In the modern world, even taking a phone out of a pocket or bag has become a hassle, and car manufacturers have recognized this and are seeing the small screen on your wrist as a valuable new control area. Volkswagen is the latest company to enter this arena. The company aims to make life easier for drivers by making the myVW app compatible with smartwatches. This innovation offers a new level of convenience, especially for electric car (EV) owners.

A Great Convenience for Electric Vehicle Owners

Volkswagen has expanded its reach to the vast majority of smartwatch users by offering support for Apple watchOS and Google’s Wear OS operating systems. Now, drivers can control certain functions of most Volkswagen vehicles from the 2020 model year and newer from an Apple Watch or Wear OS smartwatch.

The new features are designed to be most useful for Volkswagen’s growing electric vehicle family. Electric vehicle management includes various dynamics such as batteries, charging times, and cabin temperature. The myVW smartwatch app allows EV owners to check the vehicle’s charge level at a glance. They can also start and stop charging sessions remotely.

This is a highly functional feature, whether charging at a public station or at home. Crucially, EV drivers can turn on the heating or air conditioning before getting in; doing so while the vehicle is still plugged in preserves valuable driving range because it draws power from the grid rather than the battery.

The app also offers various functions for owners of conventional gasoline vehicles:

• If the vehicle has this feature, they can remotely start and stop the engine.
• They can view fuel status on the watch.
• Basic functions like locking and unlocking the doors are available.
• There’s also a “Honk and Flash” feature to help find the vehicle in a crowded parking lot.

Unfortunately, this wrist-worn remote control feature isn’t free, and Volkswagen drivers must complete several steps to use it:

• First, they need to download the myVW app to their phone.
• Then, they need to add their vehicle to the app’s “virtual garage.”
• They need to accept the “myVW” and “myVW+” terms of service.
• Most importantly, they need to subscribe to a paid plan.

These features are available through plans called “Remote Access” and “VW Vehicle Insights,” which start at €8.53 per month. Some of these plans also offer a trial period with a new vehicle.

Volkswagen clearly explained why it made this move. A press release states that the smartwatch app “encourages daily app interaction.” The goal isn’t just convenience, but also habit-building. Volkswagen wants its drivers to consistently use the ‘myVW’ app, fostering loyalty to the brand. This move also brings the company closer to its goal of “connected mobility,” where the vehicle is just one part of a larger digital life. By placing the app on the wrist, it makes it harder to forget and easier to use.