Mercedes.me/remote connect feature
 

Hello all,

I found the following website today, that describes the w205's remote connect features:
www.mercedes.me

Does anyone know what (iOS) app is needed to use this feature and where (= which App Store) has it?

none, it is a regular website, used with a (mobile) browser:y

I'm interested in this too but couldn't figure how to implement it here in the UK. Is it live yet? how do I register? Is there a guide?

Most important is that your car is fitted to do so: starting early september(the new modelyear 2015) new 205's are fitted with a COM module which can communicate with MB. Make sure that your car has this. Then register on Mercedes Me and contact your dealership that they connect your car to your Mercedes Me memberschip. With new cars this is normally done at the delivery of your car.

If there is no com module in your car, it is not possible to use Mercedes Remote control. I believe it cann't be retrofitted.

Which option was that? I have the Command Online package but not the phone module preparation in the arm rest if that's what you mean.
Thanks.

I think it is this code:
Remote online (05U)

Only available if your car was build as a modelyear 2015...

Sorry ....

I'm none the wiser. LOL

how come? Do you have a C class built in september this year? If yes it might be possible that you have the com module, ask the dealership for details. If your car is built before September you will not have this module and Mercedes me and remote connect will never work, since the com module cann't be installed afttermarket.

Ah. Well that sucks. Thanks for the clarification.

That's interesting. There is nowhere option to add it, I thought it would be part of command online. I sucks if not available in UK, will see in mine which should be build in 2015.

I think, from what I can gather from the mercedes.me website you need the remote online option mentioned above in this thread for some of the usability of mercedes.me (parking logging and setting car up by phone etc). Again I think that this is an optional extra that needs specifying with audio 20 but it's included in the command package, however it seems the car does need the command module for this part of it to work and this is only on MY2015 builds.

OK I rang MB customer services and spoke to someone who said "it's being rolled out" and I would get it, they just couldn't say what features the UK would get and when. Might be telling porkies to keep everyone sweet but that's the line I got.

The dealer told me today it was coming, but that the dealer portal to add cars to accounts would not be available until early 2015 for the w205 (in Holland) :-(

Well it took me around half an hour to write the post and then something happened so I lost it all.... Here we go again... Grrrr.

When I get something on my mind I cant let it go, so last night I was up ALL NIGHT searching the internet for information about the "Mercedes Me" features, "Connect me" the com module (06U) and this is what I found out.

Feb 26th, 2014 a new law was signed in the EU Parliament, it says: As of October 2015 ALL NEW cars must be equipped with an emergency call in-car system.

http://www.vibilagare.se/nyheter/bil...krav-fran-2015

The article translated to english:

This means that all W205/S205 and all other new cars built for the EU market must have this system. In the W205 it's called the COM-module. It's roughly the size of 2 cigarette packages. It's reffered to as the "black box" of cars. It contains a separate sim-card and holds software that in case of an emergency automatically calls 112(the european emergency number) and it also transmits the gps coordinates of the car so that ambulance and rescue vehicles can be sent to the correct location. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...4515a028fd.jpg

A similar post in German translated to english.
http://www.spiegel.de/auto/aktuell/m...-a-971010.html

This means two things.... The cars in Sweden that are fitted with Command Online must have this 06U component as standard, otherwise the E-call system is not operational and this would be a disaster for MB since they charge around 30 000 sek for the system.
It also indicates that all new cars built by MB for the EU market has this component as standard and that might be why my dealer cant see the component in his system. (I guess they dont see every single component that makes the cars since there are thousands of them).

It also gives me a timeframe on when Connect me(remote online 05U) should be available at the latest, Oct 2015. So for now I will sit tight and tomorrow I will probably be a pain in the ass and call me dealer again and provide him with this information and start asking again if I cant get my car built with the 05U component again.

Finally a link with an interview with the women responsible for the new law in the EU Parliament.

http://www.europarltv.europa.eu/en/p...1-a2cf011ff13b


It's just soooo frustrating and enoying that I have to spend all this time and energy on a matter like this. Just give me what I want in my car and I will be happy and MB will get it's money.

Sim cards in cars, that is always active, is most likely going to be an open door for hacking and theft. I doubt the software from the automakers will be safe the first few years.

Especially module 05U sounds risky. From what I understand, it enables you to remote start the car by phone and drive away with it without using a smart key.

Are you sure you want that feature in your car, seing as there is so much organized car theft in the EU?

Have you ever been to Africa, Russia or the developing nations of Eastern Europe? Do you know how popular Mercedes is there?

As you probably know, insurance will not cover theft if the car was stolen without a key was used to steal it. They claim it is impossible to steal modern cars with immobilizer, without using the key. They also claim that it is not possible to copy a smart key. So if your car is gone and you still have both smart keys, then you have a real problem. You can be sure that the insurance will either refuse to pay, or drag the case for years in Court/Appeals

So do you really want to be among the first owning a a Mercedes with a "phone key" ?

This is called evolution :) The insurance companies will obviously have to change their rules and policy's in accordance to the new laws and regulations stipulated. And yes I want to be a owner of a "phonekey" I like that phrase ;)

This being said I do think you point out some valid points and security issues and there will of course be incidents in the future. I just love innovation and tech to much no to want to have it :)

COM Module 06U, (which is what EU "SOS" regulation is about) is not shown to be connected to any of the features in the COMAND Online Remote. You need 05U for that. From what i can understand, the 06U simcard is only active while the car is operating.

Based on that 06U should not pose a risk of Theft by Hacking.

So the insurance companies will not have to change any rules in respect to your wishes to operate the car via your smartphone. In fact I do not see any incentive for the Insurance companies, to accept (at no charge) car owners buying a special feature, which essentially enables the professional car thief. Most likely you will have to pay an insurance premium to have this feature.

Perhaps in the future, you will see certain car makers having their remote features "Insurance approved" but then again, approving things cost money, and who will fund the testing?



Edit: The initial presentation does not seem to include a remote start feature.


It shows that you can unlock/lock by remote. So you still need the smart key to start/drive the car.

But it still raises the question of how difficult it will be for a professional hacker/car thief to hack access to the starter function also? We already know that Simcard and wireless based Home Alarm systems, are easily disabled by a simple transmitter tool. More and more insurance companies are only willing to approve hard-wired alarm systems.

The problem with factory installed remote solutions, (as opposed to various different aftermarked solutions) is that the thief will know in advance, that every single car of that particular model, will have a particular type of software and a particular type of hardware installed.