AA launches Vixa wellness app for cars to monitor their health: here’s how it works

The AA has launched a “wellbeing” app for cars that uses vehicle data as a “diagnostic tool”, This is Money can reveal.

Similar to how smart watches, rings, and bracelets (from Fitbit to Whoop) track and monitor the user’s health and fitness, the Vixa app monitors a car’s vital signs and warns the owner of impending trouble.

It will also solve the problem in the best way to solve it.

The app is aimed at preventing your vehicle from breaking down, something half of drivers say is their top priority, according to an AA survey of 11,453 motorists.

Vixa will collect the vast amounts of data that modern cars process every day to offer drivers an easy-to-use “holistic wellness companion” for their car.

Vixa constantly monitors the vehicle, diagnoses any faults that may arise, explains them and “offers stress-free solutions”. It alerts drivers to potential problems before they become serious and offers peace of mind to vehicle owners.

It will cost £5.99 a month, or £3.99 a month for AA members using AA’s breakdown or insurance services.

Through a small data collection device that connects to your car, Vixa provides you with updates and alerts via the app, as well as proactive maintenance solutions.

It is compatible with most gasoline cars manufactured after 2001 and most diesel cars manufactured after 2006. Hybrid vehicles support all features except battery alerts.

Over time, more car models will work with Vixa and some Ford models are already compatible if they come with the FordPass app.

Electric vehicles are not currently supported, but AA president Edmund King told us that AA is “working on that at the moment.”

Because electric vehicles have fewer moving parts, there are fewer things that can go wrong – the AA found that most EV breakdowns are caused by the tyres or the 12-volt battery, neither of which are specific to electric cars.

The AA says the technology has already informed someone on holiday in Spain that the battery in their car parked at a UK airport was about to run out.

Vixa also allows you to monitor tire usage by simply taking a few pictures to get a highly accurate diagnosis of tire age, tread depth, and condition to ensure your tires are safe and legal.

When a problem is detected, solutions are recommended, such as booking an AA-approved garage or arranging for a mechanic to come to your home. You can also chat with an AA mechanic on WhatsApp.

The app will also send you helpful reminders to remind you when your vehicle inspection and maintenance are due.

You’ll also receive upfront estimates for repairs, maintenance, or scheduling an inspection, allowing you to plan ahead and budget.

Vixa replaces the AA’s now-discontinued Car Genie app. Chairman Edmund King said the “key difference is that Vixa offers a solution and also points out the problems”.

‘Vixa is fully built-in; we can take it to an AA approved workshop or to a mechanic at your home, or to a technician over the phone.

“It’s more useful to consumers than Car Genie. The good thing about Vixa is that it alerts you before a warning light comes on on the dashboard and it’s too late to notice.”

Future updates to the app are likely to include a driver efficiency score to help you improve your mpg and save money, as well as advice on how to fix minor issues on your own that don’t require a mechanical repair.

Tom Fawcett, CEO of AA X, said: “The Vixa app is potentially the biggest change to the way AA supports drivers in many years. It represents a new era in car care that uses information about connected cars to put drivers in control.

‘Our new Vixa wellbeing system can help give drivers confidence to help keep them safe and save money and hassle.’