In December, Hughes Telematics announced it would be providing technology for use in Mercedes vehicles, and they also worked out a deal with Chrysler the prior January. Hughes says its telematics system will one day be standard on all Chrysler products, and that the company hopes to expand beyond Mercedes and Chrysler, according to <i>AutoBlog</i>.

Hughes Telematics offers the standard navigation and voice-controlled iPod integration, but also boasts remote diagnostics, the ability to start your car with your mobile phone, remote emissions testing and GPS tracking.

Additionally, Hughes features wireless diagnostics. A couple of clicks on a laptop and you can see the vehicle’s statistics on the Drive Connected Web site. Data includes idling time, the fastest speed it had reached, the number of trips the car had taken, average fuel economy, how long before an oil change would be needed and more.

<i>AutoBlog</i> reports that the system also has the ability to alert owners to changes in any of this data. Want to know when your employee goes over 60 mph? You'll get a text message or email. Other companies are offering similar services, but we were impressed with the comprehensive nature of the whole package.