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Leaving a phone with the Tesla app, inside the car?
- Thread starter ZoomsansVroom
- Start date
Hopefully, with a fob, if available. If not, a card, I suppose.
(The Bar association sent out a pretty convincing argument why lawyers shouldn't carry smart phones/shouldn't even use them...) Of course, I know lawyers who are back to typewriters, and letters, so it just depends on how paranoid you want to be.)
I just like the peace and quiet.
(The Bar association sent out a pretty convincing argument why lawyers shouldn't carry smart phones/shouldn't even use them...) Of course, I know lawyers who are back to typewriters, and letters, so it just depends on how paranoid you want to be.)
I just like the peace and quiet.
Leaving a phone with the Tesla app in the car is not a good idea if the phone doesn't have a pin or face id...
A thief could break your windows and be able to start the car with that phone.
A thief could break your windows and be able to start the car with that phone.
darth_vad3r
Well-Known Sith
Yes. I have a phone setup to be a key, and an iPad setup to NOT be a key. Both have the app and can be used to control settings on the car, including as someone mentioned actually starting the car, although for me it would require touchID to actually do that.
If you leave a device that is a “key” in the car it is effectively always unlockable and drive-away-able so don’t do that
(I learned this the hard way by originally having the iPad setup as a backup key and realizing that’s not a good idea if you leave the iPad “locked” in the trunk while you stop for lunch).
swaltner
Active Member
No one answered your exact question.
Yes, you can install the Tesla app on your smartphone, but not configure it to work as a phone key. Not typical, but doable.
If you have an iPhone, don’t add the Tesla widget to the lock screen. If you did, someone could potentially use your locked iPhone for some car features.
With the smartphone locked (pin code, fingerprint, facial recognition), not configured as a phone key, and not having something like the iOS widget active, there would be minimal risk in leaving a smartphone in your Tesla, other than theft of said smartphone.
Yes, you can install the Tesla app on your smartphone, but not configure it to work as a phone key. Not typical, but doable.
If you have an iPhone, don’t add the Tesla widget to the lock screen. If you did, someone could potentially use your locked iPhone for some car features.
With the smartphone locked (pin code, fingerprint, facial recognition), not configured as a phone key, and not having something like the iOS widget active, there would be minimal risk in leaving a smartphone in your Tesla, other than theft of said smartphone.
darth_vad3r
Well-Known Sith
Thanks, now that I have my 3P I've done this without issue. I tried the phone key, and frankly, found it more annoying that just carrying the card in my hip pocket in a holder. (All of the "Tesla" Chrome bits have fallen out, but I don't find that irritating.)
PIN to drive is a good idea, if I ever have to leave my phone in the car for an extended amount of time/in an area I feel less comfortable.
PIN to drive is a good idea, if I ever have to leave my phone in the car for an extended amount of time/in an area I feel less comfortable.
darth_vad3r
Well-Known Sith
No, not if you don’t set up that phone as a “key”, you need your account password to “start” the car from the app.
You don’t need to disable Bluetooth, you just don’t set up the phone as a “key”, that’s the strategy to avoid that
This was already answered upthread btw. Not sure why a 2-month old thread with clear answers in the first 8 posts got revived
FOLKS, YOU CAN INSTALL THE APP ON A PHONE THAT IS NOT A “KEY” AND SAFELY LEAVE THAT PHONE IN THE CAR WITHOUT RISKING THEFT OF YOUR CAR!
(This is what OP asked)
Yes, you can!
You can’t start your car with the phone (that’s not a “key”) without your Tesla account password (or Face ID, or whatever), right? So PIN to drive is an extra protection, but isn’t necessary to prevent the phone (that’s not a “key”) left in the car from being used to steal the car.
darth_vad3r
Well-Known Sith
Or the trunk
Don’t leave your key in the car!
It may depend on the exact location of the device since I think the car tries to determine how close/where you are with the key when it lets the doors/trunk open when the key is in proximity.
darth_vad3r
Well-Known Sith
Yet another question ... would the doors even lock if you walk away with one key while another was left in the car?
Yes, it will. Found that out. As we all know, phone as a key, is not perfect*. I left mine in the car, with the phone enabled as the key, got out of the car, and it locked. Fortunately, I followed Tesla's advice, and kept a spare card key in my wallet.
*Good for most folks, I'm sure. I have a, slightly, odd life and personality, and am happiest without a phone, or internet, or TV. I use computers to do work, and the same with the internet, but I'm not as married to them, as most.
darth_vad3r
Well-Known Sith
Sorry, I meant more specifically will “walk away lock” detection of key B cause a lock event with key A still in proximity of the car.
Sounds like you’re only talking about one phone, and it probably was detected as weak signal or Bluetooth faded so it locked.
I’m wondering if the opposite might happen and a forgotten key can actively prevent the lock event from happening ... if it does, and you have the audible lock alert horn chirp on, you’d maybe go back to the car to figure out why it didn’t lock and realize someone forgot the 2nd key in the car.
Of course it could lock by design, or if the left behind key’s Bluetooth glitched, but I’m more wondering if walk-away lock can be prevented.
While we are on the subject of keys, is there a way to register a phone as a key but not allow it to be used for driving?
I'm thinking of wife/kids here: allow them to unlock the car and sit inside, use audio/heating/ac etc but not start/drive the car?
On a similar note, if I unlock the car, drive to the shop, and then go to but something (with my phone key), can the car be left unlocked and audio etc available with the wife/kids in the car?
Just trying to consider the practicalities right now pre-purchase.
I'm thinking of wife/kids here: allow them to unlock the car and sit inside, use audio/heating/ac etc but not start/drive the car?
On a similar note, if I unlock the car, drive to the shop, and then go to but something (with my phone key), can the car be left unlocked and audio etc available with the wife/kids in the car?
Just trying to consider the practicalities right now pre-purchase.
Any key can drive the car to my knowledge.
Not sure about your second question. I know you can turn off "walk away lock" but I dont think the audio will stay on. You can turn keep climate on to keep the air conditioning on (or dog mode, but most people left in the car may not like the insinuation of leaving them in there with dog mode).
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