Tesla backing away from "Phone Key as primary key"

[remlemasi]

Sorry if this has been covered, but what is everyone's definition for 100%?

I do not keep my keycard in my wallet (potentially stupid) but I've never been stuck outside my vehicle due to my phone key failing to unlock. Never even had to toggle Bluetooth on/off or quit/restart the Tesla app.

I have however, experienced many times (several times weekly) when the door doesn't unlock on the very first try, and I need to wiggle my hips (my phone is typically in my back pocket) to get the car to detect my phone. Door is usually open within 2 to 3 seconds of first try. Does this count as 100%?

Or does 100% mean the doors open on the first try, without delay, every single time?

BTW, I'm aware that my body is likely blocking the signal, but I'm just used to keeping in back pocket. Tried front pocket for a while for the sake of unlocking, but just couldn't get used to it.

FWIW, I voted "iPhone - 75%-99% of the time"

 

[golfpilot]

I use the phone key and keep the tesla key inside my wallet. In the really rare event I lock my wallet in the car and my phone dies or breaks I could borrow someone elses phone, login to teslafi and unlock the car.

 

[Alketi]

Sorry if this has been covered, but what is everyone's definition for 100%?

I do not keep my keycard in my wallet (potentially stupid) but I've never been stuck outside my vehicle due to my phone key failing to unlock. Never even had to toggle Bluetooth on/off or quit/restart the Tesla app.

I have however, experienced many times (several times weekly) when the door doesn't unlock on the very first try, and I need to wiggle my hips (my phone is typically in my back pocket) to get the car to detect my phone. Door is usually open within 2 to 3 seconds of first try. Does this count as 100%?

Or does 100% mean the doors open on the first try, without delay, every single time?

FWIW, I voted "iPhone - 75%-99% of the time"

Tesla is very sensitive to Bluetooth signal levels. With the phone in my back pocket it works ~50% of the time. In my front, 99%. Pixel 2 XL.

Until I realized it was a signal-level issue I had assumed all sorts of phone-as-a-key issues, like needing to turn on the phone display. However, turning on the display was de facto causing me to remove the phone from my back pocket. Ergo, the root of the problem ...

I've had to reboot my phone and/or toggle airplane mode once or twice in 6 months. Every other time (front pocket or in-hand) it's worked.

I always keep my keycard in my wallet as a backup.

 

[remlemasi]

Tesla is very sensitive to Bluetooth signal levels. With the phone in my back pocket it works ~50% of the time. In my front, 99%. Pixel 2 XL.

Until I realized it was a signal-level issue I had assumed all sorts of phone-as-a-key issues, like needing to turn on the phone display. However, turning on the display was de facto causing me to remove the phone from my back pocket. Ergo, the root of the problem ...

I've had to reboot my phone and/or toggle airplane mode once or twice in 6 months. Every other time (front pocket or in-hand) it's worked.

I always keep my keycard in my wallet as a backup.

Yep, totally understood.

My question is more about the definition of 100%. Seems a lot of people voted for "iPhone - 100% of the time." Are they claiming that they've never been locked out (or had to mess with their phone in a "significant" way) or are they claiming that the door has opened on the first try, without delay, every single time?

 

[Zaxxon]

Does anyone know if new model S and X are shipping with the ability to use your phone as a key? I'm considering ordering one but I love having a keyless life and I don't want to be forced to carry around a fob (feels very old). My model 3 works great with just my smart phone and I hope for the same convenience as an option in Model S/X.

I don't know the answer, but I have the same question. We're considering ordering an X and I'd greatly prefer the phone as key option, either on its own or in addition to the existing X's fob.

 

[VQTRVA]

Tesla is very sensitive to Bluetooth signal levels. With the phone in my back pocket it works ~50% of the time. In my front, 99%. Pixel 2 XL.

Until I realized it was a signal-level issue I had assumed all sorts of phone-as-a-key issues, like needing to turn on the phone display. However, turning on the display was de facto causing me to remove the phone from my back pocket. Ergo, the root of the problem ...

I've had to reboot my phone and/or toggle airplane mode once or twice in 6 months. Every other time (front pocket or in-hand) it's worked.

I always keep my keycard in my wallet as a backup.

P2XL here also - but noticed it is only working if I go into the App & have it wake up the car >>> then the Phone as Key will unlock the door automatically.

