Key Fob To The Rescue?

[kwazi7]

Today is the day, wonder if we will get any info on the FOB.

I've been refreshing frantically on this. No luck...

I suspect they asked for an extension on the confidentiality..

 

[diamond.g]

Images and User manual are up.

 

[Fusion]

I can't wait. Gonna get me one for sure. I like the phone and key card as a backup but nothing like a good ol' fashioned key fob.

 

[ratsbew]

Electrik article: Tesla Model 3 is finally getting a key fob – first images

I assume this will be passive entry where you just need to have the FOB with you and the car will unlock on approach.

 

[diamond.g]

Electrik article: Tesla Model 3 is finally getting a key fob – first images

I assume this will be passive entry where you just need to have the FOB with you and the car will unlock on approach.

From your fingers to Elon’s teams ears. It would be great to get that feature back after all the complaining.

 

[azred]

I've had my P3+ for 10 days and love just about everything about it. My Google Pixel that I've had for 16 months is up to date, bone stock, and reset less than three weeks ago. It should work, but does only about 60% of the time. It's the only source of frustration for me.

If a fob arrives I'll gladly pay $200 or $300 for one or likely two. I'd rather the phone work but knew that it was likely going to be a problem.

I likely wouldn't cut a traditional manufacturer any slack, but Tesla is doing some major transformation stuff and they'll get some things wrong in the process.

As a comparison my two year old Porsche has a major gaffe in the programming of the PCM, makes me want to scream every time I get in the car. Will they ever correct it with one or two lines of updated code, even if I drive the car to a dealer? No.

Just my two cents as I wait patiently for a solution from Tesla.

I've had my 3 for over 8 months and your short term 60% success rate with phone as key fob is probably a little worse than my iPhone 7 experience. I would guess I am 80-90% successful, but even a 10-20% failure rate is absurd for this bad solution to a non-existent problem.

 

[longshot49]

I can live with the Phone / Keycard only and that is with a wonky bluetooth connection on my Nexus 6P.

Locking/Frunk/Trunk being reachable from a notification bar vs opening the app has been a gamechanger.

The only reason I want the FOB to go live is that there is a law in Canada keeping summon from being "live" because the 3 has no FOB (phone key does not count). It's a feature I wanted to play with since the start!

 

[timk225]

And don't leave out how they already forced you to buy the car. Maybe they can throw in the fob for free when you give them $4k for EAP.

Yes, they did force me into buying a $50,000 car. I didn't want to spend the extra $14K. I wanted a $36K base 3. I don't need a glass roof. I don't need leather seats. The big battery is nice but I wouldn't have spent $9K on it if I had a choice.

It was either spend $14K or wait another year or longer. And in our high tech world of instant gratification, waiting isn't an option. Aside from the 2 years and 38 days I already waited from my Day 1 reservation to delivery.

 

[PeteInCA]

Okay, so there's a fob coming. The part of the description that bothered me was the 3 buttons. I am not familiar with Tesla's other fobs. Do they have buttons too? I thought they worked by proximity. On the model s, the door handles "present" themselves as the car unlocks upon approach. No buttons are pressed. For the model 3 are we expecting that it will unlock upon approach or are we thinking this is an old school fob where you must press a button?

 

[drawfour]

Okay, so there's a fob coming. The part of the description that bothered me was the 3 buttons. I am not familiar with Tesla's other fobs. Do they have buttons too? I thought they worked by proximity. On the model s, the door handles "present" themselves as the car unlocks upon approach. No buttons are pressed. For the model 3 are we expecting that it will unlock upon approach or are we thinking this is an old school fob where you must press a button?

There will be a button for the frunk. Today, the only way to open the frunk is either by getting your phone out, unlocking it, opening the app, and pressing the frunk button and answering "Yes, Open", or get in, and pop the frunk from the screen. Also, you can unlock the trunk, as opposed to having to find the button on the trunk to open it. So if your hands are full but you have fob in hand, you can pop the trunk so you just have to lift it up. Not sure what door buttons would help with, given the handles don't present, and unlike the X, there are no falcon doors.

Although, if you wanted to turn off proximity auto lock/unlock, then the door buttons would be good for toggling the car to be locked or unlocked, like a traditional fob might do.

 

[longshot49]

(snipped) Today, the only way to open the frunk is either by getting your phone out, unlocking it, opening the app, and pressing the frunk button and answering "Yes, Open", or get in, and pop the frunk from the screen. Also, you can unlock the trunk, as opposed to having to find the button on the trunk to open it. (snipped)

Actually, you can open the Frunk/Trunk/Unlock from the notification bars from screen lock/splash - at least on Android. One click to wake up the phone, two taps to reach the tesla notification. Can all be one handed.

