Quick connections

It’s not a game. Not even if the accelerator pedal and steering wheel are animated. A video log of a lap in the 911 GT3 RS on your smartphone is just one example of the connectivity options on offer from Porsche, ranging from Car Connect to the innovative Spyder operating concept.

Porsche Track Precision: That’s the name of the precision app which registers and records any dynamic movement by the driver and GT sports car in tenths of a second. This unique interplay of app and auto is the latest advance to be introduced in the connectivity concept from Porsche—to bring driver and car closer together than ever. Component by component, the sports-car manufacturer is steadily stretching the limits of this network. Available in all model series, it now runs the gamut from standardized interfaces to onboard audio systems, from wireless communication with vehicle functions through Porsche Car Connect to the pioneering operating console in the 918 Spyder super sports car—and now the Track Precision app as well.

This app enables the driver of a Cayman GT4, 911 GT3, or 911 GT3 RS to objectively analyze and compare times and driving style in cordoned-off circuits, down to the smallest detail. The package has two key components: the free smartphone app for iPhone and Android devices, and a control unit in the sports car. The app and control unit communicate via Wi-Fi.

The Porsche Track Precision app offers a wide range of functions—both while driving and during later analyses. It merges the smartphone video recording, GPS signals, and precise vehicle data. Both on the circuit and in the subsequent analysis, the program offers a graphic presentation of the driving dynamics with respect to traction, steering behavior, and longitudinal and lateral acceleration. In addition to sector and lap times, the display also shows deviations in comparison with a previous lap or a preselected reference lap. Two cars in the display are used to symbolize the gap between the current lap and the reference lap: the car in front is faster.

With its Track Precision app, Porsche is taking the digital connection between smart sports cars and smartphones to the next level. Each model series features audio interfaces for connecting storage media: interfaces that have long been standard. Moreover, the driver can use Porsche Communication Management (PCM) to operate MP3 players or USB flash drives. In conjunction with a smartphone, PCM can also be used to read out the driver’s e-mail messages. The free Aha Radio app brings radio stations from around the world into your car; the online service provides access to social media and news portals. And the results of an online search for points of interest can be entered as a GPS destination in the PCM directly at the touch of a button.

When it comes to bringing smartphones and cars together, Porsche Car Connect offers the ultimate in convenience and comfort. A Panamera, Cayenne, or Macan can be monitored with this app, but that’s not all: certain functions can even be remotely controlled. For example, the app shows not only the vehicle’s position but that of the driver as well. The profusion of confusion in a parking garage becomes a thing of the past. Not only can you quickly find your car; you can even have it flash its headlights or sound the horn.

Doors, windows, and the luggage compartment can also be checked remotely; the exterior mirrors can be folded in; and vehicle data including mileage, tire pressure, and service intervals can be called up from your desktop. And Porsche Car Connect offers greater security as well: in case of an accident, the system automatically sends an emergency call, and the car can be traced if it is stolen.

The app’s E-Performance functions go still further in the Panamera and Cayenne E-Hybrid models. For these models, the Porsche Car Connect menu items are expanded to include an overview of the charge status and time, and the range. The driver can use the charge-time function to program when the charging process should begin; the climate control option can be used to set a comfortable interior temperature.

The high-end version of the Porsche connectivity range is found in the company flagship: the 918 Spyder. The hybrid super sports car has a Web-based infotainment system on board. It combines innovative HTML5 programming with an intuitive operating philosophy and the latest wireless communication technologies: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and MirrorLink. This technology makes it possible to show and operate content and functions from a smartphone display in parallel with the car’s onboard monitor.

HTML5 programming enables the onboard system to be continuously updated, and new apps can be added. Practically speaking, a driver behind the wheel of a 918 Spyder is online all the time and everywhere.

By Peter Weidenhammer