Australian electric vehicle (EV) buyers expect to be able to interact with their vehicles remotely, for example to monitor via their smartphone the battery’s state of charge, turn the climate control on and off, remotely lock or unlock the doors, and much more.
MG Motor Australia provides extensive connected car functionality for its MG 4 via the MG iSMART app, which is available in Australia and New Zealand via the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
The MG iSMART app has received regular updates and new features over time, such as refreshed themes and the ability to share a digital car key with family and friends.
The built-in travel guide enables easy EV road trips and browsing points of interest such as restaurants.
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The White theme provides more information on the home screen (such as details about amps, volts, kW rate of a charging session) and easier to access buttons without scrolling, compared to the darker 100 Years theme.
This article is based on using MG iSMART AU & NZ version 2.2.1 for Android phones.
How to connect your car to the iSMART app
A new MG 4 owner needs to download the MG iSMART app and create an MG account.
The next step is to sit in the car and find the Settings button (cog wheel icon) on the main infotainment screen, then scroll down on the narrow right hand side menu and press the words Bind Vehicle.
For owners of entry-level Excite variants, this is a one-step process, but the higher grade Essence versions have a two-step process where they need to log into the ‘User’ app on the infotainment system and then scan a QR code from their mobile phone.
Once the car is logged in, press the car name at top centre of the screen, press Add Vehicle and scan the second QR code on the infotainment screen. Enter your MG account PIN into the MG iSMART app within 120 seconds.
Here’s a rundown of the some its primary features.
MG 4 Vehicle Status
MG 4 owners can remotely monitor their car using the iSMART app and see if each door and the tailgate is locked or unlocked, and check individual tyre pressures, powertrain status, power steering status, airbag status, 12V battery voltage, and interior and exterior temperatures.
Total distance driven (odometer value) can be viewed in the Vehicle Management menu option.
Extensive Security Features
Since Australian MG 4s rely on having a Vodafone 4G mobile signal, it would be wise for drivers to keep the MG 4 key fob with them as a backup option to the MG iSMART app, in case they park their car in a place without a mobile signal such as an underground carpark or remote/rural parts of Australia.
The regular key uses a near-field connection, so will always operate regardless of the mobile phone coverage.
Access to your MG iSMART app is secured via either a PIN or through face/fingerprint recognition, if MG 4 owners choose to enable biometric security for convenience.
Locking and unlocking your MG 4 is easily done from the iSMART app home screen, as is keyless start. And owners of Essence models have the ability to share a digital key with family, friends or work colleagues, which can be programmed with a start and end date.
Geofencing is an optional MG iSMART app feature for MG 4s, which enables an owner to set up to a 100km radius from a map point and receive alerts on their phone if the vehicle drives out of this circular geographic region.
Once keyless start is triggered from the MG iSMART app, there is a 120-second countdown for the owner to sit in the driver’s seat, activate the car’s computer system and put the transmission into Drive or Reverse.
Find Car is a great feature if an MG 4 owner is having trouble remembering where they parked their vehicle in a big open-air carpark.
As long as the airspace above the car isn’t blocked, GPS satellites will be used to show on a map the point and address where the car is parked. Find Car is only available for MG 4s that have built-in GPS maps.
At the press of a button on the MG iSMART app, the car horn and lights can be activated to make the MG 4 even easier to find.
If MG 4 drivers lock their car with a device that is connected to the OBD port in an ON state, there is a high chance the car will activate a loud external sound as the owner walks away from their car, as well as security alerts on the MG iSMART app. The solution is to use an OBD extension cord with an on/off switch.
Remote Climate Control
MG 4 owners can ensure their EV will be at a comfortable temperature when they start driving by pre-heating or cooling their car using the MG iSMART app.
The climate control temperature can be set remotely from 18 to 32 degrees, up to 10 minutes prior to entering the vehicle. Note that during this time the car’s external lights turn on.
Monitor & Control Charging
MG 4 owners can monitor and control home and public charging sessions with their MG iSMART app as well as set scheduled charging times.
The maximum Target Battery Level can be set from the MG iSMART app in 10 per cent increments in 64kWh or 77kWh vehicles fitted with an NMC battery.
For example, you can set a maximum charging capacity of 80 per cent to improve long-term battery health, or 100 per cent if you are preparing for a long-distance road trip.
Note that setting scheduled charging times in the MG iSMART app may cause issues when trying to AC charge an MG 4 at public chargers at times when the car is not scheduled to charge, but the app allows for these settings to be overridden remotely.
How much does it cost to use the MG iSMART app?
At the Australian launch of the MG 4 in late 2023, MG advised that the car would include free iSMART access for one year and then owners could choose to pay a $50 annual fee to continue accessing the app and keep the car’s Vodafone connectivity working.
The current official advice from MG Motor Australia is that:
“MG iSMART is provided as a complimentary service for the first 12 months from your purchase date of a new MG vehicle.
“After this period, you are responsible for payment of any service or licence charges MG may introduce. If charges are implemented, you will receive at least 60 days’ notice.”
So far no Australian MG 4 owners, including those who purchased early on, have been asked to pay any extra fee to keep their iSMART app and car Vodafone connectivity active.