Being able to lock/unlock/frunk/trunk without waiting for the app to open (even when it was running in background) was an incredible boon. (And I knew I wasn't crazy that this feature was not there when I got the car... started Aug. 28th!!!)

Picture lifted from Cleantechnica (not mine) - Article from which it stemmed

 

[Zaphod]

Okay, so there's a fob coming. The part of the description that bothered me was the 3 buttons. I am not familiar with Tesla's other fobs. Do they have buttons too? I thought they worked by proximity. On the model s, the door handles "present" themselves as the car unlocks upon approach. No buttons are pressed. For the model 3 are we expecting that it will unlock upon approach or are we thinking this is an old school fob where you must press a button?

One button is for the frunk, one is for the trunk, and other is to lock/unlock the doors. S/X fobs have buttons as well for the frunks and hatches and lock/unlock. You are correct that with the S/X it can work with proximity but isn't the only method.

 

[Stellavator]

So, will the FOB work as a proximity unlock for the doors?

 

[ecarfan]

Just saw Model 3 Owners Club tweeted this photo with confirmation that the Model 3 will be getting a Keyfob

Yes, it is known that Tesla will be offering a fob for the 3.

I have seen no indication from Tesla that a fob will be given for free to current 3 owners or that a fob will be included with the car for new owners.

 

[TT97]

Actually, you can open the Frunk/Trunk/Unlock from the notification bars from screen lock/splash - at least on Android. One click to wake up the phone, two taps to reach the tesla notification. Can all be one handed.

Being able to lock/unlock/frunk/trunk without waiting for the app to open (even when it was running in background) was an incredible boon. (And I knew I wasn't crazy that this feature was not there when I got the car... started Aug. 28th!!!)

Picture lifted from Cleantechnica (not mine) - Article from which it stemmed

The iPhone app on the widget screen has turn on conditioning; open frunk; and unlock (and shows battery level).

 

[TT97]

There will be a button for the frunk. Today, the only way to open the frunk is either by getting your phone out, unlocking it, opening the app, and pressing the frunk button and answering "Yes, Open", or get in, and pop the frunk from the screen. Also, you can unlock the trunk, as opposed to having to find the button on the trunk to open it. So if your hands are full but you have fob in hand, you can pop the trunk so you just have to lift it up. Not sure what door buttons would help with, given the handles don't present, and unlike the X, there are no falcon doors.

Although, if you wanted to turn off proximity auto lock/unlock, then the door buttons would be good for toggling the car to be locked or unlocked, like a traditional fob might do.

Can you engage summon with the fob? [and if not, why is a fob required in Canada to have summon?] How does it work?

 

[MP3Mike]

Can you engage summon with the fob? [and if not, why is a fob required in Canada to have summon?] How does it work?

I don't think you can control summon from the fob in any country other than the US. In Canada it is the immobilizer law that prevents using summon. The car has to detect that the fob is near the car at the same time the app/phone is near the car and controlling it. Which makes for a very poor experience as far as summon goes.

 

[drawfour]

Actually, you can open the Frunk/Trunk/Unlock from the notification bars from screen lock/splash - at least on Android. One click to wake up the phone, two taps to reach the tesla notification. Can all be one handed.

Being able to lock/unlock/frunk/trunk without waiting for the app to open (even when it was running in background) was an incredible boon. (And I knew I wasn't crazy that this feature was not there when I got the car... started Aug. 28th!!!)

The iPhone app on the widget screen has turn on conditioning; open frunk; and unlock (and shows battery level).

Yeah, I hadn't tried the widget but added it a few days ago wondering what it would do and saw the choices. I haven't tried it yet, but what happens when you choose the "Frunk" button on the widget? Does it prompt you to confirm like it does in the app?

Either way, the whole point of my example of what it takes is that none of it can be done via tactile feel. It required getting your phone out and looking at it while making swipes and touches. With a fob, I can reach into my pocket and feel on it until I push the right button, or I can have it already held in my hand as I walk out of the store with bags, and just press the right button when I need it. With a phone, even if I'm awkwardly holding it (it's a big phone), I'm still going to have to figure out where to touch at the right time.

 

[Geo77]

i just don't get so many people crying for a FOB. I love having less in my pockets, and haven't had any issue with the phone as the key in the first 2 weeks of ownership

 

[dsvick]

i just don't get so many people crying for a FOB. I love having less in my pockets, and haven't had any issue with the phone as the key in the first 2 weeks of ownership

Just because you haven't had issues doesn't mean that aren't plenty of others out there that have, and continue to have, issues with the phone.