Tesla backing away from "Phone Key as primary key"

[N5329K]

Ok. So my story about my experiences with my 17 year old Honda is somehow less valid than your stories about your 5-7 year old merc/audi/bmw? Is that what you are trying to imply? "A non-working or only partially working fob is something I personally only know from stories of internet people". Isn't your story one of those as well?

Listen, if you want a fob, great. My original post however is still accurate. The title of this thread IS clickbait as it erroneously implies that Tesla is somehow going to reduce its support for the phone as a way of entry. Literally nothing has occurred that supports that.

Will they introduce a fob? It sure appears likely given the patent applications they've made in the past year. Will they then magically remove support of the phone as a means of entry during that time? Why would they?

For me personally, I haven't had any problems getting into my vehicle. Now that could very well be due to the make of my phone / OS / Bluetooth stack / dumb luck ? I don't know. But I can't ascribe to the crowd who demand a fob because I simply haven't experienced the issues? Will I in the future? Maybe? But as it stands currently the fob would just be another thing I have to carry in my pocket besides my phone which already does the job.

Does that make my experience any less meaningful than yours?

I don't think it's likely that Tesla would disable or demote your phone-as-key. Automotive ideas that seem cool in the design phase and less so in practice have a way of hanging on a long, long time. I'm thinking of those old Subaru Brats that had those little hard seats in the "pickup" bed ideal for launching passengers into low orbit on impact.
If your phone key works for you (or sort of works and you're willing to put up with it), that should be good enough. You have your phone and card and it works. The drumbeat for a fob comes from owners who don't have predictable,reliable access to their new cars and think they deserve it.
And they do.
Robin

 

[crouch]

With over 3,000 miles now my Phone as Key has worked as intended exactly once (without me having to do anything except walk up to my car). Every other time I leave the phone in my pocket, the car completely fails to recognize it either to unlock the doors or to put the car in gear (if I have put my phone back in my pocket after opening the door). By in my pocket, I mean front pants pocket of a variety of suit pants, khakis, shorts, and bathing suits. As soon as I take the phone out, the car 95% of the time opens and goes into gear quickly but the other 5% of the time there is a delay of a few seconds to sometimes 30 seconds. It is very frustrating and significantly worse than having a standard predictable fob that can be left in my pocket. The car overall, though, is awesome.

I have an Android running 8.0, have the newly updated app, have turned off battery optimization, and set up trusted places/trusted devices to no avail.

 

[Invictus88]

considering the fact that fobs have been proven to be very very very reliable over the last 3 decades, while the BT crap Tesla is pulling here hasn`t had quite a backlash for nothing: No your anectode is completely worthless and I didn`t even bring one, I just answered your question..... This isn`t about my experience, this is about the genereal technical issues that you somehow pretend are only minor because you personally don`t have them.
Imagine your fob failing in 50% of the cases or not working at all. Many people with Android have that situation right now!

No one would care about the BT not working reliably if there had been a fob from the beginning and BT was something like an extra. Introducing a new primary means of accessing a vehicle, marketing it as some great innovation and then ****ing it up like this is why they absolutely deserve every piece of critique they get.

I find it interesting that my story about my car, brought in response to comments from you, is considered a worthless anecdote but somehow you referencing your multitudes of 5-7 year-old bmws,merecedes,etc is somehow not.

The tone of your final paragraph goes a bit beyond what I would consider normal discontent. I mean, even if my phone didn't work at all and I was forced to use the keycard every time I wouldn't feel they "absolutely deserve every piece of critique they get".

For that reason I think it's pointless to continue this back and forth. Nothing I could ever say will make a difference in your mind. Fine.

Don't waste your time crafting a response. I won't be able to see it.

 

[Dana1]

That's really strange because I experienced the opposite. I upgraded my Pixel 1 to Pie and the phone key has been working better.

If he has multiple apps crashing that sounds like phone issue.

 

[Dana1]

Indeed, didn't solve it for me.

In fact I just turned it back on in hopes of preventing BT from draining my cell phone battery. Over the weekend whenever I was upstairs (which is over the garage) the phone would drain it's battery (which normally only uses 30% before I plug it in at night) in a few hours with all power usage going to BT. This didn't happen the previous weeks I've had the car. Neither car nor phone has had an update though it's possible the Tesla app has (I don't pay too much attention to app auto updates unless it nags me to approve them due to permission changes).

Right now Apple has a software issue with our last update. Phone not sleeping and battery draining.

 

[BioSehnsucht]

Right now Apple has a software issue with our last update. Phone not sleeping and battery draining.

Interesting. In my case, I'm on an older but not ancient 2015 android device running Nougat / Android 7.0.

 

[Phrixotrichus]

I find it interesting that my story about my car, brought in response to comments from you, is considered a worthless anecdote but somehow you referencing your multitudes of 5-7 year-old bmws,merecedes,etc is somehow not.

The tone of your final paragraph goes a bit beyond what I would consider normal discontent. I mean, even if my phone didn't work at all and I was forced to use the keycard every time I wouldn't feel they "absolutely deserve every piece of critique they get".

For that reason I think it's pointless to continue this back and forth. Nothing I could ever say will make a difference in your mind. Fine.

Don't waste your time crafting a response. I won't be able to see it.

Oh, the usual way for people with no arguments to go out of a discussion. Ignore what`s been written so far or pretend to not understand it and then simply blend out what you don`t like......pathetic.

 

[EVie'sDad]

So when is tesla going to start offering FOBs for model 3 owners?

 

[TT97]

So when is tesla going to start offering FOBs for model 3 owners?

In real time or Elon time?

