Will Tesla get the phone key concept to work for enough people? Will they punt due to the hardware difficulties? Are they too proud to admit it might be too futuristic?
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[POLL] Will Tesla ever offer a key fob for the Model 3?
- Thread starter insaneoctane
- Start date
The next step is to have the side camera use facial recognition! I say never.
Dan Detweiler
Active Member
WileyTheMan
Peanut Gallery Member
If they can't get the reliability to where they want it, I'm thinking they will introduce some smartphone alternative when the Y comes out, and integrate it into the 3 line at that time.
We were having continuous problems with the phone opening and starting the car up until last week. I had to take my phone out of my pocket and turn on the screen - but not unlock the phone. Tesla support suggested that we each get a separate Tesla account paired to the same car - we had to email the request and vin to Tesla, and then follow up with a phone call. That helped some (from 20% success to 70% success), but then the Tesla App updated twice last week and so far opening is immediate 90% and a few seconds the other 10% without activating my phone.
Garlan Garner
Banned
ahagge
Member
Why? Providing a fob wouldn't prevent people who love troubleshooting malfunctioning phone keys from doing so.
Because entering your car is the most essential operation of owing a car, and it needs to function flawlessly.
Garlan Garner
Banned
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No. I'm serious. I can't figure out why Tesla would ever go back to fobs. Its kinda like car keys. Car keys are done.
Garlan Garner
Banned
nope....its not the most essential by any means, however this thread is not about that.
I can't tell you how many keys stopped working back in the 60's 70's and 80's. There were billions of keys that stopped working in the drivers door. ie...keys broken off. Locks frozen. Keys becoming de-keyed. Keys needing batteries ( late 80's ).
NOW....you can leave your "fob" in your pocket and unlock whatever you want if you are close. That's progress.
Krugerrand
Meow
And that’s why a keycard accompanies every 3 sold.
Maybe once they get it sorted to be more reliable. I have pretty good luck with my Android phone, and I still have to dork with it a few times a week to get into the car.
It doesn't really feel like the future when you have a bunch of stuff in your hands, the car won't recognize you, so you have to put your stuff down, dig in a bag/pocket for a phone, unlock it, mess with the app to figure out what is going on, then get in your car.
Does the key card enable keyless entry? No.
Can you open a passenger side door with the key card without first walking to the driver's side B pillar? No.
Can you open the trunk or disconnect the charge connector with the key card without first walking to the driver's side B pillar? No.
Can you unlock the frunk at all with the key card (other than getting in the car and using the touchscreen)? No.
If there was any other vehicle for sale by any other car company that was marketed as having keyless entry, but it turned out that the keyless entry flat-out didn't work reliably for the majority of owners and there was no public commitment from the company to make it right for their customers, would anyone in their right mind say, "No big deal! That's why they give you a physical key as a backup.!? No.
The key card is fine as an emergency backup, but it's a s***ty alternative to an actual keyless-entry fob for daily use. And since the phone key doesn't work reliably for most owners, the key card has become the de facto primary key for many owners. And that's unacceptable.
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Garlan Garner
Banned
Its new technology for Tesla. Once it works...it will work. I just can't see them abandoning the key-card AND the phone.
Think about how much Tesla is going to save by not having to have a vendor for fobs for the Model 3. There will be soooo many advantages to tying your car to the Tesla APP for entry...etc.
Garlan Garner
Banned
All of those No's you listed looks like great security to me. I don't want things popping open as I walk around my car. I don't want locks unlocking and locking as I walk around.....or while washing the car.
I would certainly like to have Tesla fix any issues with the key-card and/or the phone...instead of going backwards - back to a fob or God forbid.....a key.
Think about it.....a GSM Viper car alarm costs over $600 with an annual $50 charge for the GSM. I have one on my wife's Kia Sorrento. Nice Viper app.
Tesla is doing this for free.......I say lets fix any issues and move forward.
ratsbew
Active Member
THEY NEED A FOB ASAP! As said by others, it is unacceptable how poorly the phone key works and it ruins the ownership experience (and I mean ruins!). They need to provide everyone with a set of FOBs yesterday!
I disagree with Garlan, the phone key will never be reliable because the Bluetooth tech has inherent limitations. Phones are finicky. Fobs are not.
I disagree with Garlan, the phone key will never be reliable because the Bluetooth tech has inherent limitations. Phones are finicky. Fobs are not.
Given how many different phones and OS versions are out there, I doubt that Tesla will ever be able to get this working perfectly with all phones. It doesn't seem feasible to test and validate the system for all possible combinations. Offering a BLE fob as a fallback solution that is guaranteed to be fully compatible with the car seems like a good solution for this dilemma. Isn't the Model X key fob already Bluetooth based?
bonnie
I play a nice person on twitter.
Tough crowd here. I think what Garlan is saying (and I know he'll correct me if I get this wrong), is that he has confidence they'll work out any bugs quickly.
So the real question for all of you saying you must have a fob is: If your phone was as reliable as a key fob for opening your 3, would you still want a fob?
Because I think the real issue isn't if you have a fob or not, the issue is that you want reliable entry. A fob would be one solution. Improving the current solution is another.
So the real question for all of you saying you must have a fob is: If your phone was as reliable as a key fob for opening your 3, would you still want a fob?
Because I think the real issue isn't if you have a fob or not, the issue is that you want reliable entry. A fob would be one solution. Improving the current solution is another.
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