ID.3 Tracker?

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HeidiFlowerpt Driver
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Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2020 2:30 pm

Post by HeidiFlowerpt Driver »

I've wondered about installing a tracking device in my ID.3.

There's a low cost device called a Tile, but that uses Bluetooth so if your car is stolen it depends on the network of users running the Tile app on their phones to sense the proximity of the stolen car and electronically report it back to you the aggrieved owner.

Alternatively there's the Vodafone Curve, a similarly low cost item which uses GPS and has its own cellular connection so can report its location without help. But it requires a subscription which isn't cheap.

The ID.3 has its own cellular connection, and it has a GPS receiver too. So wouldn't it be cool if it could report its position on the We Connect ID app? And why can't it?!
ID.3 1st Edition Manganese Grey - called Heidi Flowerpot

gailjon
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Post by gailjon »

"And why can't it?!"

I would imagine there would be many, many legal hoops that VW would have to jump through to get that feature onto the app. Just look at the legalese that Apple tracking of the phone.
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HeidiFlowerpt Driver
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Post by HeidiFlowerpt Driver »

Good point. Although there's a material difference between Apple tracking their customers via their phones, and VW's customers tracking their cars via their phones...

Vodafone's Curve device tracks whatever you attach it to. They must have overcome the legal hurdles.
ID.3 1st Edition Manganese Grey - called Heidi Flowerpot
Kaygee
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Post by Kaygee »

My previous car, a Kia, had the tracking availability on the app, as well as being able to lock the car.
I really don't see the benefit of the ID app telling were you are, your phone, and not the car.
Maybe in time it will change.
Deleted User 192

Post by Deleted User 192 »

Because the We Connect ID is crap, even compared to VW’s We Connect app which other vehicles use.

Pop an Apple Tag in your car for now (assuming you’re an Apple user)
HeidiFlowerpt Driver
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Post by HeidiFlowerpt Driver »

scott28tt wrote: Sat May 15, 2021 12:16 pm Pop an Apple Tag in your car for now (assuming you’re an Apple user)
Sadly, not an Apple user. But I checked out Apple Air Tag, and I think the Tile device works the same so I'll put one of those in the car. Thanks for the tip.
ID.3 1st Edition Manganese Grey - called Heidi Flowerpot
HeidiFlowerpt Driver
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Post by HeidiFlowerpt Driver »

scott28tt wrote: Sat May 15, 2021 12:16 pm Because the We Connect ID is crap, even compared to VW’s We Connect app which other vehicles use.
Yes - there's SO MUCH room for improvement in the We Connect ID app, that there's a reasonable expectation that we will see major new features being added in updates as time goes on. At present it feels like it's hardly scratching the surface of its potential. I remember when I first installed it, I could hardly believe it doesn't even remotely lock the car, which I was expecting as one of its most basic functions.
ID.3 1st Edition Manganese Grey - called Heidi Flowerpot
Warminster id
Posts: 149
Joined: Sun May 02, 2021 2:26 pm

Post by Warminster id »

Hi
I also was shocked at how bad the app is and what a pain it was to load and authorise it.
As to the tracking question the maps on my iPhone tell me where the car is parked, I’m not sure if it will show where it is if it’s moved with out my knowledge.
If you don’t have iPhone I wonder if it will be the same with google maps if the phone is linked to the car
Life pro performance grey/steels standard car
Deleted User 192

Post by Deleted User 192 »

Warminster id wrote: Sat May 15, 2021 4:23 pm As to the tracking question the maps on my iPhone tell me where the car is parked, I’m not sure if it will show where it is if it’s moved with out my knowledge.

How does that work? I’ve been out in the car this afternoon, and making use of CarPlay, but just checked Apple Maps on my phone and no sign of my car...
Warminster id
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Post by Warminster id »

How does that work? I’ve been out in the car this afternoon, and making use of CarPlay, but just checked Apple Maps on my phone and no sign of my car..

Hi
Not sure I’m not very tech minded, as soon as I open maps it comes up under Siri suggests, as parked car and the location
Life pro performance grey/steels standard car
Deleted User 314

Post by Deleted User 314 »

Scott, check you have Siri enabled, in Apple maps Siri is the one telling me where it is.

I’m connecting my phone wirelessly but it does this connected to the car or not.

1D8D1482-FBA8-4BCE-871C-AEC917642C2E.png

Deleted User 192

Post by Deleted User 192 »

I have all Siri settings enabled other than those which relate to the lock screen, no car showing on the map.

If I ask Siri “where is my car?” it tells me “I don’t see any saved parking locations” - doing an online search it seems to depend on me having used Apple Maps right before getting out of the car:

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/i ... ef1c2e/ios

I’ll check the next time I use it with Apple Maps.
HeidiFlowerpt Driver
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Post by HeidiFlowerpt Driver »

It transpires you can do almost the same if your phone runs Android:

https://www.blog.google/products/maps/r ... ogle-maps/

You have to manually tell the Google Maps app where your car is when you leave it, so it's not nearly as slick as the IOS version.

Either version will be helpful if you can't remember where you parked your car, but neither will be of much use if your car is stolen and you want to find it!
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M3G4D0Y1E
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Post by M3G4D0Y1E »

Audi have that feature on their app. Part of the VW group, should not be any additional hoops to jump through
HeidiFlowerpt Driver
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Post by HeidiFlowerpt Driver »

scott28tt wrote: Sat May 15, 2021 8:17 pm How does that work? ...
As far as I can see, at the moment your phone disconnects from the car (Car Play or Bluetooth), it drops a marker into Apple Maps to show where your car is parked. And I think I read that it only works if you're using iPhone 11 or 12 versions. Maybe that's why it's not working for you, Scott?

Also as far as I can see, there's no equivalent function in Android but you can tell Google Maps you've parked your car. I think you can do that on an iPhone too, including older models.
ID.3 1st Edition Manganese Grey - called Heidi Flowerpot
Deleted User 192

Post by Deleted User 192 »

HeidiFlowerpt Driver wrote: Tue May 18, 2021 2:57 pm
As far as I can see, at the moment your phone disconnects from the car (Car Play or Bluetooth), it drops a marker into Apple Maps to show where your car is parked. And I think I read that it only works if you're using iPhone 11 or 12 versions. Maybe that's why it's not working for you, Scott?

Yes I subsequently discovered this - by the power of a Google search :oops:

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/i ... ef1c2e/ios

Thanks :-)
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