Until recently, Google’s in-vehicle infotainment system, Android Auto, was fairly limited in the types of apps it could support. But recently, the app store has become filled with more services that can provide a wider variety of tasks. The latest example: a smart garage door opener.
The long overdue app is furnished by Tailwind, which sells garage door controllers, so it makes sense that it would be among the first to offer this function through Android Auto. The dedicated app can control up to three doors, and can provide drivers with information about the status of their garage.
As you’d expect, the service is dead simple, only asking owners to open the app, and press a single button to open or close their garage door. According to 9to5google, which tested the system, it can be a little slow, but does offer some utility.
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Not only might it be useful for households with more cars than garage remotes, it also offers added utility. Because you can check the status of your door, you can also make sure that you closed it if, midway through your morning commute, you realize you may have forgotten to.
In addition, the system is capable of opening or closing your garage door from miles away, not just when you’re in the immediate proximity of your home. That could be useful if you need to close your door while you’re away, or if you need to open to let someone in. More to the point, it just makes sense to remove a friction point from the smart garage door opener.
The app is free to use and doesn’t require any subscription, but is only available as part of a smart controller kit that costs $79.99. For people who already own a Tailwind controller, the app is rolling out for free on the Play Store.
One of a number of apps adding new functionalities to Android Auto, it joins Samsung SmartThings’ smart home apps, Weather & Radar, Zoom, and Webex as products offering users of the infotainment system more utility than simply navigation and media apps.
