Remember that epic BMW remote control car chase in the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies? You don’t have to become a British spy to get one of those fancy cars. Sadly though, while you can control most of the features of the car, you cannot drive it using your smart devices. Volvo Cars is set to release an updated version of its Volvo On Call smart app, delivering connectivity with wearable devices such as the Apple Watch and Android Wear. This will effectively allow Volvo drivers with the Volvo On Call app to control settings, lock/unlock, locate and utilise many other Volvo services from their wrist.
Volvo On Call’s new functionality includes wearable connectivity for devices such as the Apple Watch, a full iPad user interface, Android Wear and a unified Windows Phone app with voice control through Cortana, an assistant system, amongst others. The update, which will also see the addition of enhanced ‘send-to-car’ capabilities for navigation purposes, is due to be released end of June. Apart from adding new functionality, the Volvo On Call app has received a brand new design based on Volvo Cars’ celebrated Sensus driver interface in the new Volvo XC90.
In recent years the application’s importance and geographic spread has increased exponentially, to include convenience features such as remote locking, fuel level indicators, find my car and remote locking on top of the leading safety and security services that it was originally launched to deliver.
Volvo On Call
Launched in 2001, Volvo On Call became one of the first car-based telematics systems in the world, providing both safety, security and tracking services in the car in case of accident, breakdown or theft using a car-installed SIM card. The system still provides the original safety functions – activated when the car’s airbags are deployed, or when the driver needs assistance, putting them in direct contact with a Volvo On Call operator, who, using GPS technology, can direct emergency services to the scene of the incident.
Maybe we will have to wait to get a James Bond like car. Till then, share your views on this new technology by Volvo through the comments section below.