryUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimitedAvailabilityUS, Mexico, CanadaUS, Limited in Canada200+ Countries
Is Bouncie Right for You?
We can see the benefits of the Bouncie GPS vehicle tracker, whether you’re a parent or business owner or just enjoy having all of your stuff connected. Once the Bouncie unit is installed via your OBD2 port, you can set it and forget it, tracking the driving information that’s most important to you.
Overall, the device is a cost-efficient and easy-to-use tool to keep your family safe or increase the efficiency of your business.
Carl Anthony is the Managing Editor of Automoblog and the host of AutoVision News Radio and AutoSens Insights. As a respected automotive industry thought leader, Carl has appeared on numerous podcasts and radio shows, including Wrench Nation, Cars Yeah, The Car Doctor, and Brains Byte Back, in addition to appearing as a regular contributor on MotorMouth Radio on WHPC 90.3 FM. His work can also be seen and heard 24/7 on the Automoblog YouTube channel.
Bouncie Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bouncie legal?
If you’re the owner of the car, it’s legal to install and use.
Does it work in other countries?
Bouncie works in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The device will work everywhere you get service. There may be some missing trip info if the device can’t connect.
Can I pause or suspend my service?
You can cancel your monthly subscription at any time and continue using it until the next bill is due. If you want to stop the tracking, the easiest way is to unplug the device. It will take a few minutes to reconnect when you plug it back in.
Can I use it for more than one vehicle?
The device can only track a single car at a time. You can switch it over to another vehicle or purchase multiple devices for other vehicles. If you have three or more devices, the monthly subscription cost will drop.
Will it work in my vehicle?
Bouncie will work in any vehicle with an OBD2 port, which includes almost anything manufactured after 1996.
What if my car doesn’t have OBD2?
If you don’t have an OBD2 port, there are other installation options available.
Technical Specifications
Physical
Height: 1.875 in. (4.76 cm)
Width: 1.75 in. (4.44 cm)
Depth: 1.0 in. (2.5 cm)
Weight: 1.13 oz (32.1 g)
GPS
Receiver: 56-channel GPS receiver and GLONASS Tracking: -162 dBm
Antenna: Internal built-in
Accuracy: Position 2.5 m CEP
Accelerometer
3-Axis: X, Y, Z output
Auto-Normalization: Self-Calibrating, Auto-Normalization to the direction of motion.
Wireless
Cellular: 3G Penta-band 800, 850, 900,1900, 2100
Antenna: Internal built-in
Certifications
Carrier: FCC and PTCRB Certified
CE: CE Certified
E-Mark: e-Mark E-13
Environmental: RoHS Compliant
Original article: Bouncie GPS Vehicle Tracker Review: How It Works, Top Safety Features & Cost (2024)
