Hyundai launches Blue Link app for Apple smartwatch; App features remote car functions and car finder for compatible models

Korean car manufacturer Hyundai and tech giant Apple has released a Blue Link app for the Apple Watch wearable device. The release of the Blue Link app for the Apple Watch follows the earlier release of another version of the app for the iPhone.

Apple Insider reported that the two versions of the app work in the same way: by connecting to a Blue Link-enabled Hyundai car, users can stop or start the car's engine remotely, lock or unlock the doors remotely, and even flash the car's headlights. Users can even monitor the vehicle's status, and even keep track of when to feed parking meters. Hyundai's cloud-based Blue Link platform allows users to perform commands through voice or tapping on icons on the Apple Watch, as long as it is paired with an iPhone with an Internet and a Bluetooth connection.

The biggest draw of the Blue Link platform however is the ability to pinpoint the location of the car through the use of a car finder service linked with Apple Maps and show directions to it on the Apple Watch. The feature is a big help if the user forgets where they have parked, but could be a bigger help if something untoward happens to the car or the driver.

So far, only first- and next-generation Blue Link-enabled Hyundai models are capable of using the technology, including models starting from the 2012 Hyundai Sonata up to the 2013 lineup, according ot a report of PR Newswire. On the other hand, next generation Hyundai cars with Blue Link include the 2015 Genesis, Sonata and Azera models.

"The Blue Link Apple Watch app complements all of our other high-tech features. Drivers can get into a Sonata today and find iPhone integration, adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection and a smart trunk that will open automatically when you stand behind it," explains Frank Ferrara, executive vice president of customer satisfaction for Hyundai Motor America.