Connected vehicle technology company Spireon has acquired Inilex, a privately-held provider of GPS services to auto dealers. Inilex’s primary product, Skylink, is intended to enable new car dealers to increase finance and insurance revenue with GPS-based add-on services.
This acquisition is intended to enable Spireon to connect major segments of the vehicle life cycle, from new and used car dealers, fleets, lenders, insurers and rental car fleets, Spireon said, and expands the company’s strategy to offer rich services and business intelligence to any kind of vehicle.
“The acquisition of Skylink expands Spireon reach into the new car dealer segment, and positions us as a leader across the vehicle life cycle,” said Marc Brungger, CEO of Spireon. “New car dealers have strongly told us they need new ways to increase revenue by offering consumer applications that leverage the data coming from connected cars.”
Skylink replaces legacy radio sets, which have limited coverage, with GPS services that can be tracked via internet-connected devices and offers coverage using national cellular networks. Skylink’s 24/7 call-recovery center works directly with local law enforcement and cloud-based phone applications, Spireon said, resulting in vehicles being recovered within minutes. Skylink also offers lot-management functionality and enables compelling add-on consumer applications, Spireon said.
“Skylink’s vehicle inventory management system allows for greater operating efficiencies, and as an aftermarket accessory, Skylink is a high-value product that appeals to customers,” said Jeff Rachor, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Automotive.
“We are excited to join the Spireon family,” said Michael Maledon, CEO of Inilex Corp. “This transaction allows us to scale our sales and marketing efforts to reach more dealers nationwide. Backed by world-class infrastructure, our customers gain the added assurance that Skylink will continue on our promise to deliver high value solutions and results.”
