Need help with Lock/Unlock switch in HA

[triumfas]

Hi,

Maybe someone has an example of working switch with state in configuration.yaml? I want to pass a switch to Google Assistant, but can't figure out how to define a working switch. For Lovelace I do have a button working.

Thanks

[zzarne]

If you really want to give Google control over your car's lock, see https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/switch.template/

[Moherres]

3AA5C34371567BD2

[tubalainen]

Hi @zzarne !

I have exposed the domain "lock.xxxx" to Google and renamed the entity in the Google Home app to "bilen" (the car). I use Nabucasa.

So I can say in Swedish "Hey Google, lås upp bilen" (unlock the car). Google will ask for the security pin code (the SPIN) and the car gets unlocked.

Can you please elaborate some more what a switch would do and possibly why to replace the "lock" it with a "switch" ?

[milkboy]

So you kindof want to circumvent the built-in (not very secure) security features for locks? Sounds risky

[triumfas]

Is there a way to provide a pin otherwise? We Connect app is so slow on Android that it's useless for cases where you'd like to unlock the car with an app. Google does not have a native integration and integration through HA as a Lock AFAIK does not have the option to provide a pin. If it's available through HA it shouldn't be more risky than through HA <> GA integration. It's not a webhook which I would consider less secure. So you either should get an access to HA or Google account to control the car lock and I hope with two factor authentication it should not be that easy.
I'm open for a discussion how to make it more secure :)

[milkboy]

Ah. Yea. Well, personally I'd be cautious about exposing locks at all (well, don't even have any.. for now at least). And yea, 30 seconds to open the app + 15-30 seconds lag until the command reaches the car is insanely slow. Had a look at all the bloat and "protections" in the app, and now I kindof understand why it's so slow 💩

[triumfas]

Using API - when it works it takes only couple seconds to lock/unlock. And iOS VW app works much faster than Android one, so it's more their developers issue rather than "protection". Making it a nightmare to use does not make it any safer :)
It's not the only integration made on HA that does it's job way better than a native app. Will try to play with it for some time and see if it's worth using.
The main idea was to unlock the car and turn on welcome lights without the need to find keys in a bag or deep pocket. Welcome lights sadly won't turn on so it looses half of the fun. Making multiple requests to a car also disables functionality till the next time you start it (battery saving) - making it a bit harder to setup while debugging what's working and what's not. Still fun to see it working :)

[milkboy]

yea. I've had to go start the car and replug it "a couple" of times also 🔌

[triumfas]

Finally found an example and did few configurations. Sharing - maybe will be useful for someone. Welcome lights are not triggered with remote unlock method.

# Example configuration.yaml entries

# Cover option - worked, but it works only with voice commands
cover:
  - platform: template
    covers:
      google_vw_door_lock:
        value_template: "{{ is_state('lock.vw_door_locked', 'locked') }}"
        close_cover:
          service: lock.lock
          data:
            entity_id: lock.vw_door_locked
        open_cover:
          service: lock.unlock
          data:
            entity_id: lock.vw_door_locked

# Switch option is the way to go for me. It works with voice commands and as a switch. 
# Custom routines needs to be created for more intuitive voice commands

switch:
  - platform: template
    switches:
      google_vw_door_lock_sw:
        value_template: "{{ is_state('lock.vw_door_locked', 'locked') }}"
        turn_on:
          service: lock.lock
          target:
            entity_id: lock.vw_door_locked
        turn_off:
          service: lock.unlock
          target:
            entity_id: lock.vw_door_locked

# Example google_integration.yaml entries
  cover.google_vw_door_lock:
    name: "VW Doors"
    room: 'Car'
    expose: true
    
  switch.google_vw_door_lock_sw:
    name: "VW Doors switch"
    room: 'Car'
    expose: true