Demise of the car key.

[kmav23]

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/09/the-...ile-entry.html

The demise of the car key: Tesla, Lincoln lead auto industry in ditching keys for mobile entry


PUBLISHED SAT, NOV 9 201910:15 AM EST

DETROIT — Key fobs and emerging virtual, or digital, keys from the likes of Tesla and Lincoln are increasingly making traditional metal car keys obsolete as more of the industry’s newest models come equipped with mobile entry.

The change, which has accelerated in recent years, means more convenience and safety for drivers but also ends the age-old tradition of teenagers receiving their first car and feeling the engine turnover for the first time. Keyless cars also come with their own unique challenges.

Instead of keys being inserted into an ignition, the majority of new vehicles being offered in the U.S. are equipped with push-button starters that wirelessly connect to plastic fobs or smartphones to allow drivers to start their engines with a push of a button.

“This trend is obviously going to continue,” said Jessica Caldwell, executive director of industry analysis for consumer auto research firm Edmunds. “Most consumers who buy new cars or even those who purchase recently used vehicles, chances are they’ll be using some sort of push-button, keyless-entry system.”

Edmunds reports 91%, or 331 out of 365, available vehicles for the 2019 model-year have keyless ignitions to start the vehicle as standard or optional equipment, up from 72% of 2014 cars and trucks.

Elon Musk announces release date for Tesla’s mass-market Model 3
Wards Intelligence, an auto industry forecast and analysis company, says about 68% of 2019 model-year cars and trucks sold from their start of production through March, the most recent figures, had keyless tech installed. That’s more than double from 31% of vehicles for the 2014 model year.

“It’s becoming ubiquitous,” said Karl Brauer, Cox Automotive executive publisher. “It’s basically, you’re not going to have a hard key that gets turned physically to start a car soon. It’ll just all be gone.”

Such systems are more convenient because people don’t have to remove keys from their pockets or bags. They’re also considered safer because there are no keys that could shift out of “run” while the vehicle is in motion, a situation found to have contributed to more than 100 deaths as part of General Motors’ ignition switch crisis in 2014.

Smartphone ‘keys’
Adding to the demise of the traditional car keys is the rise of automakers such as Tesla and Lincoln allowing drivers to use their smartphones as car keys to enter and drive their vehicles.

GM and other automakers have allowed owners to control certain features of a vehicle such as remote start and locking or unlocking from their smartphones for years. The Tesla Model 3 was the first to allow owners to use their smartphones as a key to drive the vehicle.

“People’s phones have basically become a fifth limb now,” Brauer said. “I like the idea of a phone-related system. Your phone has a whole lot more value to you and you’re going to be much more prone to track it and make sure you don’t forget it or lose it.”

Lincoln this fall is launching a similar feature called “Phone as a Key” that allows smartphones to be set up as car keys. The system, which was announced last year, uses Bluetooth or the vehicle’s onboard Wi-Fi to communicate with the smartphone.

“It is about making it more effortless and not having to remember where your keys are at,” Lincoln President Joy Falotico told CNBC. “But we want to do it in a way that takes it a step further with all this personalization that makes it easier to use.”

Lincoln Aviator keyless entry
Lincoln debuted its “Phone as a Key” technology on the Aviator crossover, allowing clients to lock and unlock the vehicle, open its trunk and start and drive it – without a key fob.
Lincoln
Falotico described the feature as a “natural extension” to its customer profiles that allow the Ford Motor luxury brand to better tailor dozens of infotainment settings and interior cabin preferences such as climate, audio and seating to individual drivers.

Lincoln, according to Falotico, plans to evaluate its lineup and expand the technology “where it makes sense.” Phone as a Key is scheduled to debut this fall on the 2020 Lincoln Aviator and Corsair crossovers and 2020 Lincoln Navigator.

“For consumers, there’s a big convenience factor switching from traditional mechanical keys to some sort of wireless digital key,” said Sam Abuelsamid, a principal research analyst at Navigant Research.

Tech concerns
Like most new technologies, phone-based systems come with their own set of problems: What if the phone dies or gets lost? What if a driver needs to valet the vehicle? Or what if the system doesn’t function as designed?

For such situations, Tesla provides Model 3 owners with a backup keycard and Lincoln continues to provide owners with a standard key fob.

Keyless cars also mean automakers and smartphone providers will need to work much more closely to ensure their systems communicate effectively with one another, according to Consumer Reports.

“There’s also an issue with the smartphone itself: The lifespan of a car is far longer than that of any smartphone, so suppliers will have to work with phone manufacturers to ensure that their virtual-key technology remains compatible over the years,” wrote the consumer watchdog publication.

