Have you ever locked your doors using your vehicle’s remote key and wondered, “Did my doors actually lock?” Even if your remote key has good range, there is no way you can be 100% sure your doors locked unless you can see or hear the vehicle. 1-way remotes are best whe you are within audible and visual distance of the vehicle.

This is where 2-way communication comes into play. 2-way remotes will not only send a command (e.g. lock or remote start) to your vehicle, but it will also confirm when that command is successful.

2-way is especially useful when remote starting your vehicle from the comfort of your home or workplace. Imagine remote starting your vehicle from your desk and receiving instant confirmation that your vehicle is warming up/cooling down: that is the power of a 2-way system!

Traditionally remote starters would be controlled with a handheld remote that is attached to your keychain, taking up extra space in your pocket or purse. As technology has advanced the need to carry extra remotes is becoming less necessary and can be cumbersome in many instances. This is where the phone app models come into play.

With a traditional handheld remote, whether it's a 2-way or 1-way model, you'll always be limited in the areas and distance you can use it. Since it works on radio frequency, it's susceptible to interference that can sometimes highly reduce it's ability to communicate with the vehicle. Most brand name remotes will have a working distance of 1000ft to 15,000ft depending on the model. They will work through walls and some building structures, but distance ratings are always going to be rated in ideal conditions. So generally you can expect 50-75% of the rated working distance on average.

Having a phone app controlled model is an ideal package for most of today's vehicles. It allows for unlimited working distance (at least within the manufacturers coverage map) and typically has all the same features of a handheld remote (this varies by model). This is achieved by using the highly reliable cell towers across the country to communicate, rather than basic radio frequency.

A benefit of a phone controlled model is that you won't necessarily need to carry a handheld remote on your keychain, so you basically carry the same things you do right now in your purse or pockets with no extra bulk (Note: you will always need to carry you key to actually drive the car).