The price of cars has increased significantly in recent years. Part of this increase is due to improvements in their technology and security. In part, cars are becoming more and more connected, which increases their capabilities, with assistance and communication systems and the management of multiple functions from the mobile phone.
This is not only typical of electric cars, although all those that offer this type of propulsion are connected. Many combustion models also feature great integration with highly advanced entertainment and safety systems, whether they use Android Automotive or other platforms created by the manufacturers themselves.
Part of what’s new in new cars is the use of mobile applications that allow you to control certain functions without physically being inside the vehicle. Some of these features are related to safety, others to comfort, but all should be essential.
Locate the car using the integrated GPS. This is the first thing an application of this type should do. This way it is possible to always know where it is, in case we forget where we stored it or in case it has been stolen. It is important that this warning is active not only when the car is parked, but also when it is moving.
Open doors. Another very useful function is that the car warns that the doors are open, in case we forget to close it. Through a simple notification it would be possible to know and close it from the application itself, so as not to have to go to the vehicle.
Check the cameras. Most current cars are equipped with cameras inside and outside the cabin. This allows the operation of driver assistance systems, as well as the recording of possible accidents. It would be appreciated if the real-time view of these cameras was always accessible, as is the case with security cameras on objects.
vehicle logbook. Another interesting function is being able to keep track of the checks that have been carried out on the car or the different maintenances from the application. It would be something similar to what the My Citizen Folder application does with procedures related to administration, but in this case applied to the car.
Mobile as key. In addition to these security features, there are many other popular features that can be done from within the app, if only f or convenience. A good example is the car’s instant opening system when we approach it with our cell phone in our pocket. In this case, it is the smartphone that acts as the key, but this is only the case if the automotive application is installed with this function active.
Precondition the vehicle.It is also appreciated to be able to air-condition the vehicle before entering it. Whether in summer with air conditioning or in winter with heating or heated seats, it is very pleasant not to have to wait inside the car for the temperature to be adequate. This is especially important when you have young children.
control widget. It is also appreciated that you can control the car not from the application itself, but from the smartphone desktop. For this it is necessary to have a Widget which allows you to activate certain functions. And ideally, these functions should be configurable. Some users will prefer to have access to the trunk, others to the air conditioning, etc.
Share addresses from your mobile. It is also very practical to be able to search for an address in the map application of our mobile phone, whether Google Maps or other, and to be able to share it with the automobile application, so that the vehicle creates a route from which we are at the place we were looking for without having to do it. You must use the in-vehicle browser to perform the calculation.
Search for chargers and gas stations. The last feature that is imperative to have in all automotive applications is being able to search for chargers and gas stations. In the case of combustion vehicles, this is less important, although it would be appreciated to have a map on which, in addition to the location, the different prices would appear. In the case of electric cars it is much more important given that chargers are not yet so numerous in Europe and it is important to know where they are, their power, whether they are busy or not, etc.
In addition to these nine features, there are other functions that would be appreciated if they were in the apps, even if they were part of a monthly payment system like Tesla’s. A good example of this company’s application is that it allows you to activate sentinel mode, which turns the car into a security camera capable of recording movements around it.
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Even greater integration is what Xiaomi promises with its SU7, a car that uses HyperOS, the same operating system used by its new mobile phones and tablets. This allows for much more advanced integration, with control of the car’s media playback, as well as the ability to link multiple devices at the same time. It is even possible to project the mobile screen onto the car, to be able to interact with the smartphone from the vehicle. But, obviously, these features are much more advanced than what can be asked for in a standard application in a current car, although they are a differentiating factor.