Will we have to leave Bluetooth on all the time on our phones?

[CaptainBob]

RE reliability: has your key fob ever failed? Have you ever spoken these words into your phone, "Can you hear me now?"
I have nothing at all against a resident phone app that enables you to check charge state, set the environmentals, immobilize the car if its been nipped. I also have nothing at all against a phone app that makes the car unlock, blink its lights and toot its horn at your approach. Or even do a little happy dance (assuming they offer air suspension).
But I absolutely do not want to have that and a card in my wallet as my only means of locking, unlocking and driving.
In design, simple and good are hard goals to hit but always worthwhile. Complex is superficially easy, and it might even work, mostly. But it often just foists the issues you, the manufacturer, should have resolved through good design onto your users.
Not a nice thing to do.
But we'll see.
Robin

RE reliability: has your key fob ever failed? Have you ever spoken these words into your phone, "Can you hear me now?"
I have nothing at all against a resident phone app that enables you to check charge state, set the environmentals, immobilize the car if its been nipped. I also have nothing at all against a phone app that makes the car unlock, blink its lights and toot its horn at your approach. Or even do a little happy dance (assuming they offer air suspension).
But I absolutely do not want to have that and a card in my wallet as my only means of locking, unlocking and driving.
In design, simple and good are hard goals to hit but always worthwhile. Complex is superficially easy, and it might even work, mostly. But it often just foists the issues you, the manufacturer, should have resolved through good design onto your users.
Not a nice thing to do.
But we'll see.
Robin

Good design is like beauty. It is in the eye of the beholder. I am sorry you are reluctant about new technology, that seems less convenient or poorly designed to you, but the whole point of the model 3 is to make a car for the masses. I feel that those who embrace new tech, will feel like I do, that this is a good thing. Just one less thing (key FOB) to carry around. The phone Bluetooth access on my model S works great, and has never failed me. The FOB failed my wife once, and she called me on her pone and I unlocked the car for her from my phone app 30 miles from her. I suggest giving something a chance before you decide you hate it.

 

[siggyfreud]

Good design is like beauty. It is in the eye of the beholder. I am sorry you are reluctant about new technology, that seems less convenient or poorly designed to you, but the whole point of the model 3 is to make a car for the masses. I feel that those who embrace new tech, will feel like I do, that this is a good thing. Just one less thing (key FOB) to carry around. The phone Bluetooth access on my model S works great, and has never failed me. The FOB failed my wife once, and she called me on her pone and I unlocked the car for her from my phone app 30 miles from her. I suggest giving something a chance before you decide you hate it.

Not enough thumbs up for this post.

 

[gambit48]

Just one less thing (key FOB) to carry around.

Isn't the fob just replaced with the card? Still supposed to carry something around in addition to your phone. Or is that just Tesla saying that for legal reasons and "wink wink" everyone just use your phone only?

 

[N5329K]

Good design is like beauty. It is in the eye of the beholder. I am sorry you are reluctant about new technology, that seems less convenient or poorly designed to you, but the whole point of the model 3 is to make a car for the masses. I feel that those who embrace new tech, will feel like I do, that this is a good thing. Just one less thing (key FOB) to carry around. The phone Bluetooth access on my model S works great, and has never failed me. The FOB failed my wife once, and she called me on her pone and I unlocked the car for her from my phone app 30 miles from her. I suggest giving something a chance before you decide you hate it.

Yes. I will definitely go try it before I buy it, or hate it. That should be pretty soon now.
What won't change is my unwillingness to be yoked to a phone at all times. IMO, nothing is sadder than seeing two people out on a date, each staring into their little blue screens. Or a family at a dinner table, silent, phones deployed. Or folks out walking on the seaside rec trail, ignoring the whales spouting inshore (as they were this morning) as they tend to their absolutely time-critical telecommunications needs.
Not for me.
My phone is kind of like an EV: it stays on the charger until I actually have need for it. And never off the charger otherwise. For those who cannot be parted from their phones, this car seems to be made with you in mind. For those who have no need, or desire, to be wired in at all times, maybe not.
But I will give it a shot before deciding, no worries there.
Robin

 

[ModelNforNerd]

Isn't the fob just replaced with the card? Still supposed to carry something around in addition to your phone. Or is that just Tesla saying that for legal reasons and "wink wink" everyone just use your phone only?

I think the phone is more useful than the card in this case. You can't open the frunk or trunk with the card, only the phone (or the screen, once you're in the car via the card).

That's actually a good thing, because if you've enabled valet mode via the phone, no one can unlock your glovebox, frunk, or trunk....all a setup for....the ride-sharing Tesla Network.

 

[siggyfreud]

Isn't the fob just replaced with the card? Still supposed to carry something around in addition to your phone. Or is that just Tesla saying that for legal reasons and "wink wink" everyone just use your phone only?

The card is optional it appears. You can theoretically (only because I haven't gotten one myself) drive the Model 3 with your phone alone. Even if you decided to carry the card always, it would only be an inconvenience if you would otherwise not be carrying a wallet.