They should get on it. FOBs can help Tesla become profitable. Assuming they achieve 400,000 M3s per year and 90% of Android users plus 10% of iPhone users want the FOB. To make Android users happy, we'll pretend it is an even split between Android and iPhone users that own Teslas. That means 200,000 FOBs sales per year. At $350 per FOB, that is an extra $70mm profit.

 

[SteveD]

Wow, people get so worked up about minor things. My Android phone opens the car all the time except for the time I turned the phone off and forgot. Then I use the $5 key card which I keep for backup. I love the phone app. I mean how convenient is it to cool or heat you car in the morning or when you get off work. The phone app has lots of features aside from unlocking the door. Why nick pick an occasional need to use the key card. I also love that the car automatically locks when I walk away. Can't tell you how many times I forgot to lock the door. I just don't get the complainers. I don't want or need a bulky key fob.

 

[iwannam3]

Wow, people get so worked up about minor things. My Android phone opens the car all the time except for the time I turned the phone off and forgot. Then I use the $5 key card which I keep for backup. I love the phone app. I mean how convenient is it to cool or heat you car in the morning or when you get off work. The phone app has lots of features aside from unlocking the door. Why nick pick an occasional need to use the key card. I also love that the car automatically locks when I walk away. Can't tell you how many times I forgot to lock the door. I just don't get the complainers. I don't want or need a bulky key fob.

OK, what brand and model and software version are you running? I want to get the same unicorn.

 

[SteveD]

I have a Samsung 9. Most current operating system. I asked my wife she has a Samsung 8. She says that sometimes the door doesn't open on the first try but that it always works and has not had to use the key card. We've had the car just over 2 weeks so maybe there will be problems down the road. So far, I'm satisfied.

 

[dhanson865]

The title of this thread IS clickbait as it erroneously implies that Tesla is somehow going to reduce its support for the phone as a way of entry. Literally nothing has occurred that supports that.

Will they introduce a fob? It sure appears likely given the patent applications they've made in the past year. Will they then magically remove support of the phone as a means of entry during that time? Why would they?

Backing away from phone as primary key doesn't mean reducing support for phone as a key. It means moving the Fob to the primary position while continuing to improve support for Phone as a key.

 

[Invictus88]

Backing away from phone as primary key doesn't mean reducing support for phone as a key. It means moving the Fob to the primary position while continuing to improve support for Phone as a key.

No.

Absolutely nothing mentions a fob in that title.

While that might be what is most desired by folks, nothing fob-related can be inferred from that string of text.

 

[dhanson865]

No.

Absolutely nothing mentions a fob in that title.

While that might be what is most desired by folks, nothing fob-related can be inferred from that string of text.

The thread title is from July, the thread has dozens of posts since then and has moved on. If all you want to discuss is the thread title it's been done.

If you want to be current, Tesla has mentioned the Fob since the thread started and that is the core of the new discussion.

 

[crackers8199]

Wow, people get so worked up about minor things. My Android phone opens the car all the time except for the time I turned the phone off and forgot. Then I use the $5 key card which I keep for backup. I love the phone app. I mean how convenient is it to cool or heat you car in the morning or when you get off work. The phone app has lots of features aside from unlocking the door. Why nick pick an occasional need to use the key card. I also love that the car automatically locks when I walk away. Can't tell you how many times I forgot to lock the door.

for the love of god...

for plenty of us, it doesn't work and/or isn't reliable. at all. let me reiterate...for many of us, WHAT TESLA HAS DESIGNATED AS THE PRIMARY WAY OF ENTERING AND DRIVING THE CAR DOES NOT WORK MOST OF THE TIME. if they had said that the card was primary and the phone key was an option that was in development, it would suck but nobody would be complaining...but that's not the case here.

I just don't get the complainers. I don't want or need a bulky key fob.

what i don't get is why the people who aren't having issues are so vehemently against the mere thought of tesla giving those of us who it doesn't work for an other option. nobody is saying that you have to (or should have to) get a key fob.

i'm glad it works for you, but that does not mean it works for everyone...nor does it mean that they should not offer another option to those of us who it doesn't work for, solely based on the fact that it works for you. get over yourself.

 

[diamond.g]

for the love of god...

for plenty of us, it doesn't work and/or isn't reliable. at all. let me reiterate...for many of us, WHAT TESLA HAS DESIGNATED AS THE PRIMARY WAY OF ENTERING AND DRIVING THE CAR DOES NOT WORK MOST OF THE TIME. if they had said that the card was primary and the phone key was an option that was in development, it would suck but nobody would be complaining...but that's not the case here.



what i don't get is why the people who aren't having issues are so vehemently against the mere thought of tesla giving those of us who it doesn't work for an other option. nobody is saying that you have to (or should have to) get a key fob.

i'm glad it works for you, but that does not mean it works for everyone...nor does it mean that they should not offer another option to those of us who it doesn't work for, solely based on the fact that it works for you. get over yourself.

I am curious if they are going to give fobs away or make folks pay for them.

 

[Adam3]

I am curious if they are going to give fobs away or make folks pay for them.

They absolutely should be free.

 

[diamond.g]

They absolutely should be free.

I mean the $5 key cards should be free too, but they aren't. So I am not getting my hopes up... (but yeah getting fob for free would be cool).

 

[Chris Fox]

I'm fine with the phone key being available, as long as a FULLY RELIABLE FOB is also available. If you like spending your time troubleshooting malfunctioning technology, updating OS's, calling tech support, etc, you should be free to use the phone key. For those who don't enjoy that sort of thing, a fully reliable way to enter the and start the car should be available. They got rid of the fob way too early. And don't tell me the key card is any substitute for a fob either. It's not. Tesla replaced one fully reliable functional key with two less reliable less functional keys. That's not progress.

The obvious answer is they need to improve the tech, not issue every Tesla model 3 owner 2, $500 key fobs