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After a few months of driving a Tesla, it seems antiquated to carry a physical car key or press a button to lock, unlock, or start your car. Before my Tesla arrived I thought I’d be buying the optional key fob, and after a day, I had no desire to ever carry one again. (I do carry the card key in my wallet in case something happens to my phone, but I’ve never had to use it.)
 
I haven't seen that. That is news to me. Well, my Ford is from 2015 and the app doesn't work on it. Interesting.
GM has definitely had "Onstar remote start" for a long time, like 10 years or so. It doesn't let you drive off without a key.
 
This is a good thing why? You walk by your car and it is unlocked. You have your car in your garage that is open because, you are doing stuff. Your phone unlocks your car while you take a 10 minute break in the kitchen, then someone comes and nabs the stuff in the passenger seat. I hope that at a minimum, it can be turned off.

I know it relocks the door after just a few seconds. I don't like the idea of technology deciding what I want to do and when I want to do it.
Have you been in a modern car recently? Comfort access has been a thing for years, and doesn’t just unlock your car when you happen to walk by. When you walk up the car and pull the handle, the car unlocks. It’s not like the you walk past the car and the doors fling open.
 
I haven't seen that. That is news to me. Well, my Ford is from 2015 and the app doesn't work on it. Interesting.
Of course it depends what package you have from Ford. But a lot of Fords have the Ford Pass app working. You have to use the Connected Services feature on your account of course, and unlike Tesla etc, this costs money.
 
But if you lost your key or locked it inside your car, I'd bet you'd want this as a backup.
I have a 2013 VW CC that has a bluetooth key. The car detects the key in my pocket and lets me open the door and start the car without taking it out. The car detects when the key is in the car and so prevents you from locking the car with the second key inside the car.

It's nice this has moved to an app but I'm kind of surprised it's taken this long. My current car also has sensors to determine if someone is locked in the car. This feature of either a bluetooth key or app based key would be a requirement for my next car. I find it really weird to manually have to press a button to unlock my partners car.

One additional feature might be to have the option of locking the car automatically after everyone has left the vehicle and the key device is no longer in range.
 
Why would I want my car to unlock every time I walk by the door, even if it relocks itself 30 seconds later? I am actually quite familiar with NFC RFID. It's fantastic for the applications where it is the best choice. Unlocking your car every 45 seconds while you are moving stuff around in your garage or building stuff with the 3d printer or whatever is not a good use. When I want my car door locked, I will push the button on the key. When I want my car door unlocked, I will push the button on the key. When I want to start my car, I will step on the clutch and hit the button. If I want to drift a corner at 100MPH, I will downshift when I want to downshift. I will let off the clutch as I want to let off the clutch. I will upshift and floor it when I want to upshift and floor it.
For my vehicle you have to grab the door handle and it automatically unlocks. A little bit annoying when washing the car with the key in your pocket but otherwise it's not a problem. This is not really a new invention, as I said in my previous post my car is 10 years old.
 
For my vehicle you have to grab the door handle and it automatically unlocks. A little bit annoying when washing the car with the key in your pocket but otherwise it's not a problem. This is not really a new invention, as I said in my previous post my car is 10 years old.
I am trying to wonder, how would a wireless key be more annoying when washing a car?
 
Of course it depends what package you have from Ford. But a lot of Fords have the Ford Pass app working. You have to use the Connected Services feature on your account of course, and unlike Tesla etc, this costs money.
So it's a feature that not all Ford vehicles have and it has a monthly cost? I'll take remote start app-less then.
 
Very misleading for other vehicles than the two mentioned. BMW removed this feature from a lot of their vehicles, probably because of the chip shortage.
 
I noticed when playing around with the build configurator on the BMW website when building mine that if you add some packages (mostly the high end trim/packages) it would add an option for “DELETE DIGITAL KEY” or something of that nature.

Not sure what it was about and never followed up because my 2021 x3 didn’t have the option at the time.
 
The same Tesla with the ridiculous panel gaps and no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto?
Have had 7 BMWs in a row before my Tesla and it’s at least on par with them - and yeah just 5 years ahead of them with anything remotely technological in the cars. Worst thing is the fact they always keep stuff like this reserved for the brand new models and don’t make it possible to existing owners to get updates.
 
hackers will love this era, no more door forces for the police to investigate, cars and houses
It’s definitely more secure than a normal RF remote that every car uses today. Replicate that signal and you are in.
 
Have had 7 BMWs in a row before my Tesla and it’s at least on par with them - and yeah just 5 years ahead of them with anything remotely technological in the cars. Worst thing is the fact they always keep stuff like this reserved for the brand new models and don’t make it possible to existing owners to get updates.
I shuddered as soon as I saw that iDrive interface. Still cramming vague, horribly coloured icons into a tiny, unresponsive screen!

Teslas aren’t perfect, but even on the cheapest vehicles you get every toy that BMW would charge you thousands extra for, and then even charge you monthly to use. Except CarPlay, which really isn’t a massive loss.
 
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This is such a cool feature, I had it in 2019 on my Tesla Model 3?
Not via Apple Wallet. Why? Because Tesla blocks anyone else from access. Funny how Elon Musk pokes at Apple for their wall and app store when he does the same with Tesla. No CarPlay or AppleTV on Tesla.
 
Why would I want my car to unlock every time I walk by the door, even if it relocks itself 30 seconds later? I am actually quite familiar with NFC RFID. It's fantastic for the applications where it is the best choice. Unlocking your car every 45 seconds while you are moving stuff around in your garage or building stuff with the 3d printer or whatever is not a good use. When I want my car door locked, I will push the button on the key. When I want my car door unlocked, I will push the button on the key. When I want to start my car, I will step on the clutch and hit the button. If I want to drift a corner at 100MPH, I will downshift when I want to downshift. I will let off the clutch as I want to let off the clutch. I will upshift and floor it when I want to upshift and floor it.
Would it really unlock just by being in the area? I doubt it. Normally for NFC you have to be really close. I guess it depends on the cars NFC sensitivity. Heck, for payments, you practically have to touch the payment kiosk. And, my work badge is practically the same. I can't just walk by and have doors open at work automatically.

So, for my Tesla ( think they actually use bluetooth), you have to be right on top of the car and right at door handle with the phone close. Meaning, I usually have my phone in my back pocket and it does not unlock. I have move phone to front pocket or in my hand. If NFC version works the same, it won't be just opening and closing that easily like you think.
 
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