Consumer Reports last year reported testers occasionally had problems with Tesla’s app-based key system, including being “unable to open the Model 3′s door when they had closed the app — the modern equivalent of fumbling for keys at the bottom of a purse.”

Digital keys combined with updated technology to allow for faster access are expected to assist in overcoming such problems.

Shared mobility
Keyless cars also better enable emerging vehicle ownership models such as subscription services and shared mobility businesses, including autonomous vehicles.

GM’s Maven car-sharing service has been keyless through an app since it began in 2016, although the company hasn’t extended that to owners being able to drive their vehicles with a smartphone.

“It makes a lot of sense because whether or not the car is autonomous and it comes to your door, the idea that It is keyless … is going to have to happen,” Edmunds’ Caldwell said. “It’s not just about convenience, it’s about your own personal safety.”

Maven Mobility brand keyless app
Customers of GM’s maven car sharing program use an app enable remote functions such as starting, heating or cooling and driving of the vehicles.
Using a digital key with a profile connected could assist emergency units and others in gathering information about who was driving the vehicle in the case of emergency, according to Caldwell. It would allow them to prep for the person ahead of time for a myriad of things such as blood type and allergies.

The speed of keyless technology, according to Abuelsamid, also is expected to increase. Currently, it can take seconds or more for a vehicle to respond to remote commands from a smartphone. However, automakers such as Volkswagen are scheduled to release vehicles with “ultra-wideband” connections instead of Bluetooth that can communicate and respond in milliseconds.

“You’re going to start seeing more of this ultra-wideband technology be used in vehicles going forward,” he said. “It can send a lot more messages back and forth between the transmitter and receiver.”

[lra]

Another unnecessary technological advance with more things to go wrong with what was a simple mechanical action that anybody could accomplish.

[kmav23]

Originally Posted by lra

Another unnecessary technological advance with more things to go wrong with what was a simple mechanical action that anybody could accomplish.

Really ?

Why do we need physical keys in today modern age?

All physical keys will be replaced by smartphones or facial recognition.

No more lost keys and more security in fact.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by lra

Another unnecessary technological advance with more things to go wrong with what was a simple mechanical action that anybody could accomplish.

They came up with a solution to a question no one asked

[lra]

Yes, really ! Because too much can go wrong with electronic thingums.
I have enough trouble with auto computer upgrades, and phone upgrades that change the way stuff used to work.
The gee-whiz-wow factor of the latest electronic thingum always outdazzles the beholder to the practicality of an older useful tool.
So endeth my sermon on "Another unnecessary technological advance with more things to go wrong with what was a simple mechanical action that anybody could accomplish."

[Rallye Sport]

What if you don't own a smartphone?

[kmav23]

Same situation when people did not want to use the opal cards, internet banking or etoll tags.

Technology change is harder for older people, but the younger generation this is normal.

[Rallye Sport]

Originally Posted by kmav23

Same situation when people did not want to use the opal cards, internet banking or etoll tags.

Technology change is harder for older people, but the younger generation this is normal.

Gen X is over the hill now? better pension myself off then

[Ben73]

Push button start is awesome. I haven't used my phone as a key yet, but sometimes in my Jimny I go to hit imaginary start buttons and door unlock sensors that don't exist.

If my next new car had a key I'd be annoyed.

[XByoot]

My first thoughts,

“Smartphones” .... I always think thats a comical description of many mobile devices from Apple, how good is that latest IOS! It’s got that bad now that at work we can’t upload updates until they are proven to be stable with our work related apps etc etc

Nothing wrong with change as long as it’s actually an improvement not just a gimmick.

I can lose my phone as easy as I lose my keys.

Not sure how faecal recognition might work, I think there would be health implications

There’s no doubt a cost advantage in there too. At the end of the day who really cares.....unless my phone dies!

I’d take Franco’s comment one step farther if I may. It’s a solution that will actually create its own problems. Meh so be it

[Citroënbender]

Not sure how faecal recognition might work, I think there would be health implications

Although the developers claim to be flushed with success, it does apparently suffer from brownouts. Some users have resorted to wiping and starting over.

[arronm]

What happens when the car battery goes flat??

[XByoot]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Although the developers claim to be flushed with success, it does apparently suffer from brownouts. Some users have resorted to wiping and starting over.

The man is in a “run” today! Your “flush” with quick responses

Imagine a new breed of car thief loitering around toilets ready to steal the “keys” to your car....talk about losing your crap

[XByoot]

Facial recognition is not permitted in government departments so there will be no fleet purchases of these vehicles.

