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Stranded! (forgot keyfob at home, was still able to drive car away)

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Other cars don't have auto extending handles though. I wonder if Tesla has allowed the range that the car detects the key fob to be greater than other systems to make the handles extend at the correct time. Maybe this is something they could fix in software? The handles extend at a great distance but the car won't start unless the key fob is inside the car. Don't know if that is technically possible or not though.
 
No idea. If I did, it's so small I didn't notice it. This needs to be AUDIO and a much larger VISUAL. Quite important if you ask me!

I know that warning is small and not that obvious but you didn't get that 'key not inside' warning when you drove away? I've had a few times where the key fob was in the car and it thought it wasn't and that message popped up but that was with earlier software versions.

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That's a huge difference!

All cars with keyless entry behave the same way once the car is on - the difference as others have noted is that you typically can only drive off with the key inside the car, not just near the car.

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We live in the country and theft isn't the concern. My wife had come back and put the key there momentarily, and I forgot to grab it. Didn't notice till we were at our destination and the car was off. Too late at that point.

If one leaves the key on a shelf next to the car it isn't any less stealeable than a normal car, that's true. However, since the thief won't be able to start the car again once they get were they're going, they would be advised to bring the key with them. :wink:

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The car needs to notify you (audibly) if you drive off and it senses the key is gone.

Other cars don't have auto extending handles though. I wonder if Tesla has allowed the range that the car detects the key fob to be greater than other systems to make the handles extend at the correct time. Maybe this is something they could fix in software? The handles extend at a great distance but the car won't start unless the key fob is inside the car. Don't know if that is technically possible or not though.
 
Yes, I was at least able to unlock the car and vent the roof with my phone (despite a VERY weak cell signal where we were parked). Our car is set to auto-lock, so without the app we would have been locked out of the car as well.

note how he still had his mobile phone:

seems like it would be pretty secure to link the physical phone to driving functionality via NFC. This could require a password for double security.
 
note how he still had his mobile phone:

seems like it would be pretty secure to link the physical phone to driving functionality via NFC. This could require a password for double security.

See post #8, there's an "app" for that. The Model S is highly advanced, I'm sure they could allow an override via the app, if they chose to, or at worst call Tesla, identify yourself and they allow a single use start.
 
The best solution is not to store the key in proximity to the car so u don't do it again. If I recall this had happened to you before only you found it before you got anywhere. we cant blame Tesla for us forgetting our keys or leaving them a foot away from the car on a shelf. Now, I do agree there should be a warning - bMW had a large icon displayed in the dash when the key is removed and it doesn't go away. That would be a good idea.
 
See post #8, there's an "app" for that. The Model S is highly advanced, I'm sure they could allow an override via the app, if they chose to, or at worst call Tesla, identify yourself and they allow a single use start.

of course there's an app... what does post#8 from bollar have to do with this.. I'm talking about linking the phone to the car via local solutions (NFC, RFID, etc) so that you can abandon the key for good.
 
The best solution is not to store the key in proximity to the car so u don't do it again. If I recall this had happened to you before only you found it before you got anywhere. we cant blame Tesla for us forgetting our keys or leaving them a foot away from the car on a shelf. Now, I do agree there should be a warning - bMW had a large icon displayed in the dash when the key is removed and it doesn't go away. That would be a good idea.

It wasn't stored there. My wife put it down. Car didn't notify it wasn't in the car so we drove off. Definitely a flaw and at least needs a better notification.

We do store our key further from the car now, usually.
 
of course there's an app... what does post#8 from bollar have to do with this.. I'm talking about linking the phone to the car via local solutions (NFC, RFID, etc) so that you can abandon the key for good.

Error, my post #6 - use the App to remote start with a secondary security password. Then Tesla could help with a service similar to "OnStar" remotely as well (you call them and identify yourself on the phone)

They don't even have WiFi working yet, so your solution isn't workable yet.
 
All cars with keyless entry behave the same way once the car is on - the difference as others have noted is that you typically can only drive off with the key inside the car, not just near the car.

Quite the difference, wouldn't you say?


If one leaves the key on a shelf next to the car it isn't any less stealeable than a normal car, that's true. However, since the thief won't be able to start the car again once they get were they're going, they would be advised to bring the key with them. :wink:


Still not good enough. I could be parked, hanging out and chatting with somebody somewhere, while someone sneaks in and takes off with the car. If the thief is informed (say, reads TMC) he would know that as long as he stays in the car, he can keep driving in to whatever place he can drop it off... while turning off the mobile phone app connection in the settings.

I've always felt assured that as long as I kept the key fob in my pocket, the car would not be stolen (with or without kids in the car - to boot), but I'll have to readjust that attitude based on this.

Bottom line: no key in the car, the shouldn't be drivable. My two cents...
 
Bottom line: no key in the car, the shouldn't be drivable. My two cents...

I would agree with that. Based on the earlier similar thread I was quite nervous last month with my preschooler playing in the driver's seat while I was standing about 5 feet away. There's no way to know whether the car will be able to be started or not. I mentioned to my dad that it was fine as long as he couldn't reach the brake, whereupon he suddenly started trying.
 
When I showed my S at a car show earlier this month I brought my UMC to plug in while parked. Even though it wasn't connected to a power source, connecting the UMC to the charge port disables the car, so I didn't have to worry whether the car was drivable while I was standing outside it with the fob in my pocket, talking to people.
 
I would agree with that. Based on the earlier similar thread I was quite nervous last month with my preschooler playing in the driver's seat while I was standing about 5 feet away. There's no way to know whether the car will be able to be started or not. I mentioned to my dad that it was fine as long as he couldn't reach the brake, whereupon he suddenly started trying.

I believe the driver has to weigh at least 100lbs (and be sitting) to start the car even with the key fob so that is one small safety measure.
 
Hijacking this thread a bit.

I'd like my car to be smart and know when it was home. And when it was home the doors were always unlocked. I don't keep anything of real value in the car, and I often load up to car before actually leaving. I'm a bit tired of having to go find the key fob in the house when wanting to put something in the car.

I once did unlock it from the app, but this still requires me to make the effort. The car knows it is home, now the software just needs to be configurable to be so. Or does someone know an existing way to do this? Old fashioned ICE cars made this easier.