iRemote app improvements

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Eperigny

Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2014
Messages
16
I just posted a topic about the annoying double password requirement to access the iRemote app but I thought I would rather start a list of improvements that could be made to the app so here I my list of wishes

1-make password optional
2-show charging info (voltage, amperage, batt temp etc.)
3-show when car is preconditioning and allow to stop if we change our mind
4-allow windows closing in case rain is coming (at ultra slow speed)
5-show cockpit temperature
6-stop/start charging
7-allow to search for a destination and send to vehicule
8-make iPad version

Anything to add?
 
I have iRemote on my iPad.
As long as my car can be stalked through the app, I would like it to be password protected.
 
I would like to add one thing:

Preconditioning should allow for two options:

1-precondition based on timer only if plugged in (yes/no)
2-precondition only if battery is over xx%SOC
 
The preconditioning option applies to all charge times. I would like to be able to precondition during the week (when I leave at the same time every day), and not precondition on the weekend (when I would like the car charged, but have no idea when I will leave).

AFAIK, you can't do this now with iRemote.
 
Buskraut said:
The preconditioning option applies to all charge times. I would like to be able to precondition during the week (when I leave at the same time every day), and not precondition on the weekend (when I would like the car charged, but have no idea when I will leave).

AFAIK, you can't do this now with iRemote.
You have three precondition entries, and each one of them can be selected to apply on one or more days. So, if I understand your post, the car CAN do what you want now. It's not as easy to do, since they use icons rather than words for getting into some of the functions, but it can be done, on both the app and at the car. Once you figure it out, it's then quite easy. So, you could use one entry to precondition before you leave in the morning, a second entry to precondition before you leave to come home, and the third one is optional for whatever. You can always tell the car to precondition without going into the timers, and it starts immediately (assuming it can be reached by the server!).

I'm not sure the vehicle can tell you the exact incoming voltage...it can determine if it is around 120 or in the range of 240, and adjust the path into the power supply, but as to acting like a voltmeter, that function may not be there and would require additional hardware. I'm not sure what it uses to limit the power in so it doesn't overload the circuit on current. It might be able to determine the amps, but it could also be an analog computer type of circuit.

I'd like the app to have a help or tutorial on how to use all of its functions! Many of them are self-explanatory, but some are a bit obtuse.
 
jadnashuanh said:
Buskraut said:
The preconditioning option applies to all charge times. I would like to be able to precondition during the week (when I leave at the same time every day), and not precondition on the weekend (when I would like the car charged, but have no idea when I will leave).

AFAIK, you can't do this now with iRemote.
You have three precondition entries, and each one of them can be selected to apply on one or more days. So, if I understand your post, the car CAN do what you want now. It's not as easy to do, since they use icons rather than words for getting into some of the functions, but it can be done, on both the app and at the car. Once you figure it out, it's then quite easy. So, you could use one entry to precondition before you leave in the morning, a second entry to precondition before you leave to come home, and the third one is optional for whatever. You can always tell the car to precondition without going into the timers, and it starts immediately (assuming it can be reached by the server!).

Thanks for your comments. In iRemote I see three CHARGE event entries, but the PRECONDITION option is global for all charge events. When you turn preconditioning on/off you can see the little fan icon turn on/off on all charge events. (Touching the little icons in the individual charge event sections doesn't do anything... it just enables/disables the whole event)

BTW, I have this same gripe with the "low cost charging" setting (also a global setting). On my rate plan, the low cost charging hours are different on the weekend than weekdays.
 
Two ideas after a week in:
- Send a text notification if charging is interrupted unexpectedly (say if someone unplugs the i3 at a public station)
- Send a text notification if there is no charger plugged in by a definable time of day (because I forgot to plug it in at home)
 
FWIW, on the USA version of the i3, in the current software iteration, when the car is locked, you cannot remove the charging cable...it is locked into the car. I've heard that in the next s/w update, it will still lock in, but will unlock once it gets fully charged. This would allow someone to remove it and then charge their vehicle, but not until yours was fully charged. I do not know if that will be a user option, or a general condition. It could affect someone who wanted to precondition, expecting the vehicle to still be plugged in - forcing it to use battery capacity rather than the grid.
 
jadnashuanh said:
It could affect someone who wanted to precondition, expecting the vehicle to still be plugged in - forcing it to use battery capacity rather than the grid.
Probably not the best public charging station etiquette to precondition after charging has completed. Maybe not the best public charging station etiquette to slow down charging by preconditioning thereby potentially delaying others who might need to charge to reach their destination.
 
jadnashuanh said:
FWIW, on the USA version of the i3, in the current software iteration, when the car is locked, you cannot remove the charging cable...it is locked into the car. …
Thanks, Jim. Didn't realize the charging gun was locked in if the car were locked.
 
websterize said:
Thanks, Jim. Didn't realize the charging gun was locked in if the car were locked.
I don't remember seeing this mentioned in the owner's manual, but I can tell you from personal experience, it is locked in. On one occasion, no idea why, it would not unlock and I had to find the manual release! It's only happened once, and I could not get it to repeat that fault. If you open the right-hand rear door, down near the bottom towards the rear of the frame, there's a plastic cover...pull that straight out, and there are two pull tabs: one for the door and a second one for the plug release. It takes a fair amount of pull to release the lock - much more than I'd have expected, but I did get it unlocked and make it to my appointment. There is an interlock that will prevent the car from being put into drive if the charging cable is still attached.
 
