Limited functionality in iSmart on Trophy

[Teichoscopia]

I have had my trophy now for just over a week. Still a lot to learn. When investigating the iSmart app, I seem to be missing some functionality. I have paired the car with the app, I can lock/unlock it, but that seems to be the extent of the remote control functionality. I have looked at a couple of YT videos and some Google images and they seem to have more icons/options than I can see in my app. I appear to be missing all the heating controls. Have I missed a step in the setup? So confused!

Ok, I just worked it out. All the screenshots are for older versions of the app. Just worked out that the icon on the bottom left isn't a shredder (I didn't want to press it unless I did something destructive?) but switches on the AC!

 

[siteguru]

Slide to the right the bottom-right switch, enter your code, and remote HVAC should start. At that point you should see HVAC text at the top-right ... press that to access further functionality.

 

[Teichoscopia]

Thanks! I have been seeing what look like older screenshots of the app in the search engines. There is a thing in designing accessible interfaces about not hiding functionality!

 

[Rolfe]

In my experience the lock/unlock facility works fine when you're only trying it out, but when you really really need to lock or unlock the car using the app, no power on earth will get it to work.

Not even if you have left your car in a multi-storey car park 200 yards and two flights of stairs away without locking it, and you're in the foyer of a theatre and the performance is about to begin.

Not even if you're standing beside the bloody car, needing something out of it, but having left your key in your hotel room.

Nope. No way.

 

[siteguru]

Not even if you're standing beside the bloody car, needing something out of it, but having left your key in your hotel room.

Next time try using the Digital Key (which uses Bluetooth) rather than the remote unlock slider.

 

[Rolfe]

I don't actually know how to do that...

 

[siteguru]

Hamburger (topleft)
My Profile
Digital Key (selecting this tab will start the Bluetooth search, so press this when you're next to the car)

 

[Rolfe]

I'll try that next time, thanks.

Would that have locked the car remotely when I was in the theatre, when the ordinary lock command wouldn't? All I got was repeated requests to confirm that the car was "secure", and when I did I was simply thrown back to the Remote Control screen and the car was still unlocked.

 

[siteguru]

No - the digital key only works when you're at the car, as it uses Bluetooth.

 

[Rolfe]

I see, thanks.

 

[mg4mc]

Not even if you have left your car in a multi-storey car park 200 yards and two flights of stairs away without locking it, and you're in the foyer of a theatre and the performance is about to begin.

The app doesn't talk directly to the car, it sends the requests over the internet to the MG servers, and they then send the command to the car over the mobile network.

So, if either your phone doesn't have an internet connection (no WiFi, poor 3/4/5G signal, or you have mobile data switched off), or the car has no mobile reception where it is parked, then it's not going to work.
(or the MG servers are down!)

 

[siteguru]

The app doesn't talk directly to the car, it sends the requests over the internet to the MG servers, and they then send the command to the car over the mobile network.

So, if either your phone doesn't have an internet connection (no WiFi, poor 3/4/5G signal, or you have mobile data switched off), or the car has no mobile reception where it is parked, then it's not going to work.
(or the MG servers are down!)

The digital key in the app uses Bluetooth. But yes - the normal function uses the car connection to the MG servers, so being in a multistorey car park might affect communications.

 

[mg4mc]

Oh, but I could get the Bluetooth key to work. It did at first, but when I switched phones the new install of iSmart on the new phone says no.

It will unlock the car, but not start it.

 

[Rolfe]

The app doesn't talk directly to the car, it sends the requests over the internet to the MG servers, and they then send the command to the car over the mobile network.

So, if either your phone doesn't have an internet connection (no WiFi, poor 3/4/5G signal, or you have mobile data switched off), or the car has no mobile reception where it is parked, then it's not going to work.
(or the MG servers are down!)

It wasn't that, though. The app contacted the car just fine. It was able to tell me that it was charging (on the destination charger in the car park) and that it had gained 2% of charge since I'd plugged it in. It seemed to be going to do it, but instead it popped up a screen asking me to confirm that the car was secure, and I couldn't get past that. Even when I tapped on "Yes" it just dumped me back on the Remote Control screen with the car still unlocked.

I raced back to the car park to find the car sitting there with its headlights blazing, and pressed the door button. I just made it back to the theatre before the curtain went up.