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Why can't Toyota develop a remote app separate from SafetyConnect for non-Advanced owners

Discussion in 'Prime Technical Discussion' started by MMBH, Nov 6, 2018.

  1. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    your newsletter... where's the best place to anonymously steal a copy? :whistle:
     
  2. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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  3. SteveMucc

    SteveMucc Active Member

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    I wish that was the case... I happen to live in a lake community that has very patchy reception. If it wasn't for wifi calling i'd have to walk out into a very small patch in my front yard to get reception. I get nothing on of the major carriers bands at my house (couldn't see any power on my 8561). Thought about putting in a femtocell but I get more from putting up an outdoor wifi repeater.
     
  4. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Pretty sure he means the specific e911 service, which requires much less signal than a voice call or a text transmission.
     
  5. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    How exactly do you figure that ??
    It IS a voice call.
    There is a certain low threshold below which NOTHING WORKS.
    You can't plead your case with the laws of physics and beg for them to change.......just because it's an emergency.
     
  6. CharlesH

    CharlesH CA HOV Decal #5 on former PiP

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    AFAIK, the only thing that is special about a 911 call is that the phone will search for any coverage by any provider using any technology that the phone's hardware supports, regardless of the phone's activation status or if it is blacklisted. And it can be done even if the phone's screen is locked. Also it will use a very basic form of GPS to send the phone's location to the e911 center, and do this even if the user has turned off GPS for applications (even non-smart phones are required support this level of GPS, at least in the US).
     
    #26 CharlesH, Nov 21, 2018
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2018
  7. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Basically true......IF your particular phone is actually set up that way.
    I don't think anything REQUIRES it to function like that but I would hope that most do.
    Unless there is an "EMERGENCY" button on the screen when it's locked, it will be rather hard to key in 911 if no keyboard is present.
     
  8. MMBH

    MMBH Member

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    OK, well then how do remote car starters work? If you can start a car remotely with an aftermarket remote, why can't you control the climate control then as well in a Prius Prime? I don't understand the difference.... but I also don't know how the remote car starters work either...
     
  9. schja01

    schja01 One of very few in Chicagoland

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    Kind of like a garage door opener.
    Range is limited.
    With cellular as long as you have cellular coverage you are good to go.
     
  10. CharlesH

    CharlesH CA HOV Decal #5 on former PiP

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    Agreeing. Remote car starters are limited to the range of the fob; a hundred yards or so. But with cell phone in the the Advanced, the only requirement is that the car have cellular service, and the smartphone have internet service (either cellular or WiFi), and there is no limit on the distance they are apart. Why you would want to turn on the climate control in your car when you are in another country is another question. :)
     
  11. CharlesH

    CharlesH CA HOV Decal #5 on former PiP

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    The 911 GPS support, and the associated special 911 call functionality, are mandated by the Federal Communications Commission for any cell phone sold in the US. In fact, while this service was being phased in, cellular providers were not allowed to activate phones that didn't have 911 GPS service, and had to get the percentage of non-compliant already-activated phones below some threshold. This happened to Motorola StarTac that I had (the flip phone whose design was inspired by the Start Trek communicator). A phone HAS to have a way of making a 911 call, regardless of screen locking, activation or not with a carrier, blacklisting due to theft, whatever, in a way that cannot be configured out by the user.
     
  12. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Pretty sure mine does NOT when the screen is locked.
    If that is a requirement, one would think that making it obvious and easy to use would also be part of the "requirement".
     
  13. CharlesH

    CharlesH CA HOV Decal #5 on former PiP

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    Just curious about what type of phone you have. My Motorola Android phone and my wife's iPhone both have "Emergency" buttons on the lock screen.
     
  14. MMBH

    MMBH Member

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    Well I'm just looking to turn on the heat/AC from the same distance that I would be using a remote car starter... hence, my frustration/confusion with why this is not a possibility somehow for those of us that do not have the Advanced Prius Prime and would like to turn on the heat or AC without going outside into the cold or heat to warm up or cool down our car before we have to get inside to drive away :(
     
  15. MMBH

    MMBH Member

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    Well I'm just looking to turn on the heat/AC from the same distance that I would be using a remote car starter... hence, my frustration/confusion with why this is not a possibility somehow for those of us that do not have the Advanced Prius Prime and would like to turn on the heat or AC without going outside into the cold or heat to warm up or cool down our car before we have to get inside to drive away :(

    Does anyone know if an aftermarket remote starter is an option for the Prime that would also allow one to also use it for remote climate control? Like those I work with who have them for their ICE vehicles? Just curious....
     
    #35 MMBH, Nov 23, 2018
    Last edited: Nov 24, 2018
  16. schja01

    schja01 One of very few in Chicagoland

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    The Prime’s remote climate is a bit more functional than your simple button solution. Hence the cellular/ smart app requirement.
     
  17. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    I have a Samsung Galaxy but I don't really "lock" the screen and still use just the default finger swipe to wake it up.
    So I guess I don't really know if there would be a button for 911 if it actually WAS locked......and I have no intention of finding out.
    It is a few years old.
    And so am I.