DIMO Macaron vs AutoPi: a Simple Comparison

As we already wrote in our blog, the Dimo network lets anyone have a seamless overview of the car’s health, location and performance using a single app. The technology behind the project is revolutionary. DIMO is changing the game in the world of transportation by creating a decentralized ecosystem that brings together drivers, developers, and manufacturers. Think of it as a high-tech hub where blockchain technology securely shares vehicle data.

DIMO is open-sourced and decentralized: Anyone can join in – whether you’re a developer, a car enthusiast, or part of a company. No single big boss controls everything, making sure everyone gets a say.

It is all about your vehicle data

DIMO gathers data from connected cars, like how you drive, your car’s health, and where you go. This data is processed and analysed to get smart insights that can make driving safer, more efficient, and even more personalized. It is important to know that DIMO does not use your private data unless you allow it to.

Data privacy is ensured by the following methods:

• Data is encrypted end-to-end using hardware security modules and private keys that are never exposed outside of the device.
• Data is stored in two categories: public data (such as vehicle maker, model, and year) as well as private data (vehicle telemetry, location, VIN, etc.).
• Private data can only be seen by the user and those they opt-in to share data with. Users can self-custody their data and choose who to share with.
• Users can earn rewards by sharing their anonymized and aggregated data with Digital Infrastructure Inc., the core company behind the Dimo project. This data cannot be linked to a specific VIN.
• Users, vehicles, and trips have their own identities that conform to a W3C standard and are securely and privately linked to other identities. This allows the device to manage its data and transact with other devices. How do you earn from the Dimo Network?

To connect a car to the Dimo Network, there are three main options:

• Adding the VIN (vehicle identification number) allows the network to identify the car and pull in manufacturing, maintenance, and recall information.
• Logging in to the existing connectivity service provided by the car manufacturer, such as Ford, Tesla, or Toyota, using the Smartcar integration.
• Plugging in a DIMO-enabled hardware device, such as the DIMO AutoPi device or the Dimo Macaron, which transmits data to the network over a cellular connection or the LoraWan connection established by the Helium Network.

Once the car is connected, the DIMO mobile app visualises the vehicle data, such as speed, fuel level, location, and more. The Dimo Network rewards its users with the $DIMO tokens weekly. It takes only a single ride per week for the Dimo Network to register activity on your DIMO device and ensure you get rewarded for participating in the network.

The DIMO coins are the native currency of the network. DIMO users can earn using the $DIMO tokens to access the apps and services on the network, or just stack them for a potential future price move of the $DIMO coin (not financial advice, there are risks associated with such a strategy).

The DIMO Network aims to create a user-owned network that maximizes the value of vehicle data and functionality while minimizing privacy and systemic risks. It is a revolutionary way to monetize your vehicle data and get more out of your car.

DIMO Macaron

DIMO Macaron is a tiny, portable device that can plug into every major car brand, like Ford, Toyota, Tesla, and Mercedes. The DIMO Macaron can provide real-time data and insights into one’s car’s health, performance, and location. Thus, it is designed to be a versatile and affordable way to transform any car into a connected car. When setting up the DIMO Macaron, you should download the app and the data insight provided by the device from every one of your vehicles will be pooled and visualised seamlessly in the app. Using the DIMO app installed on your smartphone, you could assess the overall health of each of your cars and see where every car is as the device conveniently provides a GPS tracking signal.

The DIMO Macaron runs on the Helium Network, it uses the Lora signals provided by the Helium network hotspots. Thus, it benefits from the low-cost LoRaWAN model developed by the Helium Network. Further, when purchasing the DIMO Macaron, you get 3-year data included in the device’s price. So, you would not have to worry about purchasing SIM cards or any other type of data coverage for the foreseeable future.

While using the DIMO Network, you would be rewarded with DIMO coins in a personal crypto wallet – you’ll earn from using the service. The Macaron is the cheapest of the DIMO devices. It comes at a potential earning downfall though. The average earning at the time of writing would be 21 DIMO coins per week. However, with time if you use the DIMO Macaron at least once per week on your car, your rewards would be scaled by the levels the network developers have set. For example, a user at Level 1 would earn 21 amount of coins every week. At the time of writing 1 DIMO is worth 0.35 EUR. Whereas a user from Level 3 or above would see those earnings multiply significantly. With time and with consistent usage of the device, you can be set up for earning into an exciting crypto project like the DIMO.

ROI

It is a project of a financial modeller to tell you an approximate ROI of the DIMO Macaron but here is what you should know.

According to DIMO documentation, DIMO users get their rewards scaled up based on their participation in the network. So, the ROI is dependent on how often one uses the DIMO service.

DIMO AutoPi

The DIMO AutoPi was the initial product offered by the DIMO development team. It costs 299$ a piece and it is more complex in its build as it contains a RaspberryPi but essentially, it provides the same functions as the DIMO Macaron. The main difference between the DIMO Auto Pi and the DIMO Macaron lies in the rewards it can get you. So, at the start of the project when the DIMO Macaron came to market, the DIMO development team decided to allocate the rewards for Level 1 users of the Macaron to a proportion of 1-to-3. So essentially, if the device earns 21 DIMO per week, then the Auto Pi would be getting you approximately 63 DIMO coins. It is said that with time and user participation, the Level scaling balances out the DIMO Macaron and the DIMO Pi. So, proportionally the DIMO Auto Pi earns you more tokens in the beginning phase of the project when more tokens are generally distributed to DIMO network participants.

Which one to choose for your car?

Both the DIMO Auto Pi and DIMO Macaron are recommended to be installed on a car built after 2008. The project developers have been working hard on welcoming more users and cars that are older but up until now, DIMO is supported on vehicles built after 2008. So, if you are a proud owner of a vehicle from 2008 onwards both the DIMO Macaron and DIMO Auto Pi serve you well.