Car remote start with Amazon Echo, Homeseer, and My Sensors hardware

[ajachierno]

Video Below Thought I would share this, using the Amazon Echo to control homeseer and the My Sensors plugin/hardware I was able to start my car. I still need to build sometime of safety device to prevent anyone from starting it while its in the garage, but I have some time to work on that part. The Low Quality is on purpose to blur the license plate (sorry but dont need to be publishing that).

How it was done, basically I ordered a spare remote synced it to the car then removed the buttons and wired some solid state relays in their place. Then I created an event in homeseer to press the lock button for a set period of time, stop for a second then press the start button. The panic button is also hooked up to a relay and will be linked to the alarm. Note that I did not hook up the unlock button as I was afraid of security issues.

Remote start car using Amazon Echo, homeseer, and My sensors – 00:27
— AJ A

[hek]

Cool, but I've only seen car remotes that opens the car, what's the start-engine function used for normally?

[ajachierno]

Its actually a factory remote start. The same thing could be done with aftermarket units though. Below is a picture of the unmodified remote. Basically to start the car you just held the lock button for 5 seconds or so then pressed the top button on the remote to start the car. Same thing being done now just with relays instead of physical presses.

[TheoL]

@ajachierno I think you already did it. But just to be sure. You did add signing to the car starting actuator right? Your insurance company might not pay out if you didn't and somebody else would steal your car.

Besides that. Great project. I love it. If only I had my own car, I'd be building it. But at the moment, I don't think my boss will approve it if I'd MySensorfied his car like that

[ajachierno]

Its funny you say that someone apparently cracked my homeseer account today started the car a couple times as well as running a few other events. Honestly I just used the default sketch not to worried about the security aspect since it is a factory system its not possible to shift out of park or use the accelerator without first inserting the Key. I figure worst case someone runs the car all night and drains the gas. Although its funny whoever broke in obviously thought setting the locks to off unlocks the car which is not the case and why i intentionally did not wire the unlock button.

[TheoL]

@ajachierno I'm sorry to hear that. It's one of the reasons why I focus on security a lot. Smart of you not to hookup the unlock button.