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Any news on if/when an old school key fob option will be available?

Discussion in 'Model 3: User Interface' started by Electric Joe, Jul 5, 2018.

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  1. Electric Joe

    Electric Joe Member

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    #1 Electric Joe, Jul 5, 2018
    I searched this forum for titles containing "fob" and found almost nothing, but I expect that this topic has been covered somewhere. If so, sorry for the duplicate!

    The point is really just in the title: Do we have any news on if/when a traditional key fob option will become available? The key card is a good emergency backup and the phone-as-key is a good idea in theory, but right now in 2018 these aren't great daily options for many of us. My Model S keyfob worked exactly 100% of the time. Phones only work most of the time, and key cards are about as convenient as metal keys, so I would certainly buy an optional Tesla key fob to get back that 100% reliability.

    Also, Summon is really fun to show off with a key fob hidden in my pocket. The effect a lot less dramatic when I'm playing with an iPhone.
     
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  2. BluestarE3

    BluestarE3 Active Member

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    #2 BluestarE3, Jul 5, 2018
    Nothing concrete yet... just a comment that they may be amenable to the idea of providing one.
     
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  3. ratsbew

    ratsbew Active Member

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    #3 ratsbew, Jul 5, 2018
    I sure hope soon! I read a commentor over on r/teslamotors who claimed to have inside knowledge that a FOB was in the works
     
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  4. Electric Joe

    Electric Joe Member

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    #4 Electric Joe, Jul 5, 2018
    I suppose the next question after timing is about cost. What do you expect it to cost? Things on the Tesla Shop tends to be expensive, but not usually painfully so. I guess I expect a set of two key fobs to cost something like $200, and I'd pay that. But I suppose they could be over $200 each, and that would be disappointing. My old Prius key costs over $350 from my local Toyota stealership, so this is certainly possible.
     
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  5. gregincal

    gregincal Active Member

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    #5 gregincal, Jul 5, 2018
    I believe Tesla charges about $130 for the Model S key fob. It seems reasonable it would be similar.
     
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  6. Knightshade

    Knightshade Well-Known Member

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    #6 Knightshade, Jul 5, 2018

    I don't think the Model 3 has antennas/receivers for an S-type fob, does it? The S has 7 antennas all around the car to receive a 315 MHz (for NA anyway) RF signal.... the 3 only receives BT/Wifi/LTE?

    If the only ways it has to receive signal are wifi/bluetooth the fob would need to work that way... in other words, the same way the phone does.

    So not sure it'd solve any issues for people who have trouble with the phone.
     
  7. Runt8

    Runt8 Active Member

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    #7 Runt8, Jul 5, 2018
    All Tesla fobs are bluetooth now.
     
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  8. Knightshade

    Knightshade Well-Known Member

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    #8 Knightshade, Jul 5, 2018
    Ah, yup, looks like they switched from RF to BT low-energy

    Not really sure why a BT fob would "work" any more reliably than a BT phone though?
     
  9. Az_Rael

    Az_Rael Supporting Member

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    #9 Az_Rael, Jul 5, 2018
    Well, it might not get shunted to a background process by your phone, since that is all that will be running on the fob. So in theory, it would be more reliable.
     
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  10. CapnOMatic

    CapnOMatic Member

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    #10 CapnOMatic, Jul 6, 2018
    I haven't had any real issues using my phone. A ring or smart watch fob might be a cool idea.
     
  11. gregincal

    gregincal Active Member

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    #11 gregincal, Jul 6, 2018
    It depends on the phone. My phone works 100%. Other people with varying phones and who knows what software installed can have random problems. By the same token there is no reason an RF fob would be any more reliable than a bluetooth one.
     
  12. N5329K

    N5329K Active Member

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    #12 N5329K, Jul 7, 2018
    Because it is only tasked with doing a few things very reliably and well. Unlike a phone.
    Robin
     
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  13. slipnslider

    slipnslider Member

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    #13 slipnslider, Jul 7, 2018
    I think it all came from one internet video which mentioned a phone call edmunds had with elon, and everyone else is just echoing that one report. It could be a total phantom. I hope not though.
     
  14. watilo

    watilo Member

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    #14 watilo, Jul 21, 2018
    I’d be personally insulted if they made fobs and tried to charge us for them. As-is, these cars are lemons. (Have you ever heard of a car whose key doesn’t work 100% of the time?) Providing complimentary fobs would be the least they can do.

    The problem is that there is no communication here. If they at least told us what they’re doing to fix this, I’d be a little more patient. But service center just says fixes are coming with firmware updates, then they push out new firmware and nothing is fixed. Hard to believe anybody but Tesla HQ which of course doesn’t chime in on any of this...
     
  15. Electric Joe

    Electric Joe Member

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    #15 Electric Joe, Jul 23, 2018
    Very good point. I often wonder why Tesla insists on secrecy regarding product features and changes. The best excuse I can come up with is that they don't want to promise something when they don't yet know if it's feasible or if they don't know their own timing. But... that theory falls flat when you look at just about everything Tesla has ever announced; they don't seem to be afraid to announce things and then change the plan or timing.
     
  16. Electric Joe

    Electric Joe Member

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    #16 Electric Joe, Jul 23, 2018
    By the way, I saw on Teslanomics a few days ago that Ben Sullins is very disappointed with the current phone and card options for unlocking the Model 3. He's a well-respected part of the Tesla community, so I'm hopeful that this issue will get more attention at Tesla with Ben's recent comments.
     
  17. mspohr

    mspohr Well-Known Member

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    #17 mspohr, Jul 23, 2018
  18. Electric Joe

    Electric Joe Member

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    #18 Electric Joe, Jul 23, 2018
  19. mspohr

    mspohr Well-Known Member

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    #19 mspohr, Jul 23, 2018
    Sorry, Google photos is being temperamental.
    7765.jpg
     
  20. seyclone

    seyclone Member

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    #20 seyclone, Jul 27, 2018
    I guess I'm just lucky. I've had my M3 for 2 weeks Firmware 2018-24-8. My Iphone has not failed once. I wouldn't know there's a problem if people weren't constantly bringing it up.
     
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