This piece of tech tells you what your car is thinking

There are few small orange lights capable of changing the mood inside a car quite as effectively as the engine management light. One minute you’re driving along quite happily, the next, a tiny illuminated engine has appeared behind the steering wheel and suddenly you’re listening very carefully for noises that almost certainly weren’t there five minutes ago.

The odd thing is that the car probably knows rather more about the problem than you do. It’s just rubbish at telling you. And, like all good couples therapists will say, communication is everything. See, modern cars are constantly monitoring themselves. Temperatures, pressures, emissions, voltages, wheel speeds and dozens of electronic control units are all being watched in the background. Which is tremendously clever, right up until the car condenses all that knowledge into one orange symbol and leaves you to work out the rest.

This is where diagnostic scanners become useful.

THINKCAR’s ThinkScan 689BT Pro plugs into the car and can communicate with its various electronic systems, reading fault codes and producing a diagnostic report showing what’s operating normally and where a problem may have been detected. So far, so diagnostic scanner. Where this tool becomes more interesting is what it can then do with that information. Available on AliExpress, which has become a popular launchpad for AI-powered products, the ThinkScan 689BT Pro’s AI Diagnostic Report Analysis is designed to interpret the results rather than simply present you with a collection of codes. It can summarise the status of the vehicle’s various modules, explain warnings and faults, and offer troubleshooting information and repair suggestions.

Because while a code such as P0171 may mean something instantly to an experienced technician, it’s considerably more useful to the rest of us when accompanied by an explanation of what it relates to and some possible causes. The 689BT Pro’s AI Fault Code Analysis can do exactly that. It can show whether a fault is current or historical, identify the module involved, explain possible symptoms and point towards relevant checks, circuit diagrams and repair information.

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It’s less about turning you into a fully qualified technician overnight and more about giving you a better idea of what your car is trying to tell you. Which, frankly, feels useful. There’s also Tyler, THINKCAR’s AI technician assistant. Rather than requiring you to know the right fault code or technical term, Tyler allows you to ask questions in ordinary language. Tell it, for example, that the car has a rough idle or feels down on power and it can suggest possible causes, checks and repair routes.

That doesn’t mean the local garage can be retired just yet. There are still plenty of jobs best left to someone with the right tools, experience and, ideally, a ramp. But there’s a lot to be said for understanding a problem before you decide what to do about it.

THINKCAR is taking the same idea further with its pro model the THINKCAR T394 AI. This new flagship device adds voice, text and image inputs, deeper AI-assisted diagnostic analysis and repair guidance linked to relevant components and circuit diagrams. There’s even a voice-activated assistant, so you can say “Hi, Tyler” and start asking questions without having to navigate through menus.

The THINKCAR T394 AI gives a useful glimpse of where THINKCAR sees vehicle diagnostics heading next, and is coming soon to authorised THINKCAR dealers (visit THINKCAR.com to find out more). 

The ThinkScan 689BT Pro, meanwhile, is available on the official THINKCAR store on AliExpress, as part of The AliExpress 11.11 Sale — running from 1 November. Find the ThinkScan 689BT Pro at AliExpress Brand+ and for only £685 during the AliExpress 11.11 sale. Use code [GBGB05] to enjoy and extra £35 off during the 11.11 sale.

If you didn’t know, Brand+ is a dedicated selection of branded products that have met AliExpress’s platform eligibility criteria, with enhanced service and competitive pricing. THINKCAR is among the automotive brands featured through the platform.

Specs? Checked. Price? Even Better. Shop with confidence at AliExpress Brand+.