Nest Doorbell motion detection not working with Google Home Automations

[JohnnyU]

So I just got a Nest 2nd Generation Wired Doorbell installed and setup with Google Home. One thing I wanted to do was use motion detection to turn on the porch light at night. But after reading several posts here and other places on the interwebs, it seems that motion detection with Nest cams do not trigger automations in Google Home. Is this correct? And if so, what is the timeline to get this feature implemented? If not, what am I doing wrong setting up the automation?

I have setup Zones, one for Person and Package detection and a separate one just for Motion. I can confirm that the app is correctly detecting people, packages and motion and sending notifications. When setting up the automation: Starter - Porch doorbell - Detects motion; Action - Porch Light - Turn on. Then I trigger a motion notification, but the automation is not triggered. But when I change the Starter to Doorbell rings, the automation is triggered, and the light is turned on. Additionally, I created an automation that would turn off the light after 5 minutes of no motion detected, which never gets triggered.

Other info, I'm using Google Home on Pixel 9 Pro, and no Nest Aware subscription. 

[Bke37699]

Bump. Same problem here. I have various Google Home automations setup so the trigger point of Nest camera detecting motion. Home app sends me motion detection notifications but never triggers automation. What’s truly befuddling is why as a product owner you would approve deploying a new setting to your UI that’s not connected to your system in any way. Like installing a light switch that is not wired to anything. 

[djrpascu]

Same issue here...

[Bke37699]

It dawned on me today that it’s possible that this  functionality may only be usable with the Nest Aware subscription…Can anyone who has a Nest Aware subscription confirm this is still an issue?

[djrpascu]

I have a Nest Aware subscription (not the plus), but still doesn't work. I am also working out of a Pixel 9 Pro XL, which I know had other issues with notifications which I had to resolve through a reinstall of Google Home. I don't know if that's a factor but haven't been able to get my GE switches exposed via Smart things to work with Google Home automations beyond manually testing the automation. On the SmartThings side it doesn't seem to register the motion from the doorbell consistently either.

[kcruzgonzalez]

Hi JohnnyU,

Thank you for posting in the community. I'm sorry to hear that the motion detection is not working. Don't worry, I'm here to help.

For your concern, please try the below steps:

The motion setting will turn the lights on whenever the floodlight’s motion sensor detects activity. You can also adjust the motion sensitivity setting to determine when the floodlight will turn on. 

To find the right setting for your floodlight installation, when it's dark, choose a sensitivity setting, then walk past your camera to see when the light turns on. Select a higher sensitivity so your floodlight will turn on when there’s activity further away, or a lower sensitivity for a shorter range.

1. Open the Google Home app.
2. Tap and hold your device's tile.
3. Open Settings > What turns on the floodlight.
4. Tap the switch to turn Motion on or off.
5. Set motion sensitivity to high, medium, or low.

If you have any other questions about changing floodlight settings, please refer to the next article: Change floodlight settings

Let me know how it goes and keep me posted.

Regards,

Kevin 

[Bke37699]

I don’t think you are understanding the issue here. The issue is that Nest camera motion detection, set as a trigger point within an automation, is not working. For example, the Home app allows me to create an automation to make an announcement on my Nest hub display when my Nest floodlight camera detects motion. However it just does not work. The camera is sensing motion and sending notifications independent of the automation, but the motion is not triggering the routine to run autonomously. 

[JohnnyU]

I was able to make it work after joining the Public Preview of Home, and creating a script. The Nest doorbell detects a person, triggers my Feit smart bulb to turn on, then turn off after 5 minutes. This set up has been working for the last couple of days

[Bke37699]

Great to hear you got it working. I just joined public preview yesterday. Not sure how to create a script. Any help or examples you could share would be great. Thanks!

[kcruzgonzalez]

Hi Bke37699,

Thank you for your response. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. Let's work together for a solution.

For your concern, please try the below steps: 

To create scripted automations, you'll need to understand the basics of YAML, a human-readable scripting language that allows you to enter line-by-line instructions to create home automations. 
Understand how routines work, including terminology like starters and actions.
Understand how to use the script editor to write scripted automations.
For more detailed info on how to write a script, follow Write scripted automations with the script editor.

Let me know if you have any further questions.
 
Regards,
 Kevin

[Bke37699]

Why do I need to write a script when the home app has the trigger and action right there for me to directly configure in the UI? It literally says when camera detects motion, turn on xyz light. Why do I need to take time out of my life to learn scripting? If the automation setting doesn’t work in the Home app, take it out of the app! It’s really that simple. 

[Schuji]

Agreed! Or better yet, fix the app so the automation works…

[SaSiYa]

I have a script written in YAML (using beta google script editor) for "PersonDetection"  or "MotionDetection" events on Entryway doorbell camera and triggered doorbell Camera to display on Google Hub Display in the family room for 30 seconds (Using assistant.command.OkGoogle) . It was working fine for months till it suddenly stopped working some weeks back. I agree, currently 'MotionDetection' fails to trigger actions   

[JohnnyU]

https://developers.home.google.com/automations/example-scripts#motion_triggered_lights

I used this example to help me make my script

[Koolwaterstof]

Same issue here - I have a Nest Aware subscription and a Nest Battery Doorbell.

I have the following automations:

1. When doorbell detects motion, turn on porch light.

2. When doorbell doesn't detect motion for 2 minutes, turn off porch light.

Neither of these automations work. I have multiple other automations with different triggers that work perfectly - it seems the doorbell motion-related triggers simply don't work.

I understand that this is possible with scripting, and as a software engineer I'm perfectly capable of doing so, but that's beside the point - there is existing functionality here that is broken. I shouldn't have to use a script for this, and people who don't know how to write scripts shouldn't need to learn it when the functionality exists in the UI already (it just doesn't work).

[Bke37699]

Forthcoming reply: “Have you tried deleting the Google home app, reinstalling, then setting up every device again from scratch?”😂

[RY2]

Same thing for me, I know it's Beta, but the functionality isn't even close to being ready for Beta, let alone and actual release.