Smartwatch as a key?

[Lexdysic]

Easier than fumbling with the phone and as long as I'm armed I always have easy access. You do still need the iPhone Tesla app or the key card to drive but easier access for me, for example, when I am carrying bags of groceries and need an open trunk..........

Actually, if your watch has a data plan, you can leave your phone at home. The Watch for Tesla App will enable you to use your watch as a key AND DRIVE. Go into settings, and look for Remote Start. With no wallet, keys, or phone, only my Apple Watch, I was able to unlock my car, drive away to the grocery store, lock the car, go inside and get my groceries, pay using Apple Pay, return to the car and open the trunk, unlock the car, and drive back home. It felt really strange, but it worked.

The only problem with Remote Start is you lose some security. If you use pin to drive, that is disabled.

 

[KenC]

Actually, if your watch has a data plan, you can leave your phone at home. The Watch for Tesla App will enable you to use your watch as a key AND DRIVE. Go into settings, and look for Remote Start. With no wallet, keys, or phone, only my Apple Watch, I was able to unlock my car, drive away to the grocery store, lock the car, go inside and get my groceries, pay using Apple Pay, return to the car and open the trunk, unlock the car, and drive back home. It felt really strange, but it worked.

The only problem with Remote Start is you lose some security. If you use pin to drive, that is disabled.

Yeah, just don’t drive away from a cell connection, and get out. Plus, all the 3rd-party apps seem to have an unlock and drive capability. I know the 4 watch apps I have all can do it. Stats, EV Watch, AutoMate, Watch for Tesla.

If you want to test it without risk, just turn on Airplane mode, you’ll get a warning on your phone from the Tesla app, saying it won’t function, then use your watch. Airplane mode turns off Bluetooth.

 

[vickh]

Yes, trade-in for an Apple watch SE.

nah I'm going the other way. Wyze Watch

 

[PACEMD]

Actually, if your watch has a data plan, you can leave your phone at home. The Watch for Tesla App will enable you to use your watch as a key AND DRIVE. Go into settings, and look for Remote Start. With no wallet, keys, or phone, only my Apple Watch, I was able to unlock my car, drive away to the grocery store, lock the car, go inside and get my groceries, pay using Apple Pay, return to the car and open the trunk, unlock the car, and drive back home. It felt really strange, but it worked.

The only problem with Remote Start is you lose some security. If you use pin to drive, that is disabled.

Cool, thanks. I just set this up, will try it later. I do have separate cell service for the watch. But right, as Ken said, make sure you have a cell signal if you have no backup device with you.

Last week I did something beyond stupid. New Apple Watch, still don't know what I'm doing, so..........I got out of the car at a rest stop halfway on my 150-mile weekly commute to work. Left the key card and iPhone in the car, phone turned off. Rest stop at a remote location with historically variable cell reception. I did have a cell signal on the Tesla and the phone when I stopped so not worried but didn't check the Watch reception. It's 20 degrees F, didn't bother to take my jacket, go into the rest stop, come out, and the Watch has no cell signal to open the car. Why didn't I take the phone/key card? Because I'm an idiot, that's why.

So I check with the truck drivers. They have AT&T with a cell signal. But not my watch. I have a First Net AT&T account so maybe it's that, or maybe I just don't know how to properly use the watch. So now what? I'm 75 miles from home locked out of the car in the cold. So I decided to call my wife and have her try to remotely open the car from her Tesla app. That or she has to drive 75 miles to bail my ass out. Now I have to borrow a phone from a good Samaritan. Easy enough, call my wife, not sure I remember her number we have had for 20+ years because I never dial the actual number, but then also realize she is not going to answer a call from Joe Samaritan, so I leave a message. No reply. Joe, being a smart Samaritan, suggests sending a text, more likely to see that. Eventually, she calls Joe and figures out how to open the car remotely. Meaning her AT&T signal to the car was functioning. Problem solved, idiot. Point is, be sure you have a cell signal because Bluetooth does not connect from the Watch. More importantly, don't be an idiot. I know, I've tried that, not too cool........

 

[PACEMD]

Or is there a way to connect the Watch to the car via Bluetooth?

