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Remote Car Starters

DroneMobile Smartphone Vehicle Control Response Time vs OEM

Smartphone Control

Being able to lock, unlock or remote start your car or truck using an app on your smartphone is handy. In listening to what owners of these solutions have been saying over the last few years, we’ve noticed a disturbing pattern: Most factory-installed remote systems are agonizingly slow. Nobody wants to wait around for their vehicle to unlock. So let’s do some research and see how the DroneMobile system from Firstech stacks up in terms of responsiveness.

What Is a Telematics System?

In the context of cars and trucks, telematics is a way of remotely controlling basic vehicle functions using an app on your smartphone. In essence, these systems replicate the operation of a key fob to let you lock or unlock your vehicle, pop the trunk or hatch, or remote start the engine. In addition, many systems include a GPS receiver that can locate your vehicle on a map or configure location-based security alerts.

DroneMobile is the aftermarket telematics system offered by Firstech – the company behind Compustar remote car starter and security systems. DroneMobile can be integrated with a Compustar remote car starter to provide unlimited control range. So long as your vehicle is parked somewhere with cellular service and your smartphone has access to the internet, you can send commands quickly and easily.

Smartphone Control
DroneMobile does much more than just let you lock, unlock and remotely start your vehicle.

Smartphone Control Response Time

In addition to reliability and ease of use, impressive response time is one of the main reasons thousands of people have upgraded their cars and trucks with this system. Firstech moved its authentication services to AWS a few years ago to increase reliability and responsiveness. AWS is one of the world’s premier cloud computing platforms and is used by companies like Netflix, Amazon, Capital One, Coca-Cola, Expedia and thousands more to host their online platforms.

If you’re sitting at your desk at work and want to remote start your vehicle with your smartphone, it doesn’t matter significantly if the process takes 2, 20 or 120 seconds. However, if you’re walking up to your vehicle and want to use your phone to unlock it, response time matters. The last thing you want is to stand in front of your vehicle for 30, 40 or 60 seconds while data commands travel around the globe. You want the system to unlock as quickly as possible so you can be on your way.

We surveyed a group of friends to look at the response time of the telematics systems that came with their cars and trucks. The answers were surprising in all regards. Most response times were slower than we expected, with a surprisingly significant number of users completely giving up on these systems because they often didn’t respond.

Smartphone Control

If we average all the responses, it took just under 18 seconds from when an icon on the smartphone was pressed to when the vehicle responded on most factory-installed telematics systems. In most cases, this was a simple lock or unlock command. However, the time it took for these vehicles to remote start and then report their status back to the app was often more than twice that.

DroneMobile – The King of Vehicle Remote Control Speed

Most of the employees at BestCarAudio.com have Compustar remote starters installed in their vehicles. We also have DroneMobile telematics systems integrated with those starters. We surveyed our team and many of our peers and found that the average response time for a lock or unlock request was about 2 seconds. In some cases, it was less. Sending a lock command over LTE was often faster than using a one-button RF remote. This isn’t a failing of the remote – it waits a second before transmitting to see if you’re going to press the button again.

If you have remote started your car or truck from inside your home, work, a restaurant or movie theater and are approaching the vehicle, using the DroneMobile system to unlock the doors in about 2 seconds is, frankly, the way these systems should work.

Upgrade Your Vehicle with DroneMobile

Many friends we talked with for this article expressed an interest in replacing the factory system with a solution like DroneMobile. The slow response time or complete failure of the system to function had led many of them to abandon using the factory-installed solutions. If you’re shopping for a lightning-quick telematics system for your car or truck, drop by a local DroneMobile retailer today. You can learn more about this impressive smartphone control solution by visiting the DroneMobile website, their Facebook page, Instagram feed or YouTube channel.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Convenience System Accessories

Convenience System Accessories

A remote starter, keyless entry or security system is a great way to enhance the functionality of your vehicle. A remote starter can make dealing with weather extremes much more comfortable. A properly installed security system can let you know if someone damages your vehicle or tries to steal it. If your car didn’t come with a remote control to unlock the doors, a keyless entry system can speed up the process of getting into your vehicle and locking it when you leave. An entire list of convenience options can be added to these systems to make them even more convenient and further improve the security of your vehicle.

Cellular Interface

ConvenienceMany companies sell smartphone interfaces for remote start and security systems. These systems work by interfacing between an app on your smartphone and the convenience system in your vehicle. Yes, you have to pay for a monthly (or yearly) service plan, so don’t be surprised by that aspect. These systems will allow you to lock and unlock your vehicle, start it remotely (if you have a remote starter installed), and pop the trunk if that is hooked up.

