Start Your Car Remotely This Winter
Published Date: 2nd Nov 2021
Wouldn’t it be nice this winter to start your car in the morning from the comfort of your home? Then when you leave for work you enter a toasty warm, ready and fully defrosted car, no scraping ice off windscreens and no sitting in the vehicle waiting for the windows to demist!
If you haven’t bought a new car for some time and you are mulling over the benefits, this is just one of the appealing options you have with many new cars these days that are equipped with a host of hi-tech features.
As well as the more traditional method of remote engine start using the vehicle’s fob, many new cars come with modem technology that enables the owner to install a companion app on their smartphone and operate some of the car’s functions remotely.
Some of the common options that can be operated remotely by equipped vehicles are engine start, lock/unlock the doors and sending a destination to the vehicle’s built in sat nav system.
Many new vehicles are equipped with modem’s now meaning as long as the modem is activated, and your phone has an active internet connection you can feasibly operate the remote features from any distance.
You can contact us on 0161 946 3500 for advice on which vehicles are equipped with such technology or browse our large selection of new car deals where you can view details specs and equipment lists for each vehicle.
Here are some features to look out for on new cars that will offer remote features (for supported vehicles):
MyAudi Remote Features
MyAudi allows drivers to remotely control a number of features including engine start, heat the cabin, remote locking/unlocking and car finder. You can also send a destination to the vehicle’s sat nav and check the vehicle status for example how many miles of fuel you have left.
BMW ConnectedDrive Remote Services
The BMW ConnectedDrive app allows you access and control and number of features remotely including engine start, locking/unlocking doors, finding your vehicle and turning on/setting the climate control features meaning entering your car first thing in the morning can be a very pleasant experience.
FordPass Connect
Install the FordPass Connect app on your smartphone and remotely lock/unlock the vehicle. If you have an automatic transmission, you will also be able to remotely start the engine and activate the Quickclear heated windscreen and heated seats/heated steering wheel if your vehicle is equipped with them.
Mercedes Me Connect Remote Services
The Mercedes Me Connect app lets you control your Mercedes vehicles features remotely including engine start, locking/unlocking
HondaLink
With HondaLink you have features from a smartphone app that include the ability to remotely start your car, set the climate control, lock/unlock doors and find your vehicle.
MyHyundai - BlueLink
The MyHyundai app provides a number of remote features via ‘BlueLInk’ including remote start, locking/unlocking and a wide range of information about the vehicle’s status.
KIA Connect
Start your engine remotely, adjust climate control, and view information about your vehicle.
NissanConect
Through the NissanConnect Services smartphone app you can perform tasks like remote start, lock/inlock and send routes to the vehicle’s sat nav.
Toyota Remote Connect
As well as being able to remotely start the vehicle’s engine, Totoya’s Remote Connect allows you to remotely control features via the smartphone app like unlocking/locking doors. check vehicle status (for example if doors are unlocked, windows are open, how much petrol in tank), there is also a find your vehicle feature, that allows you to locate your car via on-screen map.
Volkswagen Connect Services - Car-Net
Volkswagen offers connected services via a smartphone app with ‘Car-Net’, while most models won’t be equipped with remote engine start, some higher-grade models do have it and other features like remote locking/unlocking.
Volvo On Call
Volvo ‘On Call’ offers a range of remote features operated from the smartphone companion app including remote start, cool/heat the cabin, remote lock/unlock, get vehicle status and much more.
There are also many new vehicles that offer remote start operated by the key fob or ‘key card’, with this option you will likely be distance limited and so this is a viable option if your car is parked on your drive or close to the house.
*Features are dependent on your vehicle being equipped with the relevant technology.