 

[sperkin]

This is just something I have to deal with I guess. I like the phone and the cards but both have disadvantges for me and will have to settle with.

1) Phone - many times I don't take my phone with me. I tie a very small key fob to my clothes when out playing basketball. I can lock/unlock, and drive my car without taking anything out or worry about lost or stolen keys at the park.

2) Cards - Cards need to be taken put of pocket and placed close to car to unlock. Cards can't be tied to anything on my clothes unless Tesla punch a hole in it but still too large to tie it to my clothes.

Maybe someone will put the app on a watch and I can remove the strips to tie the watch face to my clothes.

 

[Topher]

I could get in the car, but I couldn't start it.

Why not? Prius allows the car to be started by inserting the dead fob in the slot below the power button (or on the power button for later models). Plus the car should beep at you, when you exit, as your battery gets low (not intuitive I agree).

Thank you kindly.

 

[dsvick]

I think the phone is more useful than the card in this case. You can't open the frunk or trunk with the card, only the phone (or the screen, once you're in the car via the card).

I'm hoping that both the phone (proximity) and the card unlock the trunk so that you can open it with the release on the trunk lid.

 

[Cyclone]

Not entirely true. While you are correct that if you turn off the radios from the control center in iOS 11 they aren't completely off, if you turn them off from within the settings app then they are completely disabled. Source: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Aren't Fully Disabled When Toggled Off in Control Center on iOS 11

Only until 5 am when they turn back on again, even when disabled from the Settings app.

 

[Cyclone]

Looks like we've got a partial answer to the trunk/frunk question. But the main point still hasn't been resolved.....can they be opened by hand, just with the phone/key in your pocket?

Phone, yes. Keycard, unknown but unlikely.

 

[gregincal]

Phone, yes. Keycard, unknown but unlikely.

With the keycard I'm sure you would need to unlock the car first, then open the trunk using the button.

 

[N5329K]

The Tesla manual suggests a BT range of 9 meters, according to Electrek. Might be a lot of unlocked cars sitting in garages, if that's an issue. Carports would definitely be pretty risky, unless you set an alarm on your phone to wake you up if the car started to move.
Reminds me of the first car alarms that showed up in NYC. They were always going off in the middle of the night. One guy in my building got fed up and dropped a brick out of his window.
It didn't stop the alarm but I bet if felt very, very good.
Robin

 

[davedavedave]

Why not? Prius allows the car to be started by inserting the dead fob in the slot below the power button (or on the power button for later models). Plus the car should beep at you, when you exit, as your battery gets low (not intuitive I agree).

Thank you kindly.

Ah - I did not know about the Prius Gen 3 Power Button trick until just now. I'd just assumed there was nothing I could do because there was no fob-slot like my Gen 2. Thank YOU, just in case I'm foolish enough to let my fob die again!

The car did in fact beep at me for weeks before I'd figured that out. Again, I did say it was my own fault!

 

[ModelNforNerd]

Phone, yes. Keycard, unknown but unlikely.

It's already in the manual cited elsewhere in this thread. Phone, yes. Card, no.

I promise, I didn't make that up.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

I'm hoping that both the phone (proximity) and the card unlock the trunk so that you can open it with the release on the trunk lid.

It does. There is a latch. It's in the key manual and the emergency response guide

 

[gregincal]

The Tesla manual suggests a BT range of 9 meters, according to Electrek. Might be a lot of unlocked cars sitting in garages, if that's an issue. Carports would definitely be pretty risky, unless you set an alarm on your phone to wake you up if the car started to move.
Reminds me of the first car alarms that showed up in NYC. They were always going off in the middle of the night. One guy in my building got fed up and dropped a brick out of his window.
It didn't stop the alarm but I bet if felt very, very good.
Robin

The car doesn't unlock just because it's in range. All car fobs have a pretty long range, and I can unlock my Model S easily from inside the house by pressing the button, but guess what, it only auto unlocks when I'm within a few feet of it.

 

[N5329K]

The car doesn't unlock just because it's in range. All car fobs have a pretty long range, and I can unlock my Model S easily from inside the house by pressing the button, but guess what, it only auto unlocks when I'm within a few feet of it.

Are you sure of that? What second step other than the presence of the correct phone within range is necessary? I ask because the Tesla manual says that once the phone is authenticated, you just keep it in your pocket. So what's the difference between keeping it in your pocket at 9 meters, and putting the phone on a bedside table at 9 meters? Is there some other secret sauce required?
Robin

 

[gregincal]

Are you sure of that? What second step other than the presence of the correct phone within range is necessary? I ask because the Tesla manual says that once the phone is authenticated, you just keep it in your pocket. So what's the difference between keeping it in your pocket at 9 meters, and putting the phone on a bedside table at 9 meters? Is there some other secret sauce required?
Robin

Bluetooth LE can determine the distance of the device. Once connected it can track the distance and unlock when the distance is less than a certain amount.

 

[N5329K]

Bluetooth LE can do that. Do we know that the Model 3 is actually set up to do that, too? Or are we assuming, since it makes sense? I ask because I didn't catch a mention of this feature in the manual.
Robin