New Etisalat app unlocks, starts your car remotely… even switches on AC

UAE telecom operator Etisalat yesterday announced the region’s first connected car deployment in coordination with carmaker Nissan.

After downloading the app on any Android or iOS smartphone, users will gain remote control of locks, the horn, headlights, the windows and perhaps most importantly in this region, their car’s air conditioning – allowing customers the ability to cool down the car in advance of their drive, it said.

The new ‘Nissan SmartCar’ mobile app will be powered by Etisalat’s network and M2M Control Centre platform, and will initially work on the Nissan Maxima 2016 and the Nissan Patrol 2016.

In order for the app to work, Nissan will pre-install a small device within these cars, which will be connected via an Etisalat M2M SIM card. The partnership will ensure that the app will run on any smartphone, operating system or service network.

The app will also allow the vehicle to instantly message the owner if it is involved in a collision.

Among other features, as the application is compatible with GPS, GLONASS, and GSM M2M Technology, users can easily locate their vehicle with a simple touch of a button – an ideal theft deterrent and security feature.

Etisalat said in a media statement that this global launch of the ’Nissan SmartCar’ mobile application during Dubai International Motor Show 2015 in Dubai marked the beginning of the connected-car ecosystem in the Middle East.

The global connected car market will be worth €39 billion in 2018, according to forecasts from research firm SBD and the GSMA. Over the next few years, there will be an increase in the number of new cars equipped with fitted mobile connectivity designed to meet regulatory and consumer demand for safety and security features, as well as infotainment and navigation services.

 “Our new ‘Nissan SmartCar’ application, which we are launching in partnership with Etisalat, re-iterates to our tech-savvy customers that Nissan is the true leader of ‘Innovation that Excites’,” said Nissan’s Managing Director for Middle East, Samir Cherfan.

“Keeping with the evolution of the IoT era, it underpins Etisalat’s commitment to support the nation’s long-term strategy in promoting digitisation initiatives and developing the connected ecosystem of the UAE, including transportation. Through planned investments in our advanced M2M and IoT platforms, Etisalat is well-positioned to help the transportation industry realise their M2M strategies,” said Salvador Anglada, Chief Business Officer at Etisalat.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.