Going into drive with keyfob outside the car

[nrcooled]

I do believe that the car will warn you. It basically says "No FOB present"

 

[fizzazle]

Nice thing about Tesla app is that if you did leave your key fob behind you could still unlock the car and jump in. St least you could wait in the car until someone brought you the key fob that you left behind. (In order to actually drive it!).

I think it had been suggested before that the app (and essentially your cell phone) should double as a key fob. Sounds like there were mixed thoughts about this.

BUT ....how about the ability to turn on the car with the app? Maybe a "push to start" button on the app (for emergencies?)

It's way less convenient (take out your phone, open app, press a "push to start" button) so it wouldn't be something people do as a default or replacement for the key fob but rather only for emergency situations. Maybe this would satisfy both camps?

 

[doug]

We decided to do an experiment. Doug's car was on the QFC sidewalk. He stood 4 feet away and I hopped in and tried to put the car in D. The MS did go into drive! I did not do it but if I then press the accelerator, it will move. That would be quite dangerous.

Other than making sure the key fob is far away, is there any way to prevent the car from going into drive mode?

I would've designed the software to allow the user to enable a PIN lock. I let friends play with my phone, but if they try to run a financial app, it requires an additional PIN be entered. You should be able to enable a PIN for drive functions.

 

[CraigHughes]

Same thing happens on my wife's hybrid highlander. I've had her in the car, dropped her off, driven home, then been stuck with no key cos she had both sets in her purse for some reason. Luckily I had my car key for the other car to go rescue her

 

[Jason S]

Yup, just tried it out. Left keyfob on the charging cable hanger and went for a drive around the block. Zero indication the fob was missing.

I can't think of a way to let people in the car without the car also being active for driving.

 

[scriptacus]

We decided to do an experiment. Doug's car was on the QFC sidewalk. He stood 4 feet away and I hopped in and tried to put the car in D. The MS did go into drive!

I am unable to reproduce this issue. Specifically:

1) Approach car with fob until handles present
2) Set fob down about 3 feet from car
3) Open drivers side door (opens without issue) and sit in car

At this point the car is on, screens are on, music is playing from where it last left off, etc... but the car displays a message stating something like "no fob present" and it will not shift into drive.

Updated: I tried it again, leaving the fob in a different position and it appears that the fob detection range is much larger towards the rear of the car. It also seems like once the fob has been detected with a butt in the drivers seat it will never display the "no fob present message", regardless of distance and you will be able to start the car, even after leaving the car and then re-entering without the fob (never having closed the door). As others have said, this really should display the warning.

 

[ksdprasad]

you can definitely drive without the fob. I tested this by accident recently. I had the fob in my pocket, sitting in the passenger seat. Wife was going to be driving, so i was showing her the controls, letting her get a feel for the regen braking, etc... (was her first time driving the car).

Then i got out (fob still in my pocket - oops! had forgotten about it), and drove our other car following her to where we were going. I realized about 10 minutes into the drive that i still had the fob. She never noticed, and there wasn't anything unusual about her ability to drive, even without the fob.

It does seem somewhat odd to me that you can do that.

Tempus

this is alarming. is this proximity sensor allow someone to get into the car before you get into the car? especially in parking garages?

 

[jerry33]

this is alarming. is this proximity sensor allow someone to get into the car before you get into the car? especially in parking garages?

This is expected behaviour. You absolutely don't want the car to stop if the battery dies or the fob can't connect to the car for some reason. What you don't want is for someone to be able to get in and start the car if the fob is outside the car. I haven't tested this yet.