Apple working with BMW on new ‘CarKey’ feature

[Rydo]

They may be using Lexus for their Apple Maps cars, but looks like once again Lexus is out of the fold with new technologies. Whose betting every German will have this in 2025 and Lexus will offer it on one model 😅

BMW CarKey feature

Something to note: Here in the UK at least, the new 1-Series has some form of phone as car key implementation right now! Yes, the same 1-Series that’s had about 2 all new models during the time of one CT...

 

[mikeavelli]

I’ve had a new 7 series for awhile and the key was super cool.

 

[CRSKTN]

This seems like another vulnerability created to solve a non problem...

 

[Ian Schmidt]

It has the aura of cool because phones are involved, but yeah this is literally the solution to a problem that doesn't exist and a potential security/theft nightmare. Do not want, will pull the fuse if Lexus starts offering it.

 

[CRSKTN]

"I sold my old phone and forgot to wipe it and they stole my car"

 

[Sulu]

OK, I realize that my opinion may be in the minority here...

I see the keyless entry and ignition as the solution to a problem that was not there; I much prefer a physical key in the ignition. And so I see the CarKey as a natural progression of that.

I don't like the keyless entry, afraid that someone will intercept the radio signal and steal the car; or afraid that one day, while far from home, I will start the car, somehow lose the keyfob after having started the car and then find myself stuck in the middle of nowhere.

But with a phone-key, I imagine that I could program my phone to open and start both my car and my wife's car, so not having to carry another bulky keyfob if I drove my wife's car. And because my phone is always with me and large enough that I do not misplace it, I could forget about the worry of losing my keyfob.

 

[Levi]

With so many things to carry on oneself daily, people decided to put everything in their phone. I decided to also leave the phone at home.

 

[Ian Schmidt]

My key fob is on my main keyring, so if I forget it I'm also locked out of my house and I have worse problems than starting the car 😆

 

[IS-SV]

I always have my Iphone, the only time I don't carry my phone is when I go running (and that's for no longer than 45 minutes). My (smart) keyfob for Mustang has zero keys hanging on it which is exactly the way I like it.
The Tesla I drive using phone and so does my wife using her phone, easy enough. No house keys necessary when driving the cars because of access to house from garage. This is my first car without traditional key or smart keyfob and it was a very easy transition (even for old people like me, lol).

But of course everybody's situation is different....

 

[Sulu]

When on vacation last summer, we checked in overnight to a hotel whose only option for parking was valet parking. I had to take my keyfob off my keyring (a bit of a hassle) to give to the driver. Next morning, the driver brought the car up to the front door, leaving the engine running as we had to quickly load the car; I had no time but to drop the keyfob in my pocket without putting it back on the keyring.

As we approached to stop at a rest area, I was so worried that in the rush that morning that I had forgotten where I had placed my keyfob and hoping that I had not dropped and lost it. After we stopped, I left the engine running, afraid that if I switched everything off, we would be stuck in the middle of nowhere if I indeed had lost the keyfob; luckily, I found it in my pocket.

If we still used a physical ignition key, I would have locked the glove compartment and the trunk with my key and given the valet driver the valet key, like we did in the "good old days" when every Toyota came with a valet key that could not open the locked glove compartment or trunk.

 

[CRSKTN]

When on vacation last summer, we checked in overnight to a hotel whose only option for parking was valet parking. I had to take my keyfob off my keyring (a bit of a hassle) to give to the driver. Next morning, the driver brought the car up to the front door, leaving the engine running as we had to quickly load the car; I had no time but to drop the keyfob in my pocket without putting it back on the keyring.

As we approached to stop at a rest area, I was so worried that in the rush that morning that I had forgotten where I had placed my keyfob and hoping that I had not dropped and lost it. After we stopped, I left the engine running, afraid that if I switched everything off, we would be stuck in the middle of nowhere if I indeed had lost the keyfob; luckily, I found it in my pocket.

If we still used a physical ignition key, I would have locked the glove compartment and the trunk with my key and given the valet driver the valet key, like we did in the "good old days" when every Toyota came with a valet key that could not open the locked glove compartment or trunk.

Modern Lexus keys DO have a valet key. It pops out and can be used to lock what you described.

If you didn't have the keyfob on you, the car wouldn't have let you drive off. It would have started beeping a proximity warning right away. You wouldn't be able to have the fob outside the vehicle for more than a few seconds before it would start letting you know.

