Car Stole My Call via Bluetooth - bug or feature?

[PtG62901]

I'm talking on my iPhone, walking toward my Model S. When I get close the car comes alive, as you would expect with the fob in pocket. Then my call was gone, no noise, what the heck. Open the door, sit in the driver's seat, and realize my call is now on speaker phone in the car. The person on the other end had hung up, because it appeared the call was dead.

Is this the way it is supposed to work? I think it might be better to prompt the user, instead of grabbing a call on activation of the car. I haven't read the Bluetooth spec in many years, and that was before cellphones, anyone know what the proper behavior is?

 

[markn455]

Happens on mine too and my old ICE as well.

 

[Drucifer]

Feature, even if it bugs you.

 

[DOCAL]

Not sure that's down to the car, would expect it's the phone's choice where it sends the audio.

 

[PtG62901]

Not sure that's down to the car, would expect it's the phone's choice where it sends the audio.

No, the car can and does grab it. That is Bluetooth pairing, the car gets the option. The question is if it should, without asking. I think they can tell, at power up, there is an existing phone call, and easily make a screen to ask. If they were my geeks, I would get that done.

 

[Max*]

It'd been doing this forever, not a bug.

 

[DOCAL]

No, the car can and does grab it. That is Bluetooth pairing, the car gets the option. The question is if it should, without asking. I think they can tell, at power up, there is an existing phone call, and easily make a screen to ask. If they were my geeks, I would get that done.

From the user's point of view it looks like the car grabbed it, but the question is what's happening from the bluetooth point of view.

I've just skimmed through the HFP (Hands free profile) bluetooth spec, and can see that either side may initiate the actual audio transfer (see sections 4.11 "Audio connection setup" and specifically 4.16 "Audio Connection Transfer towards the HF ") - however, that would require the car to know a call is in progress, and that can only be initiated from the phone side of things (section 4.10.1 "Transfer of call status"). So regardless of which side the audio channel is initiated from, the ongoing call transfer sequence is always initiated by the phone.

I've seen the same thing happen if a paired bluetooth headset is powered on during a call, so it's not specific to the car, and since the phone ultimately starts the transfer sequence, the preference to do it or not belongs there.

The specs are online at Adopted Specifications | Bluetooth Technology Website and are highly recommended if you're having problems getting to sleep sometime.

 

[Boatguy]

Yes, it's a "feature" of bluetooth in the car and my previous cars had the same "feature". It once switched my wife's phone, on which she was speaking, to the car when I got in it in the garage and drove away. I could hear both parties, she couldn't hear the other party. Then as I drove it away it of course dropped her.

It can cause some very strange behaviors.

 

[Snerruc]

You think that's bad, when I get a call around the car my phone doesn't know which to give the call to my watch, my hearing aids, the car or keep it. Sometimes it splits it up with weird results. My Tesla is much better than my BMW was. 90% of the time the car grabs it. Much better than never knowing which will respond.

 

[Stiction]

If the car has been off, and the fob approaches, the car should wait to pair until a door is opened.
Simple fix.

 

[PtG62901]

If the car has been off, and the fob approaches, the car should wait to pair until a door is opened.
Simple fix.

That is a good idea. Tesla, make it so.

 

[SDRick]

On a iPhone this is easily taken care of. If you anticipate the need to transfer to your car or to your phone because you do not like the automatic selection change it manually on the spot and continue your conversation.

 

[PtG62901]

On a iPhone this is easily taken care of. If you anticipate the need to transfer to your car or to your phone because you do not like the automatic selection change it manually on the spot and continue your conversation.

Not so easy to do, and there is no reason you have to. But I'm a software manager, this is what junior programmers are for. It would be one if statement.