[POLL] Will Tesla ever offer a key fob for the Model 3?

[N5329K]

OK, so here is my position. Regardless of whether a fob should or should not have been part of the Model 3 design (I personally don't think it should have been but that is irrelevant) at this point to implement one would be one more distraction from the immediate need to boost production and get profitable. Once they are consistently putting out 5000 cars per week and are showing a profit they can go back and address this and other concerns owners may have. Now is not the time to be retrofitting the car. The car is the car in it's initial iteration. Let's let them get production where it needs to be before going back and trying to fix perceived problems. Just my opinion of course.

Dan

Dan, you've owned Triumphs so naturally, you're accustomed to stuff not working. The phone-as-key deal is something Lord Lucas would be proud of.
Imagine coming at this from a Toyota, and you'll see why there's a problem here.
BTW, about the poll: I voted never.
Robin

 

[Dan Detweiler]

Dan, you've owned Triumphs so naturally, you're accustomed to stuff not working. The phone-as-key deal is something Lord Lucas would be proud of.
Imagine coming at this from a Toyota, and you'll see why there's a problem here.
BTW, about the poll: I voted never.
Robin

Even if that is the case, to change mid-stream now would not, in my opinion, be in the best interests of the company. Let them get this thing up and running. They will come back around to fixing any lingering issues down the road. Right now they have an awesome product (granted, not without it's issues depending on who you talk to). They need to prove first and foremost that they are capable of producing that product in significant numbers and at a profit.

Dan

 

[TT97]

While I don’t think Tesla will add a fob key, they could do it without having to make any changes to the car. They can modify their current Bluetooth fob to work with the 3 and sell it aftermarket on their shop. The fob can be paired to your car though your account and the fob could work just like your phone for opening and running the 3.

 

[N5329K]

Even if that is the case, to change mid-stream now would not, in my opinion, be in the best interests of the company. Let them get this thing up and running. They will come back around to fixing any lingering issues down the road. Right now they have an awesome product (granted, not without it's issues depending on who you talk to). They need to prove first and foremost that they are capable of producing that product in significant numbers and at a profit.

Dan

What worries me is the ramp. I know the poll here seems worse, but say only 10% of new owners have phone issues that require assistance from the SC. Assume the company will get to 3000 cars a week, sooner or later.
Would you want to be the guy in charge of the phone-as-key design who has to explain why they're getting 300 calls a week from upset owners? Would you want to have to explain to Elon where all the SC time, effort and money is going keeping your poor design alive?
I wonder what happened with the designers who thought the Edsel would be a huge hit?
Some companies (and some people) have a real problem admitting mistakes. Prestige is at stake. Careers are at stake. But that's a situation that eventually fixes itself, one way or the other. I would not like Tesla to find itself in that position.
Robin

 

[Dan Detweiler]

What worries me is the ramp. I know the poll here seems worse, but say only 10% of new owners have phone issues that require assistance from the SC. Assume the company will get to 3000 cars a week, sooner or later.
Would you want to be the guy in charge of the phone-as-key design who has to explain why they're getting 300 calls a week from upset owners? Would you want to have to explain to Elon where all the SC time, effort and money is going keeping your poor design alive?
I wonder what happened with the designers who thought the Edsel would be a huge hit?
Some companies (and some people) have a real problem admitting mistakes. Prestige is at stake. Careers are at stake. But that's a situation that eventually fixes itself, one way or the other. I would not like Tesla to find itself in that position.
Robin

You don't think the Model 3 is going to be a huge hit? The difference between an Edsel and a Model 3 is that nobody wanted the Edsel. The Model 3 issue is that they can't yet fill the orders they have. No sign of the demand going down any time soon.

Dan

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

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.

not owning a cell phone makes owning a 3 kind of impractical. I had my S for over 5 years with no cell phone & no issues with entry, not sure I want a 3 just because of the cell phone entrance crap

 

[tomas]

I can't tell - are you being sarcastic or have you not perused this thread?

Phone key doesn’t work:
A. If you have > 1 Tesla and app is set to another car
B. If phone is not awake. Just press any button.

Tesla needs better instruction at delivery, not different key.

 

[tomas]

not owning a cell phone makes owning a 3 kind of impractical. I had my S for over 5 years with no cell phone & no issues with entry, not sure I want a 3 just because of the cell phone entrance crap

No phone? Now I know you really ARE extraterrestrial!

