Still on the road, and yet already busy at home. Although it sounds like a paradox, it is actually quite simple. At the IFA 2017 international consumer electronics exhibition beginning today, Volkswagen and Deutsche Telekom are demonstrating how drivers can connect with their homes via their vehicle’s infotainment system. Starting this September, they will be able to control certain household devices right from within the vehicle.
Who isn’t familiar with this situation? After a long day at work you arrive home, but it is no time to relax. The security system is still on, the lights are off, the shutters are not closed, and in the colder seasons it’s even worse: temperatures within the house are chilling, which means cold feet – at least until the heat is up and running. Now, however, it is possible to put an end to all that.
Using Volkswagen Car-Net App Connect, it is now possible to conveniently control Magenta SmartHome technology features while on the road. In this manner, various types of device functions in the home can be controlled from inside the vehicle and without the need to reach for a smart phone – thus providing a convenient, secure link between the automobile and the Internet of Things (IoT). Use of this functionality requires an Android smartphone with MirrorLinkTM technology as well as Volkswagen Car-Net App Connect. Since May 2015, Volkswagen App Connect is available on nearly all Volkswagen models, and currently on around 50 smartphones from well-known manufacturers such as HTC, LG, Samsung, Sony, and others.
At CeBIT 2017, Volkswagen and Deutsche Telekom presented their concept for greater collaboration in connecting homes and cars. The demo version presented in March is now becoming reality. By no later than September 2017, Volkswagen drivers will be able to control Deutsche Telekom’s Smart Home app via their vehicle entertainment system, and thus experience a new form of connectivity and versatility.
At the IFA in Berlin (September 1-6), visitors to the Deutsche Telekom stand located at Hall 21a can experience ‘Volkswagen and Smart Home’ live in action. Using a Volkswagen e-Golf1 as a demonstrator, visitors will see how a security system can be deactivated, how exterior lights can be switched on, and of course how the home’s heating system can be brought up to temperature from within the vehicle, all before arriving home. Goodbye, cold feet.