The best part is that if you have a security system, your phone will alert you with a message if your alarm goes off. Anywhere your car and your smartphone have access to a cellular connection, you can control the system.

Many smartphone interfaces include GPS receivers. Such a receiver can send the longitude and latitude of your vehicle to the app on your smartphone. This information will let you know exactly where your vehicle is and how fast it is traveling. The app also can let you know right away if the vehicle moves when it’s not supposed to.

Some of these systems include the ability to monitor battery voltage, advise you of vehicle diagnostic codes and tell you the temperature of the vehicle interior. A few of these systems include a built-in backup battery and will alert you if the unit is disconnected.

Power Window Control Interfaces

One of the “classic” convenience accessories is the power window interface. This module lets your convenience system roll your windows up and down with the press of a button on your remote. The system can be programmed to roll the windows up when the doors are locked. Many of these window control systems have the option of venting a window an inch or two with a short press of the button on your remote, then rolling the window down completely when you hold the button for a second or two.

Power window modules also can be used to control sliding doors or sun roofs.

Tilt and Motion Sensors

ConvenienceIf you are worried about someone stealing your wheels or towing your vehicle, then a tilt and motion sensor would be a great addition. These sensors calibrate themselves each time the alarm is armed, then trigger the system when the vehicle angle changes by more than a couple degrees. These sensors should not trigger the alarm under normal wind conditions, thanks to integrated software that recognizes when the vehicle is rocking.

Backup Battery Siren

If you are concerned about someone cutting you the wire to your siren so they can work on bypassing the rest of a security system, ask your mobile electronics retailer about a battery backup siren. These sirens will go off if someone cuts the wiring to it. A key on the siren will turn it off.

Radar Sensors Boost Protection

If you have a convertible-top vehicle or like to leave your windows down, a radar or field disturbance sensor is a great way to keep your vehicle protected. These sensors Convenienceusually have two stages of protection. The first will provide a warning to an intruder when something or someone enters the field. The second triggers the alarm right away. Your installer can fine-tune the size of the fields for a given sensor mounting location and vehicle type.

Keypads Add Convenience

Several companies offer convenience keypads that attach to the inside of your windshield. You can type in a code of your choice to arm or Conveniencedisarm the system.

Some keypads have the option of acting as a pager for an owner who has a two-way remote or smartphone interface. These systems use technology similar to what a smartphone uses with a glass screen uses to detect your finger presses.

Proximity Remote

Many new cars have proximity keys that unlock the doors when you walk up to the vehicle. Your installer can add similar technology to an aftermarket keyless entry system. You simply keep a fob in your pocket. When you walk up to the vehicle, it will disarm the alarm without your having to press a button.

High-output Sirens

ConvenienceIf you want to get people’s attention when your alarm goes off, then the addition of a high-output siren is just for you. Some of these sirens are extremely loud, while others offer a sound that is truly ear-piercing! These high-frequency sirens are often called pain generators and are typically installed in the vehicle.

Protecting your vehicle from theft or vandalism is an art. Some installers take great pride in their security system installations. They conceal wiring in the dash very carefully and use wire protection that matches the factory look and feel. Split-loom, flexible-conduit, Tesa tape and vinyl tape are just some of the wire protection options. Installers route wires with factory wiring to further conceal their work.

Adding features and functionality to a security or convenience system is a great way to enhance its performance and usefulness. These are just a few of the possible additions available. Be sure to ask your local mobile electronics specialist retailer about the options they have available.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Why Would I Want A Remote Starter?

Remote StarterIf you have never owned a remote starter, you might be asking yourself why they are so popular. The mobile electronics industry switches into “starter season” each fall and, when the weather cooperates, doesn’t stop until spring time. But what is it about having a remote starter that is so great? We’ll explain.

Just What Is a Remote Starter?

A remote starter system includes several components: a primary system “brain” and interface module, an antenna and at least one remote control. The installer will wire the brain into the ignition system of your vehicle, and then the brain replicates the electrical connections or data commands that are used to start your vehicle. When you press the Start button on the included remote control, the brain starts the remote start process. Pressing the Start button again or letting the preset timer run out will stop the car.

What Are the Benefits of a Remote Starter?

The biggest advantage of having a remote starter is that it will give your vehicle and its systems a head start in getting up to operating temperature. While most people think of a remote starter as something that is used exclusively in the middle of winter, many systems in the vehicle are involved.

