Delorean Specific App that Unlocks Doors?

[Spencereng]

I'm sure other people have thought of this, but does anyone know if there's an app or if anyone is working on a Delorean app that unlocks the doors? I know they have general ones that will, but it would be extra cool if the app was made specifically for the Delorean.

[Jonathan]

No, not that I'm aware of. I believe those engineers are working on an app that lets you put the cart before the horse instead.

[Patrick C]

My Viper SmartStart app does well on its own. Photo attached.

Paul Brian and I had modified the artwork on the previous version on a jailbroken iOS device so that it had DeLorean logos and designs.

[Chris4099]

There's also this thread about taking a BlueTooth relay board and wiring it into the locking system:
http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?12085-DeLorean-Control-iOS-App-App-and-Bluetooth-relay-system

If you ask me, just using a standard keyless system is better. Small fob is easier to quickly lock/unlock the car then a phone app. Also probably more secure too unless that BlueTooth board allows you to lock down which phones can pair to it.

[DMCVegas]

There's also this thread about taking a BlueTooth relay board and wiring it into the locking system:
http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?12085-DeLorean-Control-iOS-App-App-and-Bluetooth-relay-system

If you ask me, just using a standard keyless system is better. Small fob is easier to quickly lock/unlock the car then a phone app. Also probably more secure too unless that BlueTooth board allows you to lock down which phones can pair to it.

You need physical access to a Bluetooth Device in order to pair it with a phone or PC. So it's not like someone could just come up to your car and automatically gain access to the alarm system in order to unlock it simply by waving their phone at it.

[Spencereng]

My Viper SmartStart app does well on its own. Photo attached.

Paul Brian and I had modified the artwork on the previous version on a jailbroken iOS device so that it had DeLorean logos and designs.

That's awesome! I'll have to check that app out.

[Patrick C]

That's awesome! I'll have to check that app out.

I have it configured for the big "Start" button to launch the driver door, and the trunk button launches the passenger door.

[Michael]

Never thought I would see the day when pressing a small button on your key fob was too troublesome. Now we need an app for that...which instead of pulling your key out, involves pulling your phone out, starting the app, let it load, press the button, hope the 2.4 Bluetooth pairing took and unlock the door.

Then you take the key out anyway to start your car.

[Chris4099]

You need physical access to a Bluetooth Device in order to pair it with a phone or PC. So it's not like someone could just come up to your car and automatically gain access to the alarm system in order to unlock it simply by waving their phone at it.

Good to know. When I first looked at this device, the directions were very vague on the pairing process (never mentioned pressing any buttons or other physical access to the device). So that was always a concern of mine.


Never thought I would see the day when pressing a small button on your key fob was too troublesome. Now we need an app for that...which instead of pulling your key out, involves pulling your phone out, starting the app, let it load, press the button, hope the 2.4 Bluetooth pairing took and unlock the door.

Then you take the key out anyway to start your car.

If the device could perform a function just based on the phone pairing, that could be useful then. Basically as you walk up, the system detects your phone and automatically unlocks the doors. If you have launchers installed, it could even open the door(s) for you. Now that would be handy assuming the BlueTooth range was just right and not for example falsely unlocking the door even with your phone inside the house. Safeties would also need to be added so it wouldn't function while the car is running. You wouldn't want a phone reboot to suddenly trigger your doors unlocking and opening while driving down the freeway! LOL

Years ago I also looked at proximity systems that allowed you to carry a fob in your pocket and once in the car, just press a starter button and drive off. But ultimately I didn't think it was worth the effort to install based on the amount of driving I did with my D. If it was a daily driver, I would be very tempted as I have something similar now on my other car and it's nice.

[Michael]

Good to know. When I first looked at this device, the directions were very vague on the pairing process (never mentioned pressing any buttons or other physical access to the device). So that was always a concern of mine.



If the device could perform a function just based on the phone pairing, that could be useful then. Basically as you walk up, the system detects your phone and automatically unlocks the doors. If you have launchers installed, it could even open the door(s) for you. Now that would be handy assuming the BlueTooth range was just right and not for example falsely unlocking the door even with your phone inside the house. Safeties would also need to be added so it wouldn't function while the car is running. You wouldn't want a phone reboot to suddenly trigger your doors unlocking and opening while driving down the freeway! LOL

Years ago I also looked at proximity systems that allowed you to carry a fob in your pocket and once in the car, just press a starter button and drive off. But ultimately I didn't think it was worth the effort to install based on the amount of driving I did with my D. If it was a daily driver, I would be very tempted as I have something similar now on my other car and it's nice.

