Chevy Volt to Integrate with Blackberry, iPhone Apps
Chevy Volt to Integrate with Blackberry, iPhone Apps
Posted 12/11/2009 at 3:03pm
| by Bart Salisbury
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We aren’t supposed to be distracted while operating our cars, but there seems no end to how much our cars will soon be able to distract us. The upcoming generation of electric vehicles are expected to come with apps that will let us be appraised of their status, and better service their needs.
GM is planning to have, at the least, Blackberry and iPhone apps that will let you connect with the Chevy Volt. Owners will be able to set times for charging and, through GM’s OnStar system, track electricity rates from local utilities. The app can also alert an owner on charging status, or if the owner forgot to plug the car in.
Seems that Nissan has something similar in the works for their electric vehicle: an iPod app that manages charging, and lets owners get text messages from their car. (Not while the car is driving, I hope.)
The apps for the Volt do raise the question of too much and too little. Are we becoming a society so out-of-touch with basic car operation we need constant reminders? Or has car operation become so complex that we need a whole new stream of information just to keep us on top of things?
Image Credit: Lyle/gm-volt.com
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usmanswl
March 01, 2011 at 9:26am
this function will be make in to the car and you dont need a app for your phone. every person don have a cell phone or the same kind of cell phone.
captrespect
December 11, 2009 at 11:09pm
yeah, I'll get excited about phone integration if they ever actually build the car.
fda153
February 01, 2010 at 8:54am
i need to install a back view camera in my car can you tell where i can find this type of stuff performance parts
Bergenfield limo service
DasHellMutt
December 11, 2009 at 6:11pm
Why on earth would you want to schedule charging? Shouldn't it just be charging whenever it is plugged in? And for anyone says "because electricity is cheaper at certain times", Please go look at your electric meter. Notice that it only spins faster or slower based on HOW MUCH power (measured in watts) you use and counts the number of spins. It does not measure when and does not change its ratio of speed to current based on what time of day it is. That whole thing is a lie told by people who don't know what they're talking about.
On the other hand there could be an environmental reason for charging at night and using only base load power of which a greater percentage comes from greener sources. But isn't that when the car is likely to be plugged in anyway?
I say this entire idea is completely pointless other than alerting you if you forgot to plug it in. And even that is of marginal utility in my book.
MeTo
December 12, 2009 at 11:12am
My father in-law pays less for AC in off peak hours. The meter spins the same they charge less per watt.
fda153
February 03, 2010 at 6:03am
there been same problem with me too but i got fixed it from bergen county limo service thats the place where i get solution for every probem of my classic drives
DasHellMutt
December 14, 2009 at 10:28am
If you just think about that for a minute you'll realize that doesn't make any sense. Does the meter print out a report of how much power was being used and when? Does the electric company check the meter multiple times per day to charge the customer at different rates based on how much they used during a certain time period. The answer is no. Therefore, it is not possible or practical to bill residential customers at different rates for different times of day. Now I could bossibly see a big business such as a factory or office building having a more sophisticated setup that would allow this type of monitoring but not normal residential customers which is what you would be talking about as far as charging an electric car.
thegamepro
December 12, 2009 at 3:52pm
Electricity costs more than gasoline. Charging up an electric car would be like running a second A/C unit in your house. Plus, our electric grid can't handle the demand of electric cars, unless of course, we burn more fossil fuels with a big CO2 footprint. I'm quite happy with gasoline cars and they are quite simple to operate, because you'll never need to remember to charge them up and gasoline is more dense with energy than a lithium battery cell.
DasHellMutt
December 14, 2009 at 10:40am
I pretty much agree. To start another argument though: I think we need more nuclear power. We actually have alot of dormant nuclear capacity in plants that have already been built and are either not in operation or are under utilized. Its a very clean and safe technology with near zero environmental impact and can generate massive amounts of power at low cost. People need to start thinking of nuclear as one of the "green" power technologies. More nuclear would add to the available base load power which is what would be used to charge these cars since they would normally be plugged in at night.
MeTo
December 13, 2009 at 6:18am
Hopefully you would program your charge time while sitting in a lazy-boy. Not while driving down the road.
the_river
December 11, 2009 at 3:14pm
Well...what if I buy a Volt or a Tesla vehicle later in 2011, and I still have my handy Droid and want these features?
Hmmm Mr. Auto Maker?
MeTo
December 13, 2009 at 6:25am
This function will be built-in to the car and you will not need a app for your phone. Not everybody has a cell phone or the same kind of cell phone. I heard the car will actualy talk to the electric company and find out the best time to charge is. Chevy Volt We will see.
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