ISMART app and Distance to Car

[CMack]

Third question for the day:

Purchased new Aus MG4 Essence, installed iSMART app.

Noting poor reviews of the app, but wanting to be able to “remotely” monitor charge (on/off and %)…

Does the phone Bluetooth need to be connected to the car obtain vehicle Status? Ie do I need to be within Bluetooth range of the iPhone and car (10m) to be able get a status of the car?

I’d love to be able to sit in my house and see charge % rather than walking to the car and checking the app (currently have to do). I may as well look through the window and see the charge % on the dash…

 

[barn]

No, you should be able to use all the app functions remotely (except the digital key) as long as you have an internet connection.

 

[Coulomb]

as long as you have an internet connection.

I believe that the car also needs a cellular connection, and the MG server (possibly Amazon Web Services) needs to be running. So there's not a lot that can go wrong really

 

[Rolfe]

I don't think you need any internet connection, it's all done through the phone.

 

[siteguru]

Pedant-mode-ON ... even a cellular data connection is an Internet connection.

As long as a) the car has a decent mobile data connection (and the car is "awake"), and b) your device has a decent data connection (whether mobile or WiFi), and c) the MG servers are running OK, then the app should connect to the car (via MG's servers).

 

[Coulomb]

I don't think you need any internet connection, it's all done through the phone.

Usually the phone will find the server via its IP address, and communicate over the internet. But in this case, the vehicle is finding the server via a phone number, and connecting via mobile data (possibly Short Message Service, but it might be something else). So yes, perhaps the phone does the same.

 

[Coulomb]

even a cellular data connection is an Internet connection.

I'm not sure if that is true. Why would you need an IP address to send a short message?

 

[Coulomb]

Actually, if the vehicle could talk directly with your phone(s), then I don't see why you would need the servers at all. That might be a good thing.

Maybe it gets too complex when more than one phone is registered with the car.

 

[barn]

Actually, if the vehicle could talk directly with your phone(s), then I don't see why you would need the servers at all. That might be a good thing.

Maybe it gets too complex when more than one phone is registered with the car.

My problem occurred after the mrs took over the app for a few days...........

 

[siteguru]

I'm not sure if that is true. Why would you need an IP address to send a short message?

SMS is not the only type of data connection ... what about 4G? 5G? In fact SMS is not used by the car at all; it "talks" to MG's servers via Internet Protocol.

 

[Coulomb]

SMS is not the only type of data connection ... what about 4G? 5G?

Oh, you mean it just uses your cellular data quota? Or WiFi if available?

OK, I'm just confusing myself and others.

Edit: And of course, that's why it can't talk direct to your phone through only the cellular network. Your phone's IP address probably changes from time to time.

Of course, straight SMS is no good; it would just end up in your messaging app as text. I was envisaging some sort of datagram sending and receiving that could find your phone via its phone number (which doesn't change), but I think I'm dreaming.

So after all this, you also need internet connectivity in addition to the two things I mentioned:

• Data connection car to servers via the cellular network
• MG's servers working; internet functioning
• Phone has internet connection (cellular or WiFi to a home network)
• Phone powered and working

 

[siteguru]

No - the car itself contains an eSIM with its own cellular data quota. Your phone's connection is not used at all; in fact the car still connects even if your phone is miles away.

 

[Coulomb]

No - the car itself contains an eSIM with its own cellular data quota.

Sure. That connects the car to server.

Your phone's connection is not used at all; in fact the car still connects even if your phone is miles away.

It's not used for connecting the car to the server, but surely the server to the phone requires another internet connection, either through cellular data or WiFi to another internet connection.

 

[tsedge]

Actually, if the vehicle could talk directly with your phone(s), then I don't see why you would need the servers at all. That might be a good thing.

Maybe it gets too complex when more than one phone is registered with the car.

That would indeed be possible and simpler, as would be enabling long range bluetooth or direct wifi connection, but car companies much prefer to have a central point of control (ie server) and the rich flow of data they get from all the cars. The incentives drive them not to do this.

There are various technologies that can get round the lack of fixed IP addresses at either or both ends, that's not a problem.

Ironically the dependency on the central server has not given us multiple independent accounts, concurrent phone app support, centralised profiles transferrable between cars or lots of other features that it should enable.

Instead it has given us reliability and stability issues, intermittent connections and strange failures. Joy!

MG's tech is in its infancy here. Lots of scope to dramatically improve it.

 

[DBedford]

Your car will always connect via the OEMs servers, can you imaging the even greater number of complaints they would have, let alone the even greater security issues if it was a direct connection.

 

[tsedge]

Your car will always connect via the OEMs servers, can you imaging the even greater number of complaints they would have, let alone the even greater security issues if it was a direct connection.

The vast majority of the time a central server ends up creating huge security holes due to poor programming.

Edit: For example, people who haven't unbound the car who then sell it and the new owner discovers someone else can open, close, locate etc... via the app. Good example of sloppy programming and central procedures.

 

[siteguru]

Sure. That connects the car to server.

It's not used for connecting the car to the server, but surely the server to the phone requires another internet connection, either through cellular data or WiFi to another internet connection.

I'd assumed (wrongly it seems) that we'd all agreed that the phone would use a data connection of whatever type it had available (mobile/WiFi) in order to talk to the server. I was merely correcting your misunderstanding as to how the car connects to the server.

Car <--Data--> Server <--Data--> Phone

 

[Edilvise]

In my case, he ISmart App can only communicate with the car through Bluetooth, 3G or 4G. And although it has Wi-Fi capability it cannot communicate through W-IFI, why? In my case I have a basement garage and I have no mobile reception in it. Therefore, when I am at home I cannot communicate with the car using ISmart. I installed a repeater in my garage so that I can access my home WI-FI, and set the car to access my home WI-FI, however, I still cannot communicate with my Car through WI-FI.