You don’t need a functioning cellphone. Just find a friend with old iPhone they can give you. Load Tesla app. Pair with car. All set.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

No phone? Now I know you really ARE extraterrestrial!

You don’t need a functioning cellphone. Just find a friend with old iPhone they can give you. Load Tesla app. Pair with car. All set.

haha, and carrying an old iphone is better than carrying a fob how?

 

[Dan Detweiler]

not owning a cell phone makes owning a 3 kind of impractical. I had my S for over 5 years with no cell phone & no issues with entry, not sure I want a 3 just because of the cell phone entrance crap

Well, as hard as it is to admit, and I am right there with you, the world is in constant flux and is changing before our eyes. Whether we like it or not, life is becoming centered around our devices. It is a fact. Like it...don't like it...doesn't really matter. You opinion regarding the key issues are the minority...and it's not even close. Tesla has designed this car for success and relevance into the foreseeable future and beyond. In order to succeed it must be looked on as relevant and "cool" to the young people, not those that are comfortable with the way things are. Not everyone is going to love every aspect of this car. Probably safe to say nobody will. But, things like the interior, entry, even the drive train are things that are going to appeal to the vast majority of the up and coming generation. Others will be turned off by it. I get it, and I think Tesla does too.

Dan

 

[ckessel]

I really wish they'd offer a fob. The phone is 20x bigger than a fob. I definitely don't want to be lugging my phone around while I'm cleaning/washing the car and moving it in and out of the garage. That's a sure fire way to either drop it or get it soaked when I drop the hose.

I frequently don't take my phone with me for short trips. The world can wait 15 minutes while I run to the store without my phone. Or I go to a movie. Or I'm at a nice, quiet dinner and the only thing I care about is my wife sitting across from me.

And, I REALLY don't want to have to give my phone to a friend or one of my kids so they can drive down to the store and pick up more burgers/buns/hotdogs or whatever while I'm entertaining guests.

And my phone runs out of battery and dies WAY more often than a fob ever does. I replace the fob battery 1/year and have never, ever had one die on me in a car that uses a fob.

The lack of a fob is just about a deal breaker for me. I love my little Model S fob. Let phone be the default and then let me pay an extra $250 for a bluetooth fob. Bluetooth devices are dirt cheap.

 

[tomas]

haha, and carrying an old iphone is better than carrying a fob how?

@Dan Detweiler is correct... you cannot reverse history. If you choose not to have device (as I mentioned, doesnt have to be enabled as phone) you will deprive yourself of much new technology... remote home security, portable GPS maps, remote home control, tracking of possessions, etc... AND car key. Hate to see you deprive yourself of best car I’ve ever had (better than my S... IMO), but your call!

 

[tomas]

I really wish they'd offer a fob. The phone is 20x bigger than a fob. I definitely don't want to be lugging my phone around while I'm cleaning/washing the car and moving it in and out of the garage. That's a sure fire way to either drop it or get it soaked when I drop the hose.

I frequently don't take my phone with me for short trips. The world can wait 15 minutes while I run to the store without my phone. Or I go to a movie. Or I'm at a nice, quiet dinner and the only thing I care about is my wife sitting across from me.

And, I REALLY don't want to have to give my phone to a friend or one of my kids so they can drive down to the store and pick up more burgers/buns/hotdogs or whatever while I'm entertaining guests.

And my phone runs out of battery and dies WAY more often than a fob ever does.

The lack of a fob is just about a deal breaker for me. I love my little Model S fob.

Jeez, use the key card then! How hard is that? Remember putting a key in the door, then ignition? Like we all did for a century? Well, it is easier than that.

 

[N5329K]

You don't think the Model 3 is going to be a huge hit? The difference between an Edsel and a Model 3 is that nobody wanted the Edsel. The Model 3 issue is that they can't yet fill the orders they have. No sign of the demand going down any time soon.