Remote StarterThe engine has two fluid systems that need a chance to warm up before the vehicle is driven: the cooling and lubrication systems. As your engine runs, both the coolant and the oil will warm up. Engines operate their best at their operating temperature. At these temperatures, the oil flows easily through the engine and properly lubricates everything from the crankshaft and camshaft bearings to the cylinder walls and upper valvetrain. Oil gets thick when it’s cold, so warming it up before you put a heavy load on it (such as accelerating away from being parked or at a stoplight) makes it flow more easily.

The engine’s cooling system has to warm up for the heater core under the dash of your car to warm up. Only once the heater core is warm can the interior of the vehicle start to warm up in the winter.

In the summer, your engine needs to be running for the air conditioning compressor to work and allow it to extract heat from the interior of your vehicle. Even in the summer, your engine oil needs a few minutes to warm up so it can protect your engine properly.

How Long Should My Remote Starter Run?

You want the remote starter system to give your car a head start at warming up. Running the engine for 30 minutes would waste a lot of fuel. Most starters have a default run-time of 10 to 12 minutes. If you start the car 5 to 10 minutes before you want to leave, it will have had a good chance to warm up and start making the interior comfortable.

What Else Can My Remote Starter Do?

Remote StarterIn many vehicles, especially those with computers that control the accessory circuits, you have many options that can enhance the functionality of your remote starter. The most common option is door lock control. Most starters have multiple buttons on the remote control that will allow you to unlock the doors as you approach the vehicle, then lock them again as you walk away after arriving at your destination.

Some starter systems have the option of adding a security system. This upgrade adds a siren, shock sensor and additional wiring to monitor the doors. Other options include controls for the power trunk/tailgate, rear window defroster, heated seat and even power window. Your retailer can help guide you through the specific options for your vehicle.

Is My Car Safe When Remote Started?

Remote StarterA lot of retailers are asked whether someone could just walk up the car once it is remote started, open the door, get in and drive away. The answer is no. Stealing your car while it is remote started is no easier than when it’s parked and turned off.

First, most starters keep the doors locked after starting the car. It would be no easier to get in than when the vehicle isn’t running. For vehicles with automatic transmissions, you almost always have to put your foot on the brake pedal to shift out of park. Most remote starters have a shutdown wire connected to the brake pedal – unless you have put the key in the ignition, the vehicle will shut down as soon as you put your foot on the brake. You have no fear of anyone taking your vehicle just because you are using a remote starter system.

Does the Brand of Remote Starter Matter?

That’s a tough one. Certain brands have excellent reputations for reliability. In most cases, the brand of starters that a store carries is typically the one that they have the most experience with and confidence in installing. No installer wants to troubleshoot faulty equipment, so good retailers will always work with brands they trust.

Being familiar with the brand also means that the installers know the color and function of all the wires coming out of the brain so they spend little or no time is spent on reading the owner’s manual. Installers will also have all the tools required to program the system to your vehicle. Most remote starters in late-model vehicles have to communicate with CAN data network, so proper programming and configuration are essential.

What Else Do I Need to Know about a Remote Starter?

You have a lot of options when it comes to purchasing a remote starter. Other than the accessory circuits we mentioned earlier, the options involve different ways of controlling the starter system.

  • Remote StarterYour first option will involve deciding how much range you need. The range is the distance (in feet or miles) that you will be away from the vehicle and still want it to start when you press the button on the remote control.
  • The second option is how you want to communicate with the remote starter. Are you happy to push the Start button and let the vehicle do its thing? This type of communication is called one-way. The other option is a two-way remote that will blink, beep or vibrate once the system has received a command back from the vehicle to confirm it has started successfully.
  • You can also incorporate cellular-based smartphone interfaces with your starter. With a smartphone interface, as long as your phone and the vehicle can get a cellular data connection, you can be anywhere on the planet and start your car.

Choose Your Retailer Wisely

You also need to ask the retailer how the system will be installed. Installers around the country, and around the world, use many different concepts and methods. Some focus on speed so they can offer low prices. Other installers focus on replication of OEM methods for connectivity and wire management. What matters is that the system is reliable. Wire connections should be secure both mechanically and electrically. The installer should mount components so they do not cause buzzes or rattles. The shop should pay special attention to the safe disassembly and reassembly of your vehicle’s trim panels.

We can’t describe every situation, so ask to see their work and judge for yourself.

Owning a remote starter is a great way to save a few minutes each day. Giving your car even 90 seconds to warm up and get the fluids flowing before you start to drive can have a dramatically positive effect on the longevity of your vehicle and on your comfort.

Remote starter systems are not just for cold climates, so visit your local mobile electronic specialist retailer and see what they have to offer.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.