Remote Start Distance...?

[roundyuk]

Is there a limit on how far away you can remote start from using the VOC app?

[MaDProFF]

Not that I have noticed, it is dependent on Wi Fi (someone please confirm) / Phone connection, like Data, and Signal.

I have remote started my car from quite a long way away often 300 / 400 metres, possible more on the odd occasions.

It would defeat the object if you had to be at a certain distance to remote start it, even if you were 5/10 mins away you could be miles away, and I always want mine to run at least 5 minutes to get it warm.

[Lexman8]

Not as far as I know. It's possible that the app checks its location in relation to the car's to prevent you starting it from a faraway location (eg another country!) but I've never tried that.

I have successfully started remote heating (preconditioning with the aux heater) from an aircraft that's just landed when the car is in the airport's car park.
_

[Lexman8]

Originally Posted by MaDProFF

it is dependent on Wi Fi (someone please confirm) / Phone connection, like Data, and Signal.

Not wifi, it's done over 3G/4G using the car's integral SIM.

[Milliner]

It's not an IR/radio/bluetooth technology that has a limited range, you just need both the app and the car to have a mobile network data signal, basically. You can use the app whilst connected to wi-fi too.

You can connect to the car when abroad (I checked my cars location was where I'd left it in the car park using the app once or twice!).

[apnicolle]

Car left at LHR, got ‘your Volvo is unlocked alert’ upon landing in JFK,locked it using the app. So it certainly has no distance constraints. Slight concern over the timeliness of the update though...

[Lexman8]

Originally Posted by Milliner

You can connect to the car when abroad (I checked my cars location was where I'd left it in the car park using the app once or twice!).

Yes, I've done that. Unfortunately, the car goes into standby mode during day 5 and although it says it'll check-in once every hour after that to pick up any outstanding actions, that's never actually worked for me. Given that the average wait time for the car to check in would be 30 minutes and it usually takes that long to get from aircraft to car, I've often tried to pre-heat upon landing and the car has never actioned the pre-heat. It does work up to day 4.

The 5-day limit seems too short. You'd think the modem, etc, wouldn't drain a car battery that much given its huge capacity compared to, say, a mobile phone battery. An 8-day limit would comfortably allow 1-week trips to be done without any problem.

[Fursty Ferret]

My dealer assured me that the range is limited to something like 500m, and showed me an official Volvo document to confirm it.

He wasn't particularly amused when I started the car while I was 8000 miles away and sent him a screenshot of the app to prove it. Volvo still investigating apparently...

[Lexman8]

I did wonder if ERS (only) might be geo-fenced as I can't think of any scenario where you'd want to start the car from a long way away.

[MaDProFF]

Originally Posted by Lexman8

I did wonder if ERS (only) might be geo-fenced as I can't think of any scenario where you'd want to start the car from a long way away.

Depends how far you determine far away, if you are in someone else car travelling to your car on a motorway for example, and I want my car started 10 mins before I get in, could be well over 10 miles away.