Possible New Feature for a Future Versions of the Key Fob

[hewhoeatspie]

Hello everyone,

First time poster here.

I've recently been running into an issue and I had an idea of a cool way of fixing it. So I thought that if I post it here, maybe it will catch on and become a real thing in the future.

The Issue
I share my car with my partner, each of us have our own fob for the car, because of major height differences and sitting styles our configurations for the seat, mirrors, and steering column are drastically different.

This is rather annoying as every time one of us gets into the car after the last person drove we have to spend time setting everything back up to the exact way we want it.

Solution
The solution for this problem would be to add a new button or feature to the fob that when pressed would automatically configure the seating position into a pre-configured state specific to your fob. Obviously this would require that each person have their own fob.

The car's computer would handle all of the heaving lifting like saving the configurations for each fob, providing a feature to change configurations, etc.

Scenario for Setting a Configuration
When sitting in the car, with the car in park. After you have set the position of everything to the way that you would like it you would navigate to the feature on the center console. In the feature you would select your fob (possibly by nickname), enter your password for it, and then click a button like "Update Configuration". This would then save the positions of all of your adjustable bits to the car. Now next time you press the button on your key fob the car will automatically set everything up for you exactly how you want it.

I'm not sure how many people would find this useful, as you would have to be in a similar situation where you share a single car with someone for daily driving.

I look forward to hearing what you all think! :smile:

 

[S'toon]

I don't understand. You mean things which aren't covered in each driver's profile? You have set up a profile for each driver, haven't you?

 

[rickgt]

You do know that there are personalized drivers profiles on the 17" screen, don't you? fixes all of the above, but not with a key... you have to tap a button on the screen.

 

[GoTslaGo]

When I finish driving the Tesla, and I know my wife will be using next, the last thing I do is to change the driver profile to hers on the 17" screen. This way she just gets in and goes.

You're point is to use the fob to do this, and you do have a point. On my BMWs (current and previous) the car would save each driver profile to the specific fob, and adjust accordingly (electronically, no extra button). Yes it would be more convenient to have individualized fob profiles, but IMO it's a pretty minor issue, especially if you use the workaround I described above.

 

[tga]

How would it work (how does BMW do it) if there are two fobs in the car? One in my pocket and one in my wife's purse?

 

[GoTslaGo]

@tga,

Sorry my Ipad went screwy and I had to log out. The fobs worked in the past because you had to plug it in. Now that you mention it, with my latest BMW it does have remote sensing of the fob, but I haven't had occasion to have both fobs in the car at the same time. My wife basically refuses to drive it, preferring the Tesla (I can't blame her). We configured a seat for her on the seat memory, but she never synced it to a fob.

Also I wanted to say the exiting changing profile trick is not my idea, I learned it from reading the forums here! I apologize if I can't remember who described it first, but that's why I recommend everyone to read TMC. Very valuable forum!

Edit:

Ha! You have a point about the fobs. I'm not sure if the BMW fobs do this anymore. The older ones worked because you have to plug it into the car to get it going. I was going to try it remotely after thinking about it, but everyone is asleep and I'd have to start the car and wake everyone up! So I am not sure if this function works anymore! I adjusted the seat off my position and will see if it will automatically reposition itself in the morning using the remote sensing function of the fob.

 

[SMSMD]

hello everyone,first time poster here.

Welcome toTMC.

 

[GoTslaGo]

YES! I apologize for my lack of etiquette! Welcome to TMC.

PS--I'm starting to think that my BMW fob comment will force me to change my name to "hewhoeatscrow"... but heck, I think I've said dumber things.

 

[rneugebauer]

I'm speculating here, but it could be that the original posters settings are so that it is extremely hard for the tall person to get into the seat in the first place (I haven't tried but I think it is hard to switch the driver profile while still not seated).

The solution could indeed be that the seat etc. moves into a position that corresponds to the fob that wakes up the car.

 

[GoTslaGo]

Could be. If you're really tall and you switch for a much shorter person that would be tough. I tend to only remember to switch profiles AFTER I'm out of the car (my early Alzheimer's at work here). So I usually just lean in and change the profile outside the car.

