Volkswagen’s Car-Net for Apple Watch app lets you control your car from your wrist

By Ronan Glon May 5, 2015

Volkswagen Car-Net Apple Watch

Volkswagen has developed a car-control application for the brand new Apple Watch.

Apple Watch-wielding Volkswagen owners will be able to use the purpose-designed application to instantly see if their car’s doors are locked or unlocked, to remotely lock and unlock the car and to check whether the doors, the windows and even the sunroof are opened or closed.

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Have you ever lost your car in a big parking garage? Volkswagen’s new application will make your life a lot easier by providing a map of the vehicle’s current location, walking or driving directions to it as well as the ability to honk and/or flash the lights remotely.

Volkswagen Car-Net Apple Watch

Additionally, owners can set speed and boundary limits and receive instant notifications if either is broken, a useful tool for parents with young drivers.

Volkswagen says owners whose car is powered by either a gasoline- or a diesel-burning engine – so the vast majority of them – will be able to remotely check how much fuel is left in the tank at the simple push of a button. Those who drive the all-electric e-Golf will be able to use the app to check how much juice is left in the battery, see how many miles they can drive before having to top up, turn the charging process on and off and access climate control features.

Volkswagen Car-Net Apple Watch

The application will be compatible with select 2014 and newer Beetle, CC, Eos, Jetta, Passat and Tiguan models, and all 2015 and newer Golf, Golf GTI, Golf R, Golf SportWagen and e-Golf models. Volkswagen promises the Car-Net for Apple Watch application will be available globally but it has not revealed when owners will be able to download it.

Volkswagen is not the first automaker to introduce a car-control application for the Apple Watch. Late last month, Porsche launched the Car Connect application and BMW’s i sub-brand announced an app called i Remote for Apple Watch.

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Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

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