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Nest adds integration with Automatic connected car adapter

By Nick Lavars
January 13, 2015
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The Nest Smart Thermostat now works with Automatic's Connected Car Adapter
The Nest Smart Thermostat now works with Automatic's Connected Car Adapter

Nest Labs has added yet another layer of automation to its smart thermostat by way of integrated support for Automatic's Connected Car Adapter. The partnership will enable those that own both devices to program the climate of their home based on the location of their vehicle.

Since Google acquired Nest at the beginning of 2014, it has slowly but surely been building on its functionality by expanding the amount of products and apps with which it can communicate. The Nest Thermostat, an internet-connected device that learns user behavior over time, now features integration with Google Now, which enabled voice commands, Whirlpool washing machines, and Kevo Smart Lock and home sprinkler systems.

Part of this initiative was an announcement that it would be teaming up with a number of companies, including Mercedes-Benz. This enabled some models to communicate with the Nest Thermostats in the driver's home, sending information on estimated arrival times and allowing the heating or cooling to kick in just at the right time.

By welcoming Automatic into its "Works with Nest" stable of compatible apps and devices, Nest is essentially extending this car-thermostat automation to a much larger range of car owners. Automatic's Connected Car Adapter plugs into a vehicle's diagnostics system through its OBD-II Data Link Connector, gathering information on driving habits, such as rough braking and excessive acceleration, to improve driver performance and maintenance of the vehicle.

Now users will be able to program their Nest thermostats to automatically make adjustments based on the movements of the vehicle. So as you leave the office and head for home, for example, Nest might start cranking up the temperature to create a nice toasty environment when you walk in the door. The system can be programmed based on parameters like location, hours of the day and days of the week.

"At Automatic, we’ve focused on saving people money from the very start with our fuel-efficiency coaching, which has saved many users hundreds per year on fuel costs," says Thejo Kote, CEO of Automatic. "Now we’re thrilled to extend the connected car’s benefits into people’s homes, to make life more automated, convenient, and efficient."

The video below demonstrates how Automatic and Nest work together.

Source: Automatic

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Around The HomeAutomaticCoolingThermostatAutomationHeatingInternet of ThingsNest Thermostat
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Nick Lavars
Nick has been writing and editing at New Atlas for over six years, where he has covered everything from distant space probes to self-driving cars to oddball animal science. He previously spent time at The Conversation, Mashable and The Santiago Times, earning a Masters degree in communications from Melbourne’s RMIT University along the way.
1 comment
StWils
Not long ago I was entertained watching a Dad in a mall as his phone began demanding his attention with a loud call "Tone" voiced by the South Park Boys. He struggled with disabling this "Brng Brng Answer The Phone.." and noted that his daughter had installed it and locked it in place on Dad's phone. So, how much fun can adolescents, (your kids or their friends & frenemies), hostile Exs, etc, have tampering with the home controls, car locks, furnace or air conditioning, home entertainment systems, etc? Also, just to extend the idea a bit, can existing case & statutory law be used to deny usage of your home if you fall short on utility or credit payments? Does a warranty or liability issue in one area bleed effects into other areas of your life? I will continue to walk over to my thermostat all by myself. Not every possible digital toy application is useful.
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