By then - what is the point ? Since I can toggle the unlock button in the app....

 

[srs5694]

I do not keep my keycard in my wallet (potentially stupid) but I've never been stuck outside my vehicle due to my phone key failing to unlock.

Just yesterday I experienced an issue where I was able to enter my car in a supermarket parking lot but then the car wouldn't start; it prompted me to tap the card to the console to drive. I looked at my phone, and it had crashed! (I've been trying different phones and configurations to try to resolve a bluetooth issue, so this wasn't my usual phone, and it was running an "unofficial" build of LineageOS, hence potentially unreliable.) I rebooted, but it crashed immediately upon starting to boot. Once I got home it was OK, so maybe with another try it would have worked; but at the moment it was easier to tap my wallet to the console. (The card reads OK without removing it from my wallet.)

Of course, I had been monkeying with my Android software, which most people don't do; however, phone failures happen all the time, even to people who use the stock iOS or Android that comes with their phones. (I've owned other phones that have been less than 100% reliable with stock software.)

So: Put one of those key cards in your wallet or purse. If you need it, you'll really need it, and the cost of carrying it with you is minimal.

 

[hcdavis3]

I keep a card in my wallet and always travel with my iPhone. Phone has worked every time for the 2 months I’ve owned my car.

 

[dmurphy]

Of course, I had been monkeying with my Android software, which most people don't do; however, phone failures happen all the time, even to people who use the stock iOS or Android that comes with their phones. (I've owned other phones that have been less than 100% reliable with stock software.)

So: Put one of those key cards in your wallet or purse. If you need it, you'll really need it, and the cost of carrying it with you is minimal.

To be fair, I can count on one hand how many times my iPhones have actually crashed. Like, reboot time crashed. That said - I always keep the keycard in my wallet, in case I run the battery out or I drop and smash the phone or something. If my keycard *and* iPhone are both out of commission, I probably have more urgent things to deal with than unlocking the car....

Now, when the day comes that I can load my driver's license to my phone and use Apple Pay everywhere..... well, then I may invent an RFID-shielded hide-a-card for the Model 3 so I can leave my wallet at home completely ....

 

[Falkirk]

it's interesting the issue people have one foot away from the car and it still having trouble connecting! I've noticed the opposite where I can be at the other end of the house 2 floors up through many walls and my phone will still say connected somehow. It's at least 50 feet away!

I do wonder if being connected keeps the car awake and increases the phantom drain?

 

[remlemasi]

Just yesterday I experienced an issue where I was able to enter my car in a supermarket parking lot but then the car wouldn't start; it prompted me to tap the card to the console to drive. I looked at my phone, and it had crashed! (I've been trying different phones and configurations to try to resolve a bluetooth issue, so this wasn't my usual phone, and it was running an "unofficial" build of LineageOS, hence potentially unreliable.) I rebooted, but it crashed immediately upon starting to boot. Once I got home it was OK, so maybe with another try it would have worked; but at the moment it was easier to tap my wallet to the console. (The card reads OK without removing it from my wallet.)

Of course, I had been monkeying with my Android software, which most people don't do; however, phone failures happen all the time, even to people who use the stock iOS or Android that comes with their phones. (I've owned other phones that have been less than 100% reliable with stock software.)

So: Put one of those key cards in your wallet or purse. If you need it, you'll really need it, and the cost of carrying it with you is minimal.

Fair enough, but I still won't do it. I already have 6 cards in my 5-slot minimalist wallet

In reading what others have experienced, I should probably change my vote to 100%, even though I experience minor delays every so often.

 

[BioSehnsucht]

In my case I can stand next to the B-pillar and not have it unlock until I wake my phone sometimes (or take upwards of 30s if I don't wake the phone), which goes to show that in addition to the signal strength issues, depending on the phone the app may not be beaconing or replying to beacons or however the hell it works in a timely fashion if the phone is sleeping. Other times I can walk up and it works on the first try.

On the other hand, in terms of the phone being connected for media playback, I have to sometimes turn off BT on the phone because otherwise it will stay connected to the car long after I've walked away and it's locked and drain the phone's battery, I can be dozens of feet away through walls and/or floor and it's still connected for BT media... and yet other times I'll be in the car trying to take a call and it keeps switching between BT audio and the phone itself because it's constantly losing the BT audio connection!

