Qatar’s largest telecom firm has said some of its customers can now use their smart phones to activate their cars’ air conditioning, cooling off vehicles before motorists leave their home or office.
Ooredoo said in a statement that an application created by UK-based firm Q3Smart, which has a presence in Qatar, lets users adjust the climate controls of their vehicles regardless of their location.
The company added that it is marketing the technology as a way of allowing customers to return to a cool vehicle while conserving resources.
In Qatar, with its extreme summer temperatures, some motorists leave their engines on while they run short – or long – errands to keep their vehicle cabins cool.
Similar technology, developed by manufacturers such as BMW as well as other technology companies, has been on the market for more than a year. However, this appears to be the first time a company in Qatar has endorsed the service.
Ooredoo said working directly with a telecom operator offers protection against hacking, a concern raised by some security analysts when other versions of the technology first hit the market.
In 2011, a video was uploaded to YouTube showing an individual hacking into another firm’s system and starting a vehicle by entering a couple lines of code in a web browser – a flaw that its app developer, Viper SmartStart, said has since been fixed.
Original article by Peter Kovessy
Continue reading at Doha News:
New smartphone app to allow Qatar residents to remotely cool down cars
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