I literally use my confidence in the system to know that yes, if my car isn't telling me the key isn't here, it is in fact in the car.

 

[Levi]

Modern Lexus keys DO have a valet key. It pops out and can be used to lock what you described.

If you didn't have the keyfob on you, the car wouldn't have let you drive off. It would have started beeping a proximity warning right away. You wouldn't be able to have the fob outside the vehicle for more than a few seconds before it would start letting you know.

I literally use my confidence in the system to know that yes, if my car isn't telling me the key isn't here, it is in fact in the car.

I do not know for Lexus, but the early issues with some carmakers/suppliers have now in general been solved. The security issues not completely, but connected cars solve it to some extent in a different way.

 

[Sulu]

Modern Lexus keys DO have a valet key. It pops out and can be used to lock what you described.

Can I just give that tiny "valet key" that pops out of the keyfob to the valet driver? Will that key start the car? I would prefer not giving out the whole keyfob, preferring to hand over something I won't mind too much if I lose it.

If you didn't have the keyfob on you, the car wouldn't have let you drive off. It would have started beeping a proximity warning right away. You wouldn't be able to have the fob outside the vehicle for more than a few seconds before it would start letting you know.

I literally use my confidence in the system to know that yes, if my car isn't telling me the key isn't here, it is in fact in the car.

That is something else I do not like in the new cars, all the dings, dongs and dangs as I get out of the car; I do not know what they all mean and have been tempted (and I am sure that I am not the only one) to just ignore them at times.

 

[Sulu]

I do not know for Lexus, but the early issues with some carmakers/suppliers have now in general been solved. The security issues not completely, but connected cars solve it to some extent in a different way.

We have had very recent news reports here of high-end, locked Toyotas being stolen out of owners' driveways by gangs of thieves using keyfob radio signal interceptor-amplifiers.

 

[CRSKTN]

That is something else I do not like in the new cars, all the dings, dongs and dangs as I get out of the car; I do not know what they all mean and have been tempted (and I am sure that I am not the only one) to just ignore them at times.

That's on you. Everything is accompanied by some error or warning message.

Can I just give that tiny "valet key" that pops out of the keyfob to the valet driver? Will that key start the car? I would prefer not giving out the whole keyfob, preferring to hand over something I won't mind too much if I lose it.

The little thing that pops out is usually the part that the key chain ring is attached to, so it really is meant to let you quickly release and hand off just the car fob.

And why would you want to hand the valet key to the valet? That piece is the actual key itself which you would use to lock or unlock stuff. They only need the fob to drive the car, the point is to limit access.

Whether or not the car activates a valet, speed limited mode when you remove the valet key, that I doubt but i could be wrong.

Either way the valuable part is the part that lets you drive your car. You have to hand that over, whether it's in a thinner secondary form factor or just the original fob.

 

[Ian Schmidt]

That is something else I do not like in the new cars, all the dings, dongs and dangs as I get out of the car; I do not know what they all mean and have been tempted (and I am sure that I am not the only one) to just ignore them at times.

I don't mind that. What I do mind is that at one point on many Lexus vehicles if you had the headlight switch set to "On" instead of "Auto" (because of rain or whatever), turning off and locking the car would simply turn off the headlights. Somewhere during the 4LS (I don't think it was the original, it was the first refresh), they changed that so instead the lights stay on and it makes a noise at you. I consider that a downgrade. There's no reason I can think of where you'd want the lights on *and* the car locked.

 

[LexsCTJill]

Last time I checked, the key fob on my key works perfectly, it has worked perfectly since I learned to drive many, many moons ago. Why would I want this?

 

[IS-SV]

Last time I checked, the key fob on my key works perfectly, it has worked perfectly since I learned to drive many, many moons ago. Why would I want this?

Before considering answering, just to clarify;
You have a separate key and separate fob to operate current vehicle, or is it a smart key?

 

[LexsCTJill]

Before considering answering, just to clarify;
You have a separate key and separate fob to operate current vehicle, or is it a smart key?

I have all three. We have four vehicle. Key with a separate fob, key with fob/buttons combined and a smart key.

 

[IS-SV]

I have all three. We have four vehicle. Key with a separate fob, key with fob/buttons combined and a smart key.

Thanks for clarifying. So obviously you are already enjoying smart key advantages over the other older keys.