Model 3 entry via ... keycard & app. No fob.

[israndy]

... They could also use ultrasonics and/or cameras to open the trunk when you are near or make some kind of gesture. That would be cool.

That would be cool. Since we don't have a fob anymore it would detect our phones are near and watch us on camera. Like those new drones, just hold up your hand and make a gesture to tell it to do things like back into the garage or whatever...

-Randy

 

[israndy]

Not sure I want to leave a fingernail, or my phone, with the valet.

Wonder what valet mode will look like. I think valets are used to how to drive a fob based car, perhaps there should be a screen that comes up for the valet explaining how things work in case they have never parked a card based car before.

-Randy

 

[gregincal]

For the issue of exactly how far away from the car you have to be to get it to unlock/lock, they could supplement the Bluetooth range with the ultrasonic sensors to get better sensitivity. They could also use ultrasonics and/or cameras to open the trunk when you are near or make some kind of gesture. That would be cool.

For the walk away locking, they could have a widget on your phone's lock screen that has a lock car button. Not a security worry if it's just a lock button. (If you're not paranoid or never lose your phone, unlock doors/trunk/frunk buttons would be nice options.) Either way, I'd like to hear a chirp or at least see the lights flash to confirm car is locked. I guess it could also vibrate your phone.

I'm sure the car will flash its lights. I've always wished on the S that it would chirp for the walkaway door lock, because with the light flash you have no idea when to turn around and look for it. If I'm unsure I check at some point after a few minutes in the app to make sure it did lock. After a while you start to trust it more.

 

[gregincal]

I suspect that when the car loses BT communication upon exit it locks, and you'll get an audible confirmation that it does. What makes people think there won't be an audible confirmation like every other car out there has?

Neither the Model S nor (I assume) the Model X has an audible confirmation, that's why.

 

[zenmaster]

Yeah...I'm used to that right now with my 12 y.o. car. However, its my understanding that the app runs in the background so when you are in range, the car unlocks....no need to touch the phone.

So..how does it lock without you touching your phone....just walk away from the car? Thus...you have to trust that the app is working? Hmm...I want positive confirmation that the car is locked before I start walking away..guess you have to touch your phone to get that confirmation. Its a step back and an inconvenience for me..arghhh.

I can't see how it could accurately determine range, even if you calibrated it for your particular device. Too many random environmental factors influence how far that signal would carry. Also, what if you don't want to unlock the car? How could it possibly know if you wanted to lock or unlock without opening the app?

 

[EV-lutioin]

All I can say is I've walked out to my MX three times this week without my fob and had to go back inside to get it and each time I had my phone in my pocket ('cause I always have my phone in my pocket) and realized the genius of the new M3 entry system. Fobs are history!

 

[seattlite2004]

All I can say is I've walked out to my MX three times this week without my fob and had to go back inside to get it and each time I had my phone in my pocket ('cause I always have my phone in my pocket) and realized the genius of the new M3 entry system. Fobs are history!

Your phone with the Tesla app is your FOB...so not dead just a different form.

I can't see how it could accurately determine range, even if you calibrated it for your particular device. Too many random environmental factors influence how far that signal would carry. Also, what if you don't want to unlock the car? How could it possibly know if you wanted to lock or unlock without opening the app?

From the article...

The app now becomes the main device for Model 3, which is Bluetooth connected to your phone in order to automatically unlock the doors as you approach, much like it does with the key fob on the Model S and Model X today.

In order to unlock the car with the current app, the driver needs to go into the app or the Tesla widget to unlock it.

But with Model 3, once your car is linked to your account, you just have to walk up to it:

 

[zenmaster]

From the article...

The app now becomes the main device for Model 3, which is Bluetooth connected to your phone in order to automatically unlock the doors as you approach, much like it does with the key fob on the Model S and Model X today.

In order to unlock the car with the current app, the driver needs to go into the app or the Tesla widget to unlock it.

But with Model 3, once your car is linked to your account, you just have to walk up to it:

How does that address distance? What if you wanted to lock it again? Like you forgot something in the car, or simply wanted to put something in it and leave again?

 

[EV-lutioin]

How does that address distance? What if you wanted to lock it again? Like you forgot something in the car, or simply wanted to put something in it and leave again?

Same as current fob I would assume.

 

[EV-lutioin]

Your phone with the Tesla app is your FOB...so not dead just a different form.


From the article...

The app now becomes the main device for Model 3, which is Bluetooth connected to your phone in order to automatically unlock the doors as you approach, much like it does with the key fob on the Model S and Model X today.

