AAA Partners with Sinch to Enable Roadside Assistance via Chat in Areas with No Cellular Coverage

When motorists break down on the road, they often reach out to organizations such as the American Automobile Association (AAA) for roadside assistance. As a result, the organization has a significant need to employ people and technologies that can help it provide driver assistance as quickly as possible. Unfortunately for many motorists, these breakdowns or emergencies often happen in remote places without cellular coverage.

In an effort to address the problem, AAA and cloud communications company Sinch recently announced they are partnering to expand chat capabilities for individuals requesting roadside assistance. These changes will allow those stranded in remote areas to seamlessly connect with AAA for help, said the organizations.

The announcement is a follow-up to news released by AAA in mid-September indicating that users of the newly announced iPhone 15 lineup, as well as those using the iPhone 14, can now get access to Roadside Assistance via satellite utilizing AAA services. AAA responds to approximately 30 million calls for roadside assistance annually and serves more than 63 million members.

Sinch, which has been an official Apple Messaging Service Provider since 2018, will serve as the software provider making it seamless for AAA agents to be in near-live contact with motorists and localize them using satellite connection. This new option to contact AAA is expected to help the millions of Americans each year who require road assistance while not being nearby a cellular network.

Sinch and AAA have partnered in the past. The Stockholm-based company made the AAA's 800-HELP number text-enabled. When a member texts, the response from AAA includes a web link that allows the user to create a request for roadside assistance without having to speak to an AAA agent.

"AAA's top priority is taking care of our members when they need us most," said Marshall Doney, president and CEO, AAA, in a statement announcing the partnership. "Sinch has been an excellent partner in furthering that mission and their innovation has allowed us to take our roadside assistance to the next level."