Phone as Key Issues

[daniel]

The Prius has a touch sensor inside each front door handle and the liftback. Tesla could easily do something like this. The Prius also just needs one finger to open. The Model 3 requires your whole hand to open it, due to the flush handles, which look space-age but are otherwise less convenient. And while the Model 3 has a sensor on the rear trunk opening, the lack of one on the frunk is a major oversight and a colossal pain in the butt.

As I've mentioned before, the Model 3 is so big it just barely fits into my garage, and unless I were to back in, which I'm not going to attempt, I cannot access the rear trunk while the garage door is closed. It's much easier to put groceries in the frunk. The frunk is wonderful for this. But then they didn't give us an easy way to open it.

Fob, fob, fob, fob fob, fob, fob fob, fob, fob fob, fob, fob!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(I still love the car, BUT I WANT A FOB!)

 

[daniel]

P.S. Or give EAP the ability to park the car in the garage back end first.

 

[diamond.g]

The Prius has a touch sensor inside each front door handle and the liftback. Tesla could easily do something like this. The Prius also just needs one finger to open. The Model 3 requires your whole hand to open it, due to the flush handles, which look space-age but are otherwise less convenient. And while the Model 3 has a sensor on the rear trunk opening, the lack of one on the frunk is a major oversight and a colossal pain in the butt.

As I've mentioned before, the Model 3 is so big it just barely fits into my garage, and unless I were to back in, which I'm not going to attempt, I cannot access the rear trunk while the garage door is closed. It's much easier to put groceries in the frunk. The frunk is wonderful for this. But then they didn't give us an easy way to open it.

Fob, fob, fob, fob fob, fob, fob fob, fob, fob fob, fob, fob!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(I still love the car, BUT I WANT A FOB!)

elonmusk model 3 fob - Twitter Search not seeing a flood of fob requests for Model 3 on Elons twitter...

P.S. Or give EAP the ability to park the car in the garage back end first.

This is a Summon feature right?

 

[napabill]

Even if a smartphone works 100% of the time, it is still inferior to a fob, because a fob could have a button to open the frunk. And as I've repeated until people are probably sick of hearing it, it's a colossal pain in the butt to open the frunk. Either screw around with the phone, opening the screen, opening the app, finding the button, or else, what I actually do: Open the door, then lean way in and press the screen button several times until it registers, and then one time in ten have to do it all over because the latch is still slightly engaged and the frunk still won't open.

Please, Tesla, give us a fob!

"Even if a smartphone works 100% of the time, it is still inferior to a fob" IYHO, that is.

 

[daniel]

This is a Summon feature right?

Could be, but not necessarily. I'm wary of trying to back into my garage. Auto-park is not a summon feature. It's an EAP feature, but presently only works for parallel parking IIRC. And the Model 3 still does not have summon. Either way would work for me, though if it's raining I'd always want to stay in the car until it's in the garage.

 

[diamond.g]

Could be, but not necessarily. I'm wary of trying to back into my garage. Auto-park is not a summon feature. It's an EAP feature, but presently only works for parallel parking IIRC. And the Model 3 still does not have summon. Either way would work for me, though if it's raining I'd always want to stay in the car until it's in the garage.

Odd, the now you know folks that have a Tesla show it working for perpendicular parking. Though that is in a parking lot, which is different than parking in a garage. Which is why I mentioned summon, that feature should mostly do what you are looking for. Even if you have to prep it first.

 

[SDKoala]

Once you start the car using the key card does it still need to sit near the cup holder?

It shouldn't need to sit there after the swipe. The most logical place to put it as in the cup holder itself after swiping so it's right there if you need it again and can't fall between the seats.

 

[cellogig]

Connect a Phone Key to unlock your Model 3 without ever taking your phone out of your pocket. We recommend the Phone Key as the primary method of accessing and starting your vehicle.

To connect your phone as Phone Key:

• Have your key card with you, and ensure your phone and Bluetooth are on and discoverable.

• Open the Tesla mobile app and tap on “Phone Key”.

• Follow the step-by-step instructions

When pairing is complete and within range of your Model 3, the Phone Key status will change to “Connected”.

Note: A paired Phone Key uses Bluetooth frequencies instead of a network connection to communicate with your Model 3. This means that if you’re parked in an underground parking garage with no cell signal on either your phone or your car, you can still lock, unlock, and start your vehicle without issue.

It is funny how the key card users bash us for having issues with our phone key. I put in bold print taken from Tesla’s website for current car owners. It states what we are suppose to be doing. Using our phone key as a primary way to access our model 3.

Now for the key card information that Tesla lists under my account for model 3 support.


Your Model 3 comes standard with two key cards for easy entry and operation. A key card is convenient for when your phone is not accessible, out of battery, or if someone else needs temporary access to your Model 3, such as a valet.

Tesla needs to add a couple of other reasons when your primary phone key access does not work in key card section

 

[daniel]

Odd, the now you know folks that have a Tesla show it working for perpendicular parking. Though that is in a parking lot, which is different than parking in a garage. Which is why I mentioned summon, that feature should mostly do what you are looking for. Even if you have to prep it first.

Summon should work... if they ever enable it on the Model 3.