- Send a text notification if charging is interrupted unexpectedly (say if someone unplugs the i3 at a public station)

I'd like to have text notification upon charging completion. It is helpful when I'm using a public charger so that I can wander off and know when to return to free up the charger for others to use.

I especially like the concept of a notification when the car isn't plugged in by a certain time of day/night; the older I get, the more often I forget things like this.

Also, I've already had the experience at one public L2 charger where the charger's connector was designed not to allow locking. If a notification feature is added, there's no reason not to cover all bases with it. The Plug-In Prius and Nissan Leaf that I had/have both had these notifications.
 
Supposedly, the next s/w update will unlock the charging cable when the car is fully charged. I do not know if that will be a user settable feature, or generic action. That would preclude you from having to go and unplug once charged, should you want to, as it could be done by that next person that wants to use it (but only once yours has been fully charged, or you unlock the car). If you have the app, you can tell if the car is fully charged, but you have to think about it, then call up the app on your phone or tablet.
 
Absolutely need notifications when 1. Forget to plug in, 2. Charging fault, 3. unplugged prior to full charge, 4. Charge complete.

Need to be able to charge from the phone.

Improved value charging. By location charging I.e. Set home to value charge but charge now for other stations. Ability to set more complex value charging I.e. Multiple windows in a day and different scheduled depending on day of week.

My Ford Focus electric had all of these features since 2012.
 
Range display on the map in iRemote: This is a bit too basic to be useful, and there is no indication of which drive mode the circle refers to.

Show single and return trip range circles, and have options for Comfort/EcoPro/EcoPro+
 
- Setting to disable off peak charging when the car is not at or within range of its home location. Forgot to unset this many times when chargin publicly.
- unmerge off peak charging setting and Departure Time. It makes no sense. The 2 overlap, but are not necessarily dependent.
- overall stability is still terrible. The bug where I lose account info, settings, PIN and vehicle reg has still not been fixed. "Session has expired"
- display car colour and tyres as specified. If the Connected Drive site can do it, why not the native app?
- general point: create an intuitive app, not one that keeps you guessing. What's the "electric range display" supposed to do for example? And why can't I tap on the chargers in range? Considering this app is used by i8 drivers who shell out north of £100k for the car, this is a poor app
- cancel button on the login / fingerprint screen (not one that takes me to PIN entry pad). If the app opens after waking the phone, i dont want to log into I Remote, but check my mail.
- I think I'll stop here...
 
NikNik said:
Absolutely need notifications when 1. Forget to plug in, 2. Charging fault, 3. unplugged prior to full charge, 4. Charge complete.

#2 is already implemented. I tripped the charging circuit the other day when I turned on my air compressor and I received a push notification on my phone with a message advises there was a charging fault. The app showed a glowing red charging plug.
 
Hi everyone,

After 2 weeks/ 1.356 km. of experience, here are my thoughts about iRemote app:

- On the "statistics" page, I would like to see the number of people in the Community. The data is already available & always updated on background.
- On the same page, the last data on the bottom graph is: "All trips: Distance driven on one charge". On my app, this data doesn't show the real max. distance on one charge. Few days ago I did 109 km at +1 deg.C weather temp. on one charge, but it still shows 80km max...
- Co2 calculator: Here, "the amount of Co2 saved if using conventional energy sources" seems odd to me. Let me give you some numbers:

1- iRemote says, I saved 37,3 kg Co2 by driving 1.356 km. (2,75 kg/100 km.)
2- The average Co2 gr/km for diesel engines is 140 gr/km. (14 kg/100 km.)
3- So, if I had my previous car during the last two weeks, a BMW 525 Xdrive, I would release appx. 189.8 kg of Co2 by burning fuel oil in 1.356 km.
4- My average electric consumption for 1.356 km. is 15.6 kWh/100km, so 211.5 kWh in total.
5- If #1 is true, 189,8 - 37,3 = 152,5 kg. of Co2 has been released for generating 211.5 kWh electrical energy by conventional resources.
6- 211,5 kWh/152,5 kg.Co2/1.356km means 15.6 kWh/11,25 kg.Co2/100km... Isn't that huge ???

Probably, the electrical energy is not as clean as we think, if it's not coming from renewable sources...
 
m6rk said:
Probably, the electrical energy is not as clean as we think, if it's not coming from renewable sources...

Precisely.

That's why I always say that EVs are complex. Tying it up with
a) signing up with a utility company that provides electricity from renewable sources and (if possible)
b) looking into generating your own electricity (PV, wind turbine, hydro, etc)

are very important. Everyone's circumstances are different, but £1500 on a HK audio upgrade and fancy wheels might be better spent if put towards costs of solar panels. ;)
 
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