As Porsche continues their march toward the future, they do so not only with the production of hybrid and electric vehicles, but with investments in other technologies as well. For instance, just today Porsche Digital announced a partnership with Stuttgart based technology company home-IX. Started by two former Porsche employees, the start-up specializes in “smart living solutions” with a focus on “car-to-smart home solutions for OEMs in the automotive industry”.
As part of Porsche’s “partnership”, Porsche Digital holds a minority share in home-IX. The company receives additional support from Porsche in the form of shared office space, strategic coaching aand the commissioning of a pilot-project focused on how to connect the smart home with cars, mobile devices and other digital assistants.
What is a Smart Home and what does it have to do with Porsche?
Porsche already offers some connectivity in the form of Porsche Car Connect and Apple Car Play, but that’s just the start.
The terms “smart living” and “smart home” refer to an environment in which household and mobile devices – from an air-conditioning system to a car – interact and can be managed centrally. Every day processes are automated and intelligent networking delivers efficiency, convenience, reliability and productivity – both at home and on the move. The problem with most of today’s solutions is that they are quite fragmented. In other words, your air conditioning may not talk to your alarm system or your garage door doesn’t connect to your lighting, this is usually the result of them working on two different platforms in a very fragmented market.
home-IX is working to develop a way to integrate these systems, by existing providers, on a neutral platform.
“Our platform functions as a secure interface on the smart home market”, explains home-IX CEO Mehmet Arziman.
So, imagine a future where you drive home from work at night and your Porsche turns on the lights, turns off the alarm, adjusts the temperature and opens the garage door as you arrive. While most of that is possible today, it’s usually done via a multitude of apps and requires your input on your mobile device. Personally, I like the direction Porsche is headed in with this particular investment as I’m a big fan of smart home technology.