Ford Motor Company’s Lincoln luxury brand is to announce an app to enable users to control their cars remotely as BMW issues a security patch for a flaw affecting 2.2 million vehicles.

The MyLincoln smartphone app – developed with Google – will allow users to schedule remote starts as well as lock and unlock their cars, reports The Detroit News.

MyLincoln is the first app of its kind to be integrated with the Android organiser app Google Now, and is likely to raise concerns with privacy watchdogs and cyber security professionals.

But users may disregard the risks to benefit from remote start functionality that will ensure the vehicle is cooled off or warmed up by the time they are ready to drive.

“Delivering unique experiences for the luxury client throughout ownership is fundamental to Lincoln,” Matt VanDyke, director, global Lincoln, said in a statement.

“By innovating with leading tech companies, we have an opportunity to personalize the ongoing interaction between the customer and the vehicle.”

The Google Now and MyLincoln apps will be connected through an embedded modem in the vehicle.

Security concerns Lincoln said the MyLincoln Mobile connectivity and Google services are opt-in features, and notifications can be turned off. But the car maker made no mention of security or privacy, which will be key to the app’s success, especially as it can also be used to locate vehicles. Security concerns are underlined by the fact that BMW released a patch for a security flaw that could have allowed hackers to unlock about 2.2 million BMW, Rolls-Royce and Mini cars. The vulnerability in BMW’s ConnectedDrive infotainment system was discovered by the German motorist association ADAC, reports Slashgear. ADAC said it proved with several vehicles they could be unlocked remotely using a smartphone. “The procedure leaves no trace and runs in minutes,” the organisation said in a statement. ADAC said it had waited for BMW to release a patch before revealing the flaw. "As a responsible consumer advocate we have held off publication of this vulnerability until it was closed by the manufacturer to prevent criminals exploiting the attack," the organisation said.