Apple Watch and WearOS smartwatches can now unlock your VW car

In the modern world, even pulling a phone from a pocket or purse is starting to feel like a chore. Automakers know this, and they see the small screen on your wrist as new, valuable territory. Volkswagen is the latest company to claim this space. It has updated its myVW app to work with smartwatches, aiming to make life a little easier for its drivers. It especially brings new convenience for owners of electric cars.

Volkswagen rolled out support for both Apple watchOS and Google's Wear OS, covering the vast majority of smartwatch users. Drivers can now control parts of their car using an Apple Watch or a Wear OS smartwatch. The update works for most Volkswagen vehicles from the 2020 model year or newer.

The new features are most useful for the growing family of Volkswagen EVs. Managing electric cars is different from managing gasoline cars. It involves batteries, charging times, and setting the cabin temperature. The myVW smartwatch app lets an EV owner check the car's charge level with a quick glance. They can also start or stop a charging session remotely. This is helpful if you are plugged in at a public station or at home. EV drivers can start the heat or air conditioning before they get in, and doing this while the car is still plugged in uses power from the grid, not the battery, saving precious driving range.

The app gives owners of traditional gas-powered cars several functions, too. They can remotely start or stop the engine if their car has that feature. The watch app also shows the fuel status, and it has basic functions like locking and unlocking the doors, and a "Honk and Flash" feature to find the car in a crowded parking lot.

Unfortunately, this wrist-based remote control is not free, and Volkswagen drivers must jump through a few hoops to make it work. First, they need to download the myVW app to their phone, then they must add their car to the app's "virtual garage." After that, they have to accept the terms of service for both "myVW" and "myVW+." Finally, and most importantly, they must subscribe to a paid plan. The features are tied to plans named "Remote Access" and "VW Vehicle Insights," starting at $9.99 per month, with some of these plans included with a new car for a trial period.

Volkswagen was clear about why it is doing this. A press release stated the smartwatch app "encourages daily app engagement." This is about more than just convenience - it is about building a habit. Volkswagen wants its drivers to use the 'myVW' app all the time, building brand loyalty. It also moves the company closer to its goal of "connected mobility," a future where the car is just one part of a larger digital life. By putting the app on a watch, Volkswagen makes it harder to forget and easier to use.

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