Guess that saves me from being trapped in the car when I change the profile for my wife (she's shorter than me by 6-7 inches). Starting to realize my early Alzheimer's is saving my knees by working through this thread.

The issue is how to save the profile to the fob that wakes the car, and how does the car recognize which fob to use for seat settings, if both are in the car. Especially since my wife keeps hers in her purse in the center console, whether she is driving or I am driving. I think Tesla nicely sidestepped this issue by saving the configuration on the screen, not the fob.

PS--

Just realized my wife never configured a seat setting in my BMW. Guess she never plans to drive it again!

 

[GoTslaGo]

Yummy, yummy crow.

Nope, BMW key fob didn't change the seats upon entry either. My comment about the personalize key fobs do not apply to their remote access fobs. I even tried plugging it into the car to see if it would work, no go (I have a 2013 model before they went completely remote access).

Yummy, yummy crow...

 

[S'toon]

I'm speculating here, but it could be that the original posters settings are so that it is extremely hard for the tall person to get into the seat in the first place (I haven't tried but I think it is hard to switch the driver profile while still not seated).

The solution could indeed be that the seat etc. moves into a position that corresponds to the fob that wakes up the car.

Some people set up a "Getting in and out of the car" profile.

 

[JCLeonard]

My Ford Flex has driver profiles and adjusts the seats, mirrors, etc. when the unlock button is pressed on the fob. When the key is inserted in the ignition the seat moves forward to the final position and when the key is removed from the ignition the seat slides back, to allow more room for egress.

I understand the Tesla fob is proximity based but this type of feature should be doable if triggered upon a different action. I.e. pulling on the door handle, "pressing" any other button on the fob, pre-heating/cooling the car, summon, etc. Since the Model S detects when a driver is in the seat it might be as easy as being able to define a "default" profile that the car swaps to whenever the driver leaves the vehicle. Although, that seems like a pretty rare edge case. I guess it all depends on how many owners request the feature..

 

[ummgood]

We have had 2 Honda Odyssey's that have both had this feature. The first one was a 2008 Touring with memory. The car came with two fobs. One marked "Driver 1" and the other marked "Driver 2". The fob corresponded to the memory positions of driver 1 and driver 2. I also think it also changed some of the presets in the nav system and the stereo. When you unlocked the car with the fob and opened the driver door everything would set into motion based on what fob unlocked the car.

That van got totalled and we upgraded to a 2014 Touring Elite. Almost everything is the same except this has keyless entry and start. On that car when you would grab the handle and open the door the fob closest to the driver door is what fob the car would use. If my wife got in the passenger seat and I got in the driver seat it would switch to my positions. Sometimes if my wife is buckling my 4 year old in the middle row when I get in the driver seat the car can get confused on what fob is closest. I have been smashed into the dash a couple times but quickly hitting the memory button on the door prevents me getting smashed too badly. I am 6'4" and my wife is 5'0".

I am surprised that Tesla doesn't have this actually.

 

[Johan]

My guess is that the keys are clones, with nothing allowing the car to tell one key from another.

I hope and I do believe Tesla is coming with this feature in the future. It's only logical.

 

[Jim R]

Some people set up a "Getting in and out of the car" profile.

My wife's Lexus puts the seats and steering wheel to a position where anyone can get in/out when the car is shut off. Then when you start the car the last position is selected. If you want a different position, just press the button set up for your profile before starting the car. Works well.

 

[Trips]

Lexus adjusts the seats, steering wheel etc when the ignition is pushed. This makes it much easier to get in and out. This seems like a better way then doing it before you get in.

They also have hard buttons on the door for multiple drivers or in my case for all the way forward/back. This makes it so much easier when cleaning and vacuuming. I honestly do not know the last time I pushed a button on my fob.

 

[Ludus]

Interesting issue. This is a luxury I'd hope to see carried through in the era of Mobility fleets and autonomous cars. The car knows who you are just like an uber passenger. The fleet holds the preferences of all the millions of users. Before you get in the car it's configured to your taste.

It also gets into identity and access management. I think Teslas could recognize you and any authorized driver without any key. New models need to be surrounded with cameras for autonomy anyway. Good security would be based on a lot of "key" data but be unobtrusive.