When you’re having your vehicle retrofitted with a remote car starter, you may not realize that you could be investing in a telematics system. Remote car starters are more sophisticated than ever, and your vehicle now tracks a great deal of information that may be useful to you. You can choose between a one-way and two-way system when you're getting a remote starter. We’ll explain the difference and what you need to know about telematics systems.
One-way remote start systems and two-way remote starters can both start your car, but only one kind will confirm to you that your car has started before you step out into the cold.
In a one-way system, the communication between the starter and the vehicle only goes in one direction—from the remote to the car. The remote sends out a signal to the vehicle, and it starts; that’s it.
With a two-way system, the remote sends out the signal for the vehicle to start, and once it has done so, the vehicle sends a signal back indicating that it has started. Two-way systems can confirm that the vehicle is running, which is convenient on hectic mornings when you may have forgotten if you pressed the button. Or, if it’s too cold to want to step outside to look.
There are also a few other differences between these two types of starters. Two-way systems tend to be more powerful and have a larger range. They are better for people who need to start their vehicle from further away. If your work parking lot is huge, your building has your car parked far from your apartment, you have a rural home with a big driveway, or you often go to stores with big parking lots, the extra range on these remotes can be beneficial.
Two-way remote systems are also typically a part of a telematics system, while one-way remotes may not be.
Contact the team at Wright Restyling and find out which type of starter is best suited for you.
Computerizing vehicles has led to telematics systems. These are monitoring and reporting systems that can tell you valuable information about your car, from where you parked it to the fuel efficiency it is currently achieving. Your remote start, remote heat, and other remote elements of the car are typically integrated as part of the telematics system.
In order to make a telematics system work, your vehicle typically needs components like a SIM card, a GPS receiver and more. That means some older vehicles will not have them.
Wright Restyling can answer your questions about remote car starters and install one in your vehicle. You can also trust us to modify your vehicle with a starter so that it turns on reliably even in the midst of a Calgary winter. Reach out to us today!