Gallery: On a fast route to connected vehicle technology

Just the thing for the absent-minded

With the myQ Auto software platform installed, you never have to worry about pulling bone-headed stunts like leaving home with the garage door left wide open, or remotely starting your car sitting in the garage with the garage door still closed (cough, cough). Developed by the Chamberlain Group, myQ Auto is a cloud-based service that lets the driver control the garage door, gates, and smart home functions. Control is usually via touchscreen or voice, and the system knows such things as whether or not the car is sitting in the garage. For vehicles that don’ have the software platform installed, there is also a smart mirror (bottom image) which is basically a three-button universal garage door opener nested in a rearview mirror. (In the image, the remote unit is dangling below the mirror so you can see it.) In actual use, the remote fits in the mirror footprint. It works with major garage door opener brands, gates, and turns smart lighting on and off.