In order to unlock the car with the current app, the driver needs to go into the app or the Tesla widget to unlock it.

But with Model 3, once your car is linked to your account, you just have to walk up to it:

Well, it seems fobs are thingys attached to key/watch chains, so in that sense they are history. Will we call it a phone fob or just an app?

History of the Phrase
Key fob is also a word used to describe a key chain and several other similar items and devices. The word fob is believed to have originated from watch fobs, which existed as early as 1888. The fob refers to an ornament attached to a pocket-watch chain. Key chains, remote car starters, garage door openers, and keyless entry devices on hotel room doors are also called fobs, or key fobs.

 

[JeffreyY]

Your phone with the Tesla app is your FOB...so not dead just a different form.


From the article...

The app now becomes the main device for Model 3, which is Bluetooth connected to your phone in order to automatically unlock the doors as you approach, much like it does with the key fob on the Model S and Model X today.

In order to unlock the car with the current app, the driver needs to go into the app or the Tesla widget to unlock it.

But with Model 3, once your car is linked to your account, you just have to walk up to it:

I'm wondering since the current FOBs are Bluetooth if we can hope for an app upgrade and for this to work in the background with our phones too

 

[AnxietyRanger]

How does that address distance? What if you wanted to lock it again? Like you forgot something in the car, or simply wanted to put something in it and leave again?

Bluetooth 4 (aka Low-energy or Smart) does support determining distance between the phone and other device, perhaps through that?

 

[zenmaster]

Bluetooth 4 (aka Low-energy or Smart) does support determining distance between the phone and other device, perhaps through that?

What is the quality of such a measurement though?

 

[AnxietyRanger]

What is the quality of such a measurement though?

Well, the Bluetooth 4 BLE standard is pretty much meant exactly for stuff like this, FWIW... proximity functions is its big trick.

 

[cella]

How does that address distance?

Ranging probably works similarly as in Bluetooth LE beacon systems such as iBeacon. If you know the beacon's TX power, you can estimate the proximity from the received signal strength. One way of implementing it would be to simply place a beacon in the car, which can then be picked up by phones using the beacon APIs that exist in both Android and iOS. Once the beacon is detected, the Tesla app can be woken up and run a handshake with the car to unlock. It's basically the same process that is used by beacon systems in stores etc.

What I would like to know though is how to open the trunk as you walk up to the car with shopping bags. Is there a button or something? It's would obviously very cumbersome if you first had to get in the car to open the trunk from the screen. And how does that work if you use the RFID card?

 

[cella]

Sorry about the screwed up quoting in the previous post. For some reason I cannot edit my own posts (yet?).

 

[N5329K]

IMO, ditching the fob is a small scale replay of the falcon wing door debacle: it's a solution for a non-existent problem that opens the door (as the phone or swipe card may or may not) to all sorts of new and unintended consequences. In other words, a completely unnecessary step in the direction of weirdmobile-ness.
Robin

 

[JeffreyY]

IMO, ditching the fob is a small scale replay of the falcon wing door debacle: it's a solution for a non-existent problem that opens the door (as the phone or swipe card may or may not) to all sorts of new and unintended consequences. In other words, a completely unnecessary step in the direction of weirdmobile-ness.
Robin

I would LOVE to not have to carry a fob. And, it would be great to put a card in my wallet for backup purposes. Not to mention, going out to the garage to get something would be so much more convenient. Currently, we have to remember to grab the fob on the way out but I pretty much always have my phone on me.

 

[diamond.g]

IMO, ditching the fob is a small scale replay of the falcon wing door debacle: it's a solution for a non-existent problem that opens the door (as the phone or swipe card may or may not) to all sorts of new and unintended consequences. In other words, a completely unnecessary step in the direction of weirdmobile-ness.
Robin

I suspect the Tesla Network plans would make having a fob redundant. Does anyone know how long the battery lasts in the Model X key? It too uses Bluetooth to talk to the vehicle.

 

[stopcrazypp]

IMO, ditching the fob is a small scale replay of the falcon wing door debacle: it's a solution for a non-existent problem that opens the door (as the phone or swipe card may or may not) to all sorts of new and unintended consequences. In other words, a completely unnecessary step in the direction of weirdmobile-ness.
Robin

Actually I don't think so. Smart phones are so popular these days, eliminating having to carry a fob is a good idea. The card idea is also just extending what is used already for door locks in many buildings and lockers (something you can put into a wallet instead of a chain of keys for every door and also easy to revoke access and reassign access as necessary for rental purposes).

Maybe they have an optional fob for those without a smartphone (as the card won't be able to support the functionality other than access).