General Motors (GM) has announced it will start making RemoteLink services available for many of its 2014 models. Even if car owners decline to pay for the related OnStar services, the new offerings from Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac will have the potential to allow motorists to remotely lock and unlock doors, activate the horn and turn on lights, all from their smartphone.
Users can use the RemoteLink Mobile App to control these features, giving them authority over their car provided they have access to some kind of Wi-Fi or cellular signal.
"We know our customers value remote services," said Mary Chan, president of GM Global Connected Consumer. "GM owners request remote door unlock assistance through OnStar more than 60,000 times each month, so it makes sense for us to offer RemoteLink Key Fob services to enable customers to lock, unlock or start their vehicle from anywhere they have a wireless or cellular connection."
While the inclusion of these services is a boon for many drivers, it also means there's one more aspect of the car motorists will have to keep an eye on. Electrical problems could potentially lead to the need for auto repair, so it's best to take any car with these features in for regular scheduled maintenance to make sure they are working properly.