iPhone key?

[Dogtone]

I use my iPhone as my car key. There have been times when the car didn’t recognize it and I had to use the key card to open the door. This morning I got in my car and opened the car door without the keycard as usual and drove down the street for my daily coffee fix. Got my coffee went back to the car open the door without the keycard, got in and listen to the radio for a few minutes. Then I pressed the brake to put the car in drive and the car gave me the “tap the key card” message. So I go to take my phone out and I don’t have it. I did drive there from home and the car did open when I came back with my coffee. So I look around the car and trace my path back to the store looking for my phone. Didn’t find it. So after fishing the key card out of my wallet and remembering how to use it I drove the 3 miles back to my house. I enter my house and there on the kitchen table is my iPhone! Very strange. Coincidentally today is my late mother’s birthday.

 

[JulienW]

BT works for up to 100'. So likely your Model 3 was in range of your iPhone.

 

[Dogtone]

Makes sense. So the car didn’t lock when I got out at the coffee store? I guess it ain’t easy to code reality in a finite space.

 

[JulienW]

Also as you got out of the car a message came on the screen that said "Walk-Away Lock Unavailable" since you didn't have you iPhone with you. This is why the doors stayed unlocked.

 

[Dogtone]

You mean I have to pay attention!

good info

 

[PDB2655]

Mine will always lets me in the car but at time it wants the key card to drive or backup happen to me 3 times yesterday. Made Sure the the Tesla app was open each time but still wanted the key card. I reset my bluetooth this ha been a consent problem for me.

 

[Phlier]

One last tidbit you may or may not know... If you didn't have your card key or smartphone key with you, you could have someone else that has their smartphone setup as a smart key "Start" your car for you. This enables you to drive the car without having either the card key or smartphone key with you. This feature is in the Tesla app under "Controls."

I've had to use this feature once when my wife's phone died on her while she was shopping and she didn't have her card key with her.

It wouldn't surprise me to see Tesla implement facial recognition that can be used in lieu of a key card or phone key someday. Not quite sure how I feel about this, but IMO, we'll see it someday.