Photo: autostart on a car (Getty Images) Author: Konstantin Shirokun
The wonders of electronics continue to expand the possibilities of drivers in using their cars – and now such a function as automatic engine start has become generally available.
Read about what is more beneficial or risky about autostart in the RBC-Ukraine article.
What is simply called autostart actually means a function that in one way or another allows the driver to start the engine while being at a distance from the car. On some car models it is standard, but more often this feature is implemented through an additional security system – an alarm. When the owner wants to use autostart, he starts the engine either himself (via a smartphone or key fob), or trusts this to the electronics, having programmed the start via a timer or engine temperature.
What is autostart for?
The engine is started remotely when they want to warm it up before a trip or to warm up or cool down the interior in advance. After all, both the heater and the air conditioner work when the engine is running.
Since modern engines practically do not need to be warmed up before driving, nowadays autostart is most often used for comfort purposes – when the driver and passengers do not want to get into a frozen or, conversely, a hot interior.
Why autostart is dangerous
Despite all its convenience, the specified system has several serious drawbacks. And it is advisable to take them into account before buying and installing electronics with autostart.
- A weak link in terms of protecting the car from theft;
- Car insurance policy. Since the car has less reliable protection, CASCO policies for cars with auto start are often more expensive;
- Several consecutive engine starts without further driving drain the battery, which does not have time to restore energy from the generator during short engine operation cycles. This is especially true in winter. In the event of a problem with the battery, it will have to be recharged from a network charger.
When autostart is in doubt
There are a few cases where the idea of setting up autostart should be considered especially critically.
The car has a considerable mileage. An older car has lower reliability in general, and is more likely to fail when the engine is running without a driver in the cabin. Modern systems have a lock when the oil pressure drops or when the engine overheats, but this is far from a complete list of possible failures.
Your car is on the list of models popular with car thieves. For a highly professional thief, a car with a running engine and no driver nearby is a very attractive prey. At a minimum, a car with an automatic start should be equipped with additional security systems: a lock on the gear selector, a security system with GPS, a remote engine stop function, etc.
The owner does not have the opportunity to install autostart from qualified technicians.
Look for autostart
By the way, for many motorists, autostart may be closer than it seems. Such an option is often present in the functionality of modern security systems – as additional service options. So it often happens that a car owner, using a car with a long-standing “alarm”, does not even realize that once, when buying a security system, he paid for such a useful function. Which only remains to be activated.
In brief
The remote or automatic engine start function can be very useful indeed. But to use it successfully, you need to meet several conditions:
- The autostart system that you are going to install on your car must be of high quality and have service support from the manufacturer or official representative;
- It should be installed and configured only by qualified specialists;
- All major vehicle systems must be in perfect order – in particular, the engine, electrical equipment and parking brake.
In preparing this article, materials from “Sound and Tuning” and Motor were used.
Let us recall that RBC-Ukraine recently reported why pedestrians are not always right.