Volvo launches mobile app to control cars

Volvo has launched a new application to help drivers stay in touch with their cars remotely. The app allows drivers to monitor and check their vehicle from an iPhone handset.

However, the new app is available only for new Volvo models manufactured after 2012. The app helps drivers to easily find their cars by displaying its position on a map and remotely activating the lights and horn if necessary. Drivers can also lock or unlock the doors of their vehicle remotely through this app.

Drivers can also remotely view the vehicle dashboard to read information such as fuel level, range to empty, and average speed, as well as viewing more detailed information such as technical data and logs of recent trips made.

If the car alarm is triggered, a notification is automatically sent to the mobile app. Besides, other safety features such as roadside assistance and automatic collision notification are also included by Volvo.

The application is available for use in Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the UK, Russia, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands and is expected to be available in other countries like India soon.

Volvo's chief executive officer Stefan Jacoby says that the Swedish brand has "ambitious plans" in the connectivity field, although the automaker is hardly the only one vying for yet more space in drivers' pockets.

As cellular communications and satellite navigation devices combine with more powerful in-car computers, most major automakers are now looking for ways to safely enhance the driver experience, even when the driver isn't behind the wheel.

Earlier this year, Chevrolet's parent brand General Motors revealed that its remote access app, powered by telematics system OnStar, has over 56,000 users, who have completed some 1.3 million interactions with their vehicles.