At the launch event for the Sealion 06 model in April 2025, BYD Vietnam introduced a remote vehicle management and control application called BYD App. According to BYD Vietnam, all their vehicle models can be connected to this app to utilize remote control features.
Specifically, these features include remote locking/unlocking, engine start, air conditioning control, GPS tracking, and route sharing. Additionally, the BYD app allows owners to manage their vehicles by monitoring vehicle status, checking tire pressure, supervising battery levels, adjusting AC temperature, and receiving notifications when the battery is fully charged, among other things. The app also supports simultaneous management of multiple vehicles, automatic software updates, and performance optimization.
With this app, vehicle owners can use their smartphones or smart watches to unlock their cars instead of using physical keys. However, the BYD app is not free of charge. Instead, owners have to pay a fee to use it. This information came as a surprise to some BYD car owners in Vietnam.
The BYD APP allows owners to unlock their cars without using a physical key.
In response to user feedback, BYD Vietnam asserted that they had never advertised the app as free. This misunderstanding might have stemmed from communications between dealerships, sales consultants, and customers.
BYD Vietnam also clarified that the cost to access all the app’s features is 15 million VND. This price includes the installation of a physical SIM card in the vehicle to enable app connectivity. However, customers only need to make a one-time payment to use the app for the lifetime of the vehicle, with no additional subscription or data charges.
Vietnamese BYD car owners need to pay 15 million VND to access certain features.
BYD stated that if customers use their own data SIM cards, they can still use the connected features on the vehicle’s infotainment screen, such as playing music, using in-car WiFi, or navigation. However, they won’t be able to activate the smart features mentioned earlier unless they use the authorized dealership-provided SIM card.
In other markets outside of Vietnam, this app has varying pricing policies. For example, in Malaysia and Singapore, car owners can use the app for free for two years. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, BYD offers free app usage for up to ten years. After this period, customers need to pay a monthly fee to continue using the service.
