Ford’s Smartwatch App Lets You Check Your EV’s Charge
By Paulo Acoba
Ford unveiled a new smartwatch app that allows owners to check on the status of their vehicles charging.
Wearable tech and smart device apps that interact with your vehicle are all the rage right now and Ford is ready to jump head first into that market. According to Ford on their official press release earlier today (Sept. 17, 2015) anyone who happens to drive any of their EV’s (Ford C-MAX Energi, Ford Focus Electric and Ford Fusion Energi) can download their smartwatch app and control as well as monitor key vehicle vitals all from the comfort of their own smart watch. Volvo launched a similar app earlier this year but works with gasoline-powered cars as well. We’re sure that Ford can easily adapt this technology to all their vehicles, but for the time being is limited only to anything that you can plug in to charge.
According to Ford features include,
- Range and charge status for battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles
- Capability to initiate preconditioning of vehicle cabin remotely
- Locking/unlocking capability
- Vehicle mileage summary
- Last trip summary includes personal driving score, percentage of electric vehicle miles
- Vehicle location provides walking or driving directions back to your parked car
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Being able to monitor your charge saves you the hassle of having to whip out your smartphone or manually walk over to your car to see if charging is done. I’m sure EV owners in extremely hot and cold climates can see the value of preconditioning the air before entering. And anyone whose locked their keys in their car knows how invaluable that unlocking capability can be.
Although smartwatches themselves might turn out to be a tech fad, smart-apps in general are here to stay. The possibilities are endless on how you’ll be able to interact with your vehicle in the future remotely. Who knows. In the very far, far, future you might be able to send your car out to pick up your friend thanks to autonomous car technology and smart phone apps.