Getting a newer phone may help (late 2015 HTC One m9), but it's hard to blame the phone entirely when it's flip flopping the connection while sitting in the car's phone dock and yet able to maintain BT connectivity dozens of feet away other times. I wouldn't be opposed to a new phone if there was one that didn't have some major downside to it (can't seem to find a Goldilocks phone - it's too big, or it's running a stupid flavor of Android and can't be rooted, or it has terrible notches, or no/terrible speaker placement, or ... the trend to big phones with ~100% screen coverage has really been a bad trend in my opinion - if I could get exactly my phone only newer with current OS/etc I'd be happy even though it's not bezelless etc). And I never had BT issues with my old car (which was via an aftermarket BT interface to the car as it just had an aux input)

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

Sorry if this has been covered, but what is everyone's definition for 100%?

I voted for 100% with iPhone, even though very occasionally I have apparent signal level issues with the iPhone. They have resolved within seconds every time and usually I don't have to remove the phone from my pocket. This probably happens less than 1% of the time; I only recall it happening a handful of times - so I said 100%. I keep my iPhone in my front pocket.

Still keep the keycard in the money clip though.

 

[gregincal]

Yep, totally understood.

My question is more about the definition of 100%. Seems a lot of people voted for "iPhone - 100% of the time." Are they claiming that they've never been locked out (or had to mess with their phone in a "significant" way) or are they claiming that the door has opened on the first try, without delay, every single time?

Once a month or so I need to press the handle a second time, but no waiting in between or shifting my body or anything. I do keep my phone in my front pocket (always have, can't stand anything in my back pocket). I chose 100%. I definitely keep my card with me, because I did have one experience where the phone didn't unlock the car at all and I had to resort to the card--the phone had run out of charge.

 

[mulagain]

Despite issues with the Phone key, I hope they keep supporting it. I keep the card in my wallet just in case but haven't had to use it in months. I'd be a sad panda if they axe it.

 

[Pete_in_FL]

I have an older Samsung S5. When leaving the house, I have to wake up my Tesla app and it works to allow me to open the door and drive. When out and about, it works 95% of the time without waking the phone up from my picket.

Twice the car quit unlocking and the app said to activate airplane mode and then deactivate it. That solved the problem.

I always carry my card in my wallet.

 

[larryj]

I continue to have occasional issues with my iPhone X. Once a week or so, I have to unlock the phone before the car will unlock. I don't have to go to the Tesla app, just unlocking the phone works.

 

[remlemasi]

Since 12.1.2, car has been more sensitive to my phone position (iPhone X). Usually, with my phone in my back pocket, it opens 80% of the time on first try and 20% when I shift my hips just a little. Recently, I've needed to take the phone out of the pocket (not unlock, just take it out and place it closer to the car).

On a related note, my J1772 adapter is unlocking (when I press the latch button on the J1772 plug) more regularly with me standing at the rear corner of the car. In the past, I've needed to unlock the doors (usually via rear passenger door) before I was able to get the adapter the release.

 

[larryj]

Since 12.1.2, car has been more sensitive to my phone position (iPhone X). Usually, with my phone in my back pocket, it opens 80% of the time on first try and 20% when I shift my hips just a little. Recently, I've needed to take the phone out of the pocket (not unlock, just take it out and place it closer to the car).

On a related note, my J1772 adapter is unlocking (when I press the latch button on the J1772 plug) more regularly with me standing at the rear corner of the car. In the past, I've needed to unlock the doors (usually via rear passenger door) before I was able to get the adapter the release.

I'll try just moving my iPhone X instead of actually unlocking it.

It seems to be getting worse. The day after my post I had issues three times. In a single day. The first time the car unlocked fine but would not switch to drive mode until I put my card on the console. The other two were the standard problem where the car won't unlock and the display says to use the card on the B-pillar.

I'm ready for a key fob.

 

[diamond.g]

I'll try just moving my iPhone X instead of actually unlocking it.

It seems to be getting worse. The day after my post I had issues three times. In a single day. The first time the car unlocked fine but would not switch to drive mode until I put my card on the console. The other two were the standard problem where the car won't unlock and the display says to use the card on the B-pillar.

I'm ready for a key fob.

Well the fob is available, but it doesn't have passive entry, so I am not sure it would be better than the phone in this case.