This is probably common knowledge, and common sense since cell phones always have the possibility of breaking. But I find modern cell phones very reliable and have become complacent about not necessarily always having the key card on me as a backup.
But I can confirm that the risk here is much greater than just the possibility that your cell phone could stop working at any time. Besides that the tesla app can require you to re-login at any time and requires internet for this to happen. So if you're in a remote area your cell phone can be perfectly functional but at any time tesla might arbitrarily require a re-login and without internet the phone cannot be used to access the car anymore
I was lucky that I was in a location with intermittent internet access, so after a few tries I was able to re-login to the tesla app and get back in the car. But in a more remote location I would have been completely locked out.
I know this is kind of a "duh" PSA, but I bet I'm not the only person who "usually" carries the card. So for anybody else out there who "usually" rather than "always" carries the card (or a fob) -- better make it "always"
But I can confirm that the risk here is much greater than just the possibility that your cell phone could stop working at any time. Besides that the tesla app can require you to re-login at any time and requires internet for this to happen. So if you're in a remote area your cell phone can be perfectly functional but at any time tesla might arbitrarily require a re-login and without internet the phone cannot be used to access the car anymore
I was lucky that I was in a location with intermittent internet access, so after a few tries I was able to re-login to the tesla app and get back in the car. But in a more remote location I would have been completely locked out.
I know this is kind of a "duh" PSA, but I bet I'm not the only person who "usually" carries the card. So for anybody else out there who "usually" rather than "always" carries the card (or a fob) -- better make it "always"