Samsung has high hopes for a new app that lets BMW owners monitor their cars vital signs on their Galaxy Gear.

Samsung introduced the BMW app for the Gear last week at the International Consumer Electronics Show.

High-end Samsung smartphones, including the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note product lines, have generated big profits, but the company sells far more budget phones. At £299, the Gear isn’t designed for price-conscious consumers or people in emerging markets. Teaming up with the German automaker could help Samsung reach an audience that can afford the Gear.

Using the BMW i Remote app, the Gear can wirelessly connect to the i3 car to deliver notifications about whether the windows are down, the drivable range and how much electric charge is remaining in the car battery — which, by the way, is supplied by Samsung. Gear users can also tap a button on the watch’s screen or say a voice command to locate where their car is parked, load directions onto the car’s navigation system or pre-heat the seats in cold weather.

Many of these features are also available in BMW’s apps for Android and iPhone, but based on user reviews, they don’t work that well. So it’s questionable whether the software will be any better on a watch.