German motorhome and campervan manufacturer launches advanced motorhome app

Hymer has launched a new app for its motorhomes that combines the controls for numerous vehicle components, as well as information from numerous vehicle and motorhome systems in a new app, enabling them to be viewed and controlled using a smartphone.

To enable this, Hymer is the first manufacturer to be allowed access by Mercedes-Benz to the vehicle information of the Sprinter chassis cowl, such as the mileage or service intervals, using an app.

Motorhome apps that allow users to control systems from their phone are nothing new, Rapido launched an iPhone app in 2011, while British manufacturer, Elddis, launched a motorhome app the following year.

But the new Hymer Connect app, which works in conjunction with a central control unit inside the motorhome, is different and far more advanced as it works with the base vehicle systems as well as the motorhome systems and is, says Hymer, currently the first such connectivity solution of its kind.

It will be available as standard in all Hymer B-Class MasterLine motorhomes from the 2022 model year onwards and, from February 2021 onwards, it can also be retrofitted in some B-ML Hymer motorhomes from the 2020 model year onwards.

The app has been launched after Hymer’s “Connected Mobile Home” study found that connectivity is the factor that will create the most added-value for the motorhome industry in the coming years.

Hymer Connect App benefits

The app has been designed to be convenient, intuitive and be able to be used from any location.

For example, a user on the way back from the nearest town can switch on the heating or air-conditioning, extend the satellite system, or turn on the lights, before stepping foot in the vehicle.

That is because in addition to being able to communicate via Bluetooth when close to the vehicle, the systems can also be controlled remotely using mobile communications in 30 European countries. All the functions can still be controlled manually, too, using the control panel and vehicle controls.

The app is pre-programmed with scenarios for regularly recurring processes and procedures. This includes a ‘Good Morning’ and ‘Good Night’ scenario, for example, which automatically adjusts the temperature and lighting conditions inside the motorhome, controls the hot water, and retracts or extends the satellite system accordingly.

There are also corresponding scenarios for when a user leaves home or first arrives at a campsite. These can be tailored to individual requirements, and users can add their own scenarios.

Lighting controls allow the brightness and colour temperature of the four-level ambient lighting to be individually adjusted using the app. The lighting conditions outside the motorhome during the course of the day can also be taken into consideration: in the form of a stimulating light when the sun is at its peak or a soothing, fireside light in the evenings.

There is also a checklist on the app, which provide step-by-step guides through individual actions, to help with activities that are performed for the first time or only rarely.

The app can also send push notifications about the status of the central locking system, for example, or alerts if the refrigerator hasn’t been closed properly.

Standard information is also available, such as when the fresh water level is low or the battery level is critical.

Hymer’s Service Hotline can also be contacted from the app.

Downloading the app and future updates

From February 2021 the Hymer Connect App will also be available to download for free in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Hymer says in future, location-based services will also be gradually added to the app, including the display and depiction of points of interest or service partners and dealers nearby. There are also plans for enhanced camping services to be added, including the ability to conveniently book a pitch or rent a leisure vehicle, for example.

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