In my day we didn't have cars that would unlock and doors open when we walked up to them. We had to push a button! You kids have no idea how hard we had it back then!

[Patrick C]

If the device could perform a function just based on the phone pairing, that could be useful then

Viper SmartStart does have this proximity lock/unlock feature built in. I have it turned off as I prefer to do it myself.

[Mark D]

In my day we didn't have cars that would unlock and doors open when we walked up to them. We had to push a button! You kids have no idea how hard we had it back then!

You mean you have to use your hands? That's like a baby's toy.

[Peripatetic]

Apps are too troublesome.

I want something that opens the door as I walk up to it without my involvement. Like the Model X. No, I can get lazier. The seat should extend out so I don't have to get in the car before I can sit.

We have one of those new garage door openers with the conventional remote and app. I can open my garage from work. I use it so that I don't deny the window visor on the DeLorean, but it means a little bit of fuddling with my phone in the driveway. It's a little more inconvenient than the old fashioned way.

[Jonathan]

You mean you have to use your hands? That's like a baby's toy.

Back to the Shire, Frodo!!


I want something that opens the door as I walk up to it without my involvement. Like the Model X. No, I can get lazier. The seat should extend out so I don't have to get in the car before I can sit.

I remember a comedy routine talking about carousel DVD players back in the day. Ones that hold 5 DVDs at a time. So, you mean you can't get up to change the disc until after, what, 10 HOURS!!?? lol

[DMCMW Dave]

In my day we didn't have cars that would unlock and doors open when we walked up to them. We had to push a button! You kids have no idea how hard we had it back then!

Youngsters! I had to stick a key in a tiny hole in the door and then remember which way to turn it.

Get off my lawn.

[sdg3205]

Half the fun of owning a delorean is manually opening the doors. I'll keep it analogue until my arthritis gets worse.

Where are my dentures? Damn, I left them on Dave's lawn....

[Jonathan]

I'll stick to the manual key opening. Mixed tapes though? Nah, I'll fast forward to the future and use playlists, thanks.

[Michael]

Youngsters! I had to stick a key in a tiny hole in the door and then remember which way to turn it.

Get off my lawn.

I was not aware horse drawn carriages had locks!

[MML]

I was not aware horse drawn carriages had locks!

Horses?? Luxury! Back when I were a lad, this was all we had!

http://i.imgur.com/rrdwGRj.jpg

[Timebender]

Horses?? Luxury! Back when I were a lad, this was all we had!

http://i.imgur.com/rrdwGRj.jpg

Now I need to build one of these, as well as Barney's sports car.

[Spencereng]

The idea I had in my head would basically show a front image of the Delorean on the app, and you would click the right or left door or both, and then it would animate the doors opening on the app, as well as your real doors would open at the same 41570

[Peripatetic]

Having only a vague idea of how something like this would work I can see some of the challenges. First, and most important thing that'll affect work required to do this, is that smartphones don't emit in the bandwidth that remote keys do. So that means you'll need to have an app that, instead of directly communicating to your car due to incompatibilities, it'll have to talk to a server that redirects the signal to an always-on internet compatible module on the car. Best bet is something that uses AT&T, since it has the most coverage. Usually the drawback is slow download speed but it wouldn't matter here. A way may be to install WingsALoft and hide the remote in the car and Internet capable toy that you disassemble and arrange to push buttons on the Keyfob on demand. In this case you'll be taking an LTE signal, to be forwarded by a server, back to LTE, converted to wifi, converted to kinetic energy, and finally converted to whatever bandwidth keyfobs use to unlock and open the door.

Another method may be Bluetooth, but the time to reconnect would be more of an inconvenience than cool.

Last idea I have would be something based on RFID. The idea being that you'd walk up to your car and using a sensor it would know to unlock or open. This was something I wanted to do on my daily driver a couple of years ago and plum forgot about it until just now. Originally I was going to use Matt Smith's Sonic Screwdriver to broadcast the RFID code when activated.

Really, the more I think of it the less I think it's worth the effort.

[Timebender]

Originally I was going to use Matt Smith's Sonic Screwdriver to broadcast the signal

Or you could figure out a way to have it unlock and open when you snap your fingers, ala the Tenth Doctor.

[Timebender]

But in seriousness, why not install something like a raspberryPi or arduino with an xbee or Bluetooth shield, or similar in the car? Then have the app talk to that? It's basically been done in the R2 builders group where we have an iPhone running a custom app -not jailbroken, that causes R2's different panels and sounds to activate when you touch different controls on any specific screen.

[Farrar]

Voice print recognition: have your car doors open when you shout "OPEN SESAME!"

</joke>