Hardware enthusiast Dave Hacks read about the Viper SmartStart system, capable of remote starting your car from anywhere, all for $500. He loved the idea, but not the price, so he rolled up his sleeves and made his own on the cheap.

After looking into the system, I soon stumbled onto the fact that the system is ridiculously expensive, as is everything that has to do with the Goddamned iPhone newer technology. Further research on the subject yielded little hope, as all other systems were out of my budget (cheap as hell).


He details the step-by-step process in great detail on his blog in three parts. The project as a whole cost him $71.03, and while it certainly requires some time and know-how on your part, the end result is pretty cool.

Remote Start using Cell Phone: Part 1; Part 2; Part 3 [Dave Hacks via Jalopnik]