 

[jamnmon66]

I can't remember if anyone has tried this (& I'm too lazy to go back through the entire thread) but has anyone tried a factory reset on your phone and then only install the Tesla app for testing? If it works, then you can just add a couple of apps at a time and/or add other BT devices, WiFi connections, etc. to see what kills it. I know this is time consuming and inconvenient but it might turn up something that hasn't been discussed yet.

Just got my VIN so I can't test anything yet. Not even sure if I'll have problems but I'm interested because I want this feature to work.

 

[bhzmark]

Or deny all apps except Tesla Bluetooth rights and then add them back checking with each one.

a factory reset on your phone and then only install the Tesla app for testing? If it works, then you can just add a couple of apps at a time and/or add other BT devices, WiFi connections, etc. to see what kills it. I know this is time consuming and inconvenient but it might turn up something that hasn't been discussed yet.

 

[arondaniel]

My android opened the door and then the car said it needed the card to drive. Obviously worked to open the door, but would not enable the car to drive 10 seconds later. FOB please, it's embarrassing to stand there fiddling with the phone and then digging out the card.

The Model 3 is my wife's car. Her point, and I tend to agree with her, is that its also not very safe to be in some parking structure late at night digging through your wallet trying to find the key card so you can get inside your car.

The Google Pixel 1 USUALLY works immediately after rebooting.

So until Tesla fixes this and sends us a FOB, which IMO they really should, I have one of these on order: https://www.amazon.com/Stretchy-Wal...sr=1-3-spons&keywords=phone+card+holder&psc=1

 

[daniel]

The Model 3 is my wife's car. Her point, and I tend to agree with her, is that its also not very safe to be in some parking structure late at night digging through your wallet trying to find the key card so you can get inside your car.

The Google Pixel 1 USUALLY works immediately after rebooting.

So until Tesla fixes this and sends us a FOB, which IMO they really should, I have one of these on order: https://www.amazon.com/Stretchy-Wal...sr=1-3-spons&keywords=phone+card+holder&psc=1

Your wife is absolutely right. The phone key should work 100% of the time. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS BUGGY SYSTEM!!! We also need an easier way to open the frunk.

For me, I would not want to have to glue a cheap plastic card holder to the back of my phone. But I'm lucky: My phone has always worked, so far.

 

[N5329K]

Or deny all apps except Tesla Bluetooth rights and then add them back checking with each one.

Doesn't that effectively turn your phone into a giant key fob with a screen?
Robin

 

[favo]

Tesla could use the autopilot camera to somehow detect a frunk opening gesture if you are within range. The problem is you probably have your hands full of groceries that would make gesturing difficult.

There are also ultrasonic sensors all around the car, which could be used to detect some kind of (leg/foot?) gesture or just "standing 2 inches from frunk for 2 seconds with phone in pocket" could work.

 

[jamnmon66]

I understand the frustration, believe me. If you just need to vent then, by all means, go ahead and get it out of your system. But, I think the best thing to do in the long run is to focus energy on finding a solution. Obviously it should just work but it doesn't, at least not for everyone. So, either the thing to do is to figure out a workaround like the Tasker solution, etc. or start putting together something to put pressure on Tesla to release a fob... or both.

There are a lot of smart people in here and there's been some good discussions about technical solutions but how about discussing an organized plan to put pressure on Tesla? If Musk is humble enough to admit that over automation was a mistake, there's good reason to believe that he would do the same on this issue. It's just a matter of convincing him that it's a big enough problem.

 

[bhzmark]

Doesn't that effectively turn your phone into a giant key fob with a screen?
Robin

No. It is a method to diagnose the conflicting app whose Bluetooth interferes with Tesla app.

 

[slipnslider]

Even if a smartphone works 100% of the time, it is still inferior to a fob, because a fob could have a button to open the frunk. And as I've repeated until people are probably sick of hearing it, it's a colossal pain in the butt to open the frunk. Either screw around with the phone, opening the screen, opening the app, finding the button, or else, what I actually do: Open the door, then lean way in and press the screen button several times until it registers, and then one time in ten have to do it all over because the latch is still slightly engaged and the frunk still won't open.

Please, Tesla, give us a fob!

Exactly. And this problem was completely foreseeable. Tesla is so obsessed with new technology that they don't care if it's inferior to old technology.
For my current car, I can feel the trunk release button on my fob even when it's still in my pocket and my arms are filled with groceries. If I can't do that with a phone key, then a phone key is functionally inferior, even if it were totally reliable, which it is not.

 

[daniel]

Today I decided to put the groceries in the back and back the car into the garage. I managed it, but it required a lot of back and forth, and getting out twice to check my position, and even then I ended up too far to one side and getting out was awkward. With my old Honda Civic I could have done it, but this car is HUGE compared to that. I'm going to have to resume using the frunk for groceries and f#@%ing around with opening the frunk.

 

[N5329K]

No. It is a method to diagnose the conflicting app whose Bluetooth interferes with Tesla app.

I understand that it would be a useful diagnostic. What would you do with the data if you discover a conflict, though? Disable an app here to make one run there? Disable two apps? More? You could end up with a pretty dumb smartphone that way....IOW, a giant key fob with benefits.
This won't bother everyone, I know. And it won't bother me, because I stepped out of the reservation line. But if I were an owner, I would be pretty unhappy getting sucked into troubleshooting and finding workarounds for something that should...and could...just work.
Robin