Reason being is most government officials have lost face many years ago!
It would make for some great low KM ex gov vehicle sales I guess

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by kmav23

Same situation when people did not want to use the opal cards, internet banking or etoll tags.

Technology change is harder for older people, but the younger generation this is normal.

The general public never had a choice in the above mentioned 'technology' it's not voluntary, simply greedy companies cutting costs.

[davship]

Gee you wouldn't want to be caught in a down pour and trying to unlock your car with Facial recognition, would look funny tho.

[jpd80]

Keyless entry is great until you have a flat battery...

We also had Kangoo at the last place I worked, parked and returned
to find French electrics had a brain fart and refused to unlock the car.
So I'm searching for the Key in the door and it's on the left one ..D'oh.

Service centre could never work out why it did that lock out periodically..

[CyberWasp]

What next....soon they will be replacing drivers....

[dunga]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

What next....soon they will be replacing drivers....

I think their on to that one already

[arronm]

Originally Posted by arronm

What happens when the car battery goes flat??

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

Gen X is over the hill now? better pension myself off then

Don't worry bud I swear I was born on the wrong side of the hill and I'm still wondering down

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

What if you don't own a smartphone?

Really my grand kids have smart phones! like to know who does not have a smart phone in this day and age.


You will still have the fob if needed.

[Rallye Sport]

Originally Posted by Officemanager

Really my grand kids have smart phones! like to know who does not have a smart phone in this day and age.

Now you know

[UTXR8]

Originally Posted by lra

Another unnecessary technological advance with more things to go wrong with what was a simple mechanical action that anybody could accomplish.

try telling that to BA drivers and the common 'key spin' problem they had....

[Citroënbender]

The locks were made by Valeo; their problem of “iffy” engagement and endless spinning was not limited to the Tibbe keys. Cruciform locks from Valeo in the same era were blighted equally.

Coming up soon, a bricklaying trowel that detects operator fatigue by measuring changes in grip strength and velocity vectors. It sends a message to the principal contractor with the operator’s location, advising of a fatigued employee (thus meeting OH&S objective statements). It also pulses the handle with its inbuilt vibrating alert to warn the operator of increased risk allied to fatigue, switches on their smartphone to play de-stressing music and instructional video of yoga for tradespeople.

[roKWiz]

This would be great if my phone had a signal in half the places I work.

[XRtowcar]

My Mustang has keyless entry and push button start.
Works well.
Has a little hidden key in the fob that can be used to open the car if the battery runs flat.

[Big_Daz]

Both my cars have full keyless entry/go which is awesome, and about as far as I would like to go... I still like the fact I have a physical Key fob incase something goes amiss with it.

In the Redline there is a key you can open out to get in to the car. To start there is a special slot in the center console to slip the key into then you start with the Button as normal

For the Jeep, it also has a key hidden inside you can take out to open the door. Just need to hold the fob close to the button and it will start..

Taking it one step further and getting rid of the key entirely is a step to far IMHO...

[roddy1960]

Originally Posted by XByoot

My first thoughts,

“Smartphones” .... I always think thats a comical description of many mobile devices from Apple, how good is that latest IOS! It’s got that bad now that at work we can’t upload updates until they are proven to be stable with our work related apps etc etc

Nothing wrong with change as long as it’s actually an improvement not just a gimmick.

I can lose my phone as easy as I lose my keys.

Not sure how faecal recognition might work, I think there would be health implications

There’s no doubt a cost advantage in there too. At the end of the day who really cares.....unless my phone dies!

I’d take Franco’s comment one step farther if I may. It’s a solution that will actually create its own problems. Meh so be it

A few months ago I managed to leave my phone in my jeans and dumped them in the wash . About an hour later ...OH S..T....when I couldn't find it . When I walked in I recovered it from the laundry .It was cactus including the SIM .Imagine how ****ed off I'd have been if it was a smartphone required to access the car eh...Mind you Ford quoted me $360 for a third flip key for my XR6 in case I ever manage to lose one of the two originals because I had only one key for my BA Fairmont for a time and it made me nervous but i guess if I'd shopped around I could have got it a bit cheaper .
I suppose this keyless stuff is just how things are heading guys so I reckon we just have to accept it .

[Franco Cozzo]

The old boys Fiesta ST has that fandangled push button start wifi key crapola going on - the WS Fiesta I bought new in 2009 is still on its original key battery and the WZ Fiesta has had the battery replaced in the spare and the main key already - the car gets the ****s up when it detects the key fob battery is low on juice.