Patent ID: 7447770

Claim:
A method, comprising: using a sensor disposed in a motor vehicle to measure a condition of a component of the motor vehicle; storing information generated by the sensor locally in the motor vehicle; transmitting the information from the motor vehicle to a first computer at a central service center via a network, the first computer being configured to maintain a service history for the motor vehicle; analyzing, with at least one processor at the first computer, the information from the motor vehicle to automatically identify a problem or abnormal condition of the motor vehicle; analyzing, with the at least one processor at the first computer, the service history to automatically identify one of a manufacturer, a service depot, and a dealer; transmitting a maintenance request and the service history from the first computer to a second computer of the one of the manufacturer, the service depot, and the dealer through the network; sending a network communication from the second computer of one of the manufacturer, the service depot, and the dealer to a user of the motor vehicle, based on the information stored in the motor vehicle that has been transmitted to the first computer, wherein the condition of the component of the motor vehicle includes an event in the motor vehicle which is an interaction between the user of the motor vehicle and the motor vehicle; determining a cumulative number of uses of a subcomponent of the motor vehicle that caused the event; storing the cumulative number of uses of the subcomponent of the motor vehicle that caused the event; determining a sequence of use for a plurality of subcomponents of the motor vehicle; storing the sequence of use for the plurality of subcomponents of the motor vehicle; and transmitting the cumulative number of uses of the subcomponent and the sequence of use from the motor vehicle to the first computer.