Dan

Model is is a huge hit among early adopters, and those who would like to be early adopters. To move the needle, though, it will have to sell in large numbers to people who just want a great car (and don't want to stand in the rain, snow and dark trying to debug a car key). Will it work if I put it in this pocket? What about that pocket? Should I wave it in a clockwise circle, or counterclockwise? And oh dear, I see there's been a software update overnight, I'm late to work and the car is telling me to stand closer....
A sometimes works, sometimes doesn't work key system (and that's what it is for a not-small group of owners) gets in the way of Tesla's success, and that gets in the way of accelerating the transition to sustainable transportation.
Robin

 

[tomas]

Model is is a huge hit among early adopters, and those who would like to be early adopters. To move the needle, though, it will have to sell in large numbers to people who just want a great car (and don't want to stand in the rain, snow and dark trying to debug a car key). Will it work if I put it in this pocket? What about that pocket? Should I wave it in a clockwise circle, or counterclockwise? And oh dear, I see there's been a software update overnight, I'm late to work and the car is telling me to stand closer....
A sometimes works, sometimes doesn't work key system (and that's what it is for a not-small group of owners) gets in the way of Tesla's success, and that gets in the way of accelerating the transition to sustainable transportation.
Robin

I’d wager nobody under 40 has a problem. The elder of that group grew up jiggling modems so their video games would work. The younger have their phones permanently attached to them, and have debugging as a 7th sense.

 

[ckessel]

Jeez, use the key card then! How hard is that? Remember putting a key in the door, then ignition? Like we all did for a century? Well, it is easier than that.

So, your answer is "Use the really shitty Model 3 semi-fob"? That's quite the step back from the utility of the Model S fob.

Fobs are clearly better usability than keys, no argument. Are phones better than fobs? For me, not even remotely, it's a step backwards. I can't count the number of times I've used the trunk part of the fob to pop it open as I was walking up, even with hands mostly full because I could feel the fob in my pocket and press on the trunk opener. Hell, that's basically my default walking out of the grocery store with two bags of groceries.

With a phone, I'd have to set everything down, dig it out, unlock it, open the app, open the trunk. Bleh, far worse usability.

If someone prefers the phone, great! Let them use it and let me buy a fob.

 

[Dan Detweiler]

Model is is a huge hit among early adopters, and those who would like to be early adopters. To move the needle, though, it will have to sell in large numbers to people who just want a great car (and don't want to stand in the rain, snow and dark trying to debug a car key). Will it work if I put it in this pocket? What about that pocket? Should I wave it in a clockwise circle, or counterclockwise? And oh dear, I see there's been a software update overnight, I'm late to work and the car is telling me to stand closer....
A sometimes works, sometimes doesn't work key system (and that's what it is for a not-small group of owners) gets in the way of Tesla's success, and that gets in the way of accelerating the transition to sustainable transportation.
Robin

I for one, believe any and all bugs will be out of the system by the time they work through the half million "early adopters" that are already on the waiting list. And...I think you bring up a great point that is often forgotten. We are all early adopters at this point and will be for quite a while yet. Yes, there will be issues to be addressed, things to be fixed, etc. This is being done already. Look at what they have added to autopilot, to scroll wheel functionality, to rear camera clarity, etc. Give them time, it will happen. I just don't see a key fob as being really high on their priority list and in my mind...it shouldn't be. Others will feel differently I'm sure.

Dan

 

[EfficientWatts]

I’d wager nobody under 40 has a problem. The elder of that group grew up jiggling modems so their video games would work. The younger have their phones permanently attached to them, and have debugging as a 7th sense.

Wrong. I'm under 40 and honestly would prefer to have a fob especially given the failure %. It is way too high for something that people need to depend on a very reliable basis. People keep shouting how it works perfectly for them, and then somehow jump to the conclusion that everyone else is wrong and they're doing it wrong, completely ignoring the possibility that phone key may not be as awesome as you think for some people.

 

[cellogig]

I’d wager nobody under 40 has a problem. The elder of that group grew up jiggling modems so their video games would work. The younger have their phones permanently attached to them, and have debugging as a 7th sense.

You are making assumptions about a both older and younger generation of people. This is conjecture

 

[Dan Detweiler]

I’d wager nobody under 40 has a problem. The elder of that group grew up jiggling modems so their video games would work. The younger have their phones permanently attached to them, and have debugging as a 7th sense.

Funny you should say this. I was talking to my 22 year old son the other day about technology and where things are going. He was totally excited about all the tech involved with modern smartphones eventually being integrated into chips implanted under your skin to where your body actually becomes the device.

Nope, that's where I draw the generational line in the sand. I have no desire to have my right eye flash when I have an incoming email or to suddenly fart a text message. Call me old fashioned I guess. LOL!

Dan