With connected cars and smart homes becoming more popular, studies show that consumers are interested in being able to merge and control the home tech into the same system they use in their connected car.

Data on smart homes in the United States collected by statista, shows that 5.8 percent of all homes have some type of smart home technology, and in the next four years that number is expected to reach nearly 19 percent.

Additionally, a study conducted by Park Associates, claims that 27 percent of all U.S. car owners would like a feature that enables their car to communicate with their smart home tech. That technology would allow drivers to control their home devices, like opening the garage door and unlocking the front door, from the car. For many reasons, drivers would prefer to use their car rather than their smartphone when in the car.  

According to the Park Associates report, and not unreasonable to see, connected car and smart home markets are growing in parallel. Additionally, remote home security and controls, entertainment on-the-go and home energy management are increasing consumer’s interest in connected cars.

The linkage between home and car already is underway. Companies like Nest, ADT, Alarm.com and Hue have already created partnerships with companies in the auto industry, according to Parks Associates.

In January at CES there were many new devices, technologies and software, like Control4App, which debuted in hopes of connecting people with their cars and homes and even a direct connection between the smart home and car.

Control4 App is a system which syncs with a car’s dashboard display and allows users to access and control their smart home devices. Control4App allows users to manage thermostats, lights, locks and other features on their smart home network from the driver’s seat of their car. To create this unique capability, the app leverages SDL technology (SmartDeviceLink) software from Livio, a Ford-owned company.

Aside from Control4App, Ford was also a part of a presentation with Amazon at CES. Together, Ford and Amazon are working on connecting Ford’s Sync Connect and AppLink services with Amazon’s home automation hub, Echo. Ford and Amazon hope to create a system in which the smart home system can access a connected car via voice commands. An Echo user could ask the home system to start their car and make sure the doors are locked.

The general concept with connecting home and car is to close the gap between being home and being away. If users can feel more connected to home automation through their cars, the more they may feel in control of both environments. We have all driven around the block after leaving the house to make sure the garage door is closed. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to simply use technology to answer this simple question and be able to control the situation without returning to the house?