Gentex Corp. announced it has taken an equity stake in Yonomi, an IoT company focused on created a more connected smart home. Gentex said it aims to help bring home automation to the automotive industry with this acquisition.
The two companies recently completed the Series A financing and signed a licensing agreement allowing Gentex to utilize Yonomi software solutions that help apps and services integrate with a wide variety of smart home technologies. Gentex President and CEO Steve Downing also has joined Yonomi’s board of directors.
Over the past year, Gentex and Yonomi worked together to pilot Yonomi One, a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution that handles the complex tasks required to integrate products and services with top smart home devices and platforms. With the SDKs and APIs provided by Yonomi One, companies can integrate their apps and devices with more than 70 popular smart home products.
Gentex is utilizing Yonomi One to launch HomeLink Connect, its all-new home automation app that pairs with the vehicle and allows drivers to operate home automation devices from a vehicle’s center console display and/or rearview mirror controls. Drivers of HomeLink Connect-compatible vehicles will be able to download and configure the app to control a myriad of individual home automation devices, or set up entire home automation “scenes.” For instance, when heading home, one HomeLink button press could adjust a thermostat, turn on home lighting, disarm the security system, unlock the door and begin playing music.
The new HomeLink Connect technology leverages Gentex’s cloud infrastructure and customized apps to integrate Yonomi technology so that automotive OEMs will be able to offer simple, secure and comprehensive vehicle-to-home connectivity.
HomeLink Connect will be on display this week in Gentex’s booth at CES 2018 (Las Vegas Convention Center, Tech East, North Hall, booth No. 9123).