 

[KenC]

No, different Bluetooth

 

[jjrandorin]

Cool, thanks. I just set this up, will try it later. I do have separate cell service for the watch. But right, as Ken said, make sure you have a cell signal if you have no backup device with you.

Last week I did something beyond stupid. New Apple Watch, still don't know what I'm doing, so..........I got out of the car at a rest stop halfway on my 150-mile weekly commute to work. Left the key card and iPhone in the car, phone turned off. Rest stop at a remote location with historically variable cell reception. I did have a cell signal on the Tesla and the phone when I stopped so not worried but didn't check the Watch reception. It's 20 degrees F, didn't bother to take my jacket, go into the rest stop, come out, and the Watch has no cell signal to open the car. Why didn't I take the phone/key card? Because I'm an idiot, that's why.

So I check with the truck drivers. They have AT&T with a cell signal. But not my watch. I have a First Net AT&T account so maybe it's that, or maybe I just don't know how to properly use the watch. So now what? I'm 75 miles from home locked out of the car in the cold. So I decided to call my wife and have her try to remotely open the car from her Tesla app. That or she has to drive 75 miles to bail my ass out. Now I have to borrow a phone from a good Samaritan. Easy enough, call my wife, not sure I remember her number we have had for 20+ years because I never dial the actual number, but then also realize she is not going to answer a call from Joe Samaritan, so I leave a message. No reply. Joe, being a smart Samaritan, suggests sending a text, more likely to see that. Eventually, she calls Joe and figures out how to open the car remotely. Meaning her AT&T signal to the car was functioning. Problem solved, idiot. Point is, be sure you have a cell signal because Bluetooth does not connect from the Watch. More importantly, don't be an idiot. I know, I've tried that, not too cool........

This covers what I was (seemingly poorly) attempting to say at the very beginning of this thread when I said that a smartwatch doesnt really function as "phone as key" even though you can use it to open (and drive) the car, and why that might matter.

 

[Gasaraki]

Here is an example of using the Apple Watch for my Model 3. From the watch face I can tap to open the frunk or the trunk, unlock the car, and access the Stats app or the Watch for Tesla app to control the climate, Sentry mode, Homelink, charging, blah, blah, blah.........

Easier than fumbling with the phone and as long as I'm armed I always have easy access. You do still need the iPhone Tesla app or the key card to drive but easier access for me, for example, when I am carrying bags of groceries and need an open trunk..........View attachment 615017

That is not the "phone as key" feature, stop confusing people. Every Tesla watch app can do what you said. I use my Android app to unlock my car also.

OP was asking about "Phone as key". NO, there no watches that can do "phone as key" where you just walk up tot the car and just pull the handle to unlock.

 

[PACEMD]

That is not the "phone as key" feature, stop confusing people. Every Tesla watch app can do what you said. I use my Android app to unlock my car also.

OP was asking about "Phone as key". NO, there no watches that can do "phone as key" where you just walk up tot the car and just pull the handle to unlock.

Oh, stop it already, oy vey. I said not one thing about so-called "phone as key".

 

[jjrandorin]

Oh, stop it already, oy vey. I said not one thing about so-called "phone as key".

Lots of people in this thread are trying to draw parallels to using the 3rd party watch apps and saying they are like the tesla official "phone as key", which they really arent for reasons already discussed. if thats not you, then great.

 

[PACEMD]

Sure, you can tell who might be saying such a thing by reading the post. I haven't seen anyone saying that. The discussion was about what the watch could or could not do. It's not that intellectual a discussion........

 

[M3BearsFan]

Cool, thanks. I just set this up, will try it later. I do have separate cell service for the watch. But right, as Ken said, make sure you have a cell signal if you have no backup device with you.

Last week I did something beyond stupid. New Apple Watch, still don't know what I'm doing, so..........I got out of the car at a rest stop halfway on my 150-mile weekly commute to work. Left the key card and iPhone in the car, phone turned off. Rest stop at a remote location with historically variable cell reception. I did have a cell signal on the Tesla and the phone when I stopped so not worried but didn't check the Watch reception. It's 20 degrees F, didn't bother to take my jacket, go into the rest stop, come out, and the Watch has no cell signal to open the car. Why didn't I take the phone/key card? Because I'm an idiot, that's why.

