Automobile safety and maintenance information systems and methods and related services

Abstract

A computer system and method that provides users with vehicle related information and services. In one aspect, the system provides a vehicle selector that enables a user of the system to select a vehicle by selecting, at the least, a vehicle year, make and model. After the user selects a vehicle, the system is operable to display a summary report page for the selected vehicle. The summary report page includes summary information concerning the selected vehicle. Preferably, the system displays the summary report page without any charge to the user. If the user wants to see detailed information concerning the selected vehicle, the user must purchase a virtual key for the vehicle.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A computer implemented method for providing to users selected vehicle related safety and maintenance information, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a user interface that enables a user to select at least one vehicle;    obtaining at least two types of vehicle safety and maintenance information report types; and    supplying to the user safety and maintenance information relevant to the at least one selected vehicle, wherein the step of supplying comprises the step of displaying to the user summary statistics by report type.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of the user conducting a key word or key phrase search of the summary statistics.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the reports include information related to specific vehicle components, and the step of supplying to the user safety and maintenance information relevant to the at least one selected vehicle comprises the step of displaying to the user expanded statistics by component type.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising the step of the user conducting a key word or key phrase search of the expanded statistics.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the reports include information related to specific components, and the step of supplying to the user safety and maintenance information relevant to the at least one selected vehicle comprises the step of displaying to the user detailed reports by component type.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising the step of the user conducting a key word or key phrase search of the detailed reports.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of supplying to the user safety and maintenance information relevant to the at least one selected vehicle comprises the step of displaying to the user a custom report.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  comprising the step of automatically notifying the user when a new report is available for the at least one selected vehicle.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of storing for a user warranty information associated with a selected vehicle and automatically notifying the user prior to when the user's warranty or a portion of the warranty is scheduled to expire.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface enables the user to select a vehicle by enabling the user to select one or more of a vehicle year, a vehicle make, and a vehicle model.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the summary statistics comprises the number of reports of each report type that relate to the at least one vehicle.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the report types include one or more of technical service bulletins, recall reports, NHTSA investigations and consumer complaints and other report types.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the summary statistics comprises the number of reports of each report type that relate to the at least one vehicle that have been issued within a predetermined time period.  
     
     
         14 . A computer implemented method for providing to users selected vehicle related safety and maintenance information, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a user interface that enables a user to select at least one vehicle;    obtaining reports of at least a first report type of vehicle safety and maintenance information that pertain to the at least one vehicle, wherein the reports include information related to specific vehicle components; and    supplying to the user safety and maintenance information relevant to the at least one selected vehicle, wherein the step of supplying comprises the step of displaying to the user summary statistics by component type.