So I check with the truck drivers. They have AT&T with a cell signal. But not my watch. I have a First Net AT&T account so maybe it's that, or maybe I just don't know how to properly use the watch. So now what? I'm 75 miles from home locked out of the car in the cold. So I decided to call my wife and have her try to remotely open the car from her Tesla app. That or she has to drive 75 miles to bail my ass out. Now I have to borrow a phone from a good Samaritan. Easy enough, call my wife, not sure I remember her number we have had for 20+ years because I never dial the actual number, but then also realize she is not going to answer a call from Joe Samaritan, so I leave a message. No reply. Joe, being a smart Samaritan, suggests sending a text, more likely to see that. Eventually, she calls Joe and figures out how to open the car remotely. Meaning her AT&T signal to the car was functioning. Problem solved, idiot. Point is, be sure you have a cell signal because Bluetooth does not connect from the Watch. More importantly, don't be an idiot. I know, I've tried that, not too cool........

That's interesting but I don't understand how the car locked when you got out.

 

[jjrandorin]

That's interesting but I don't understand how the car locked when you got out.

Probably because the car was unlocked and started with remote features, vs the phone as key or the keycard.

 

[PACEMD]

That's interesting but I don't understand how the car locked when you got out.

Right, good question. It probably would not have locked if the iPhone had been on. But it wasn't. I have gone into a store and left the phone in the car, the phone on, for over 20 minutes without the car locking. If you walk away with the phone off will it lock after some time? Or did my watch just have a variable signal? This spot is hit or miss for the cell signal. More likely I just don't know what the hell I'm doing.........

 

[Kevy Baby]

Okay, I have read through this thread twice (and read the Remote for Tesla page). I have an Apple Watch 5 with NO LTE. A couple of questions (before I purchase a $30 app)

1. Can I use it without the LTE? I'm assuming it connects to my phone and uses that to connect to the car?
2. I assume all it is doing is mimicking the controls on the phone to the watch? (Not that this is a bad thing - just trying to understand)
3. I assume (since no LTE) that I cannot leave the phone in the car and use just the watch?

 

[KenC]

Okay, I have read through this thread twice (and read the Remote for Tesla page). I have an Apple Watch 5 with NO LTE. A couple of questions (before I purchase a $30 app)

1. Can I use it without the LTE? I'm assuming it connects to my phone and uses that to connect to the car?
2. I assume all it is doing is mimicking the controls on the phone to the watch? (Not that this is a bad thing - just trying to understand)
3. I assume (since no LTE) that I cannot leave the phone in the car and use just the watch?

I would say no, yes, yes, and maybe. If you leave the phone in the car, you’d have to manually lock the doors, with the watch, right? Otherwise the phone would keep your doors unlocked? When you come back to your car, you can use your watch to connect to your phone and unlock. Of course, you hid your phone, so make sure your watch can communicate with the phone. Anyhow I would test that, while keeping a keycard in my pocket, before relying upon it.

 

[mrbulk]

Even if they offer this app to drive the car eventually, I would be more interested in having it loaded onto a nicely styled bespoke Tesla design watch with one of our keycard chips already embedded into the case somewhere...

 

[TLI_Mark]

I have the Tesla Remote app for Apple Watch and if I long press there is an option for unlock/start. If I hit that and get in the car it says keyless driving enabled. I haven’t really tested it because I don’t want to get stranded... I’ll try it out this weekend though without my keycard or phone on me. Obviously a cellular model watch would be needed.

What was your result? Can a cell enabled watch start the car?

 

[Trewendy]

I have the stats app on phone and watch. I can lock, unlock start car ad more with just my Apple Watch which has a cell connection. Can lock the doors with phone still in the car.

 

[SoCalAli]

Curious why anyone would give their Tesla login info to a 3rd party app. Until my apple watch can show up as a key under security in the Tesla App, and in the car itself, no thank you. I think the delay is apple wants car manufacturers to use the Apple Key system and Carplay and Tesla in not about to give up any of the experience to Apple.