I personally don't like the idea of being able to open the door and start the engine, both without the use of a key... or maybe I'm just old school (my current ride is from 1998 so I'm unfamiliar with all these new auto technologies lol).

Will there be a way to disable the proximity key entry function, and are we still able to start the engine via key in the ignition? What if 10 years down the road, the engine will not start? at least with older cars, we can kind of play around with the ignition and "force" it to start with they key. What are we to do with a button in this situation? lol

What if I happen to be taking a nap in refresh mode in the FIT... will proximity key entry allow somebody from the outside to open the door? Or what if I'm in the parking lot within the proximity range, and a knowledgeable thief decides to try out the proximity key entry? He'll be able to get in and start the car with the push start button and drive off. What is the proximity range, btw?

Are these valid concerns? or am I just not understanding these properly?

 

For a while, I drove a 1995 Corvette (it was my brother-in-law's who eventually sold it to my brother)... it had proximity locks.

I'm pretty sure that if the doors are closed, you can still manually lock the doors (whether you are inside or outside).

And yeah, the proximity range is only about 1 or 2 arms length away. The idea is to make it easier for you to get in and out of the car when you're next to it... you can't get in your car from the other side of the parking garage. So a thief can't even get in unless you are literally opening the door for them (the proximity only unlocks the door you are next to, while you can still use the fob as a normal remote, pushing the button). From what I've read... the thief wouldn't be able to START your car if your key isn't already inside the car (you have to be next to the car for the proximity key to unlock the door next to you l. If, however, you started it, then walked away... they can drive off (but won't be able to restart if they shut down later).

 

The wife's '11 Lexus RX350 comes with Proximity entry/Keyless start. Gotta have your regular keyfob (she has the $500 Lexus creditcard key which she keeps in her handbag) an armlength away. Too unlock, put your hand must be on the door handle and it will do so. You can be (nap) inside the car and lock the doors and no one can open it from outside. Too lock, swipe your finger on an indentation located at the top of the door handle. (In the GK - touch the black button in the door handle).
In the event of a malfunction (dead remote battery), the GK EX comes with a regular key to unlock the front door (there is a keyhole on the front door panel located right under the door handle). Position the fob very close to the push/start button and you can press the start button.
Have been using it for the past 4 yrs. and never an operational nor security issue. Although my experience has only been with a Toyota product, am confident JDM's have figured it out. Can't speak for Euro brands though.
Liked it so much, wanted to get the EX M/T just because it had this system available. But alas, my extreme "frugalness" revealed it ugly head. Seccumbed to downgrading my order to an LX M/T.

Think of it this way, us US boys will be getting EX's way before you guys up North, so in the meantime, sit back, and read the reviews from FF members who are currently awaiting deliveries of their vehicles in June. If there will be issues, I guarantee those concerns will be posted here.

 

In many ways, the proximity key or similar systems will offer greater security than a traditional mechanical key. The digital interface between the key and the car allows for an astronomical number of different keys, with only yours in the known universe working. (We're talking somewhere on the order of 10^38 different keys for a 128-bit key, which would probably be considered too short of a key these days. By comparison, a mechanical key might have something like 10^5 or so possibilities.)

Particularly for the ignition, the physical key has been something of an anachronism for most cars for quite a few years because of the immobilizer system. The pushbutton ignition just replaces the somewhat fiddly key switch mechanism with a more straightforward switch; the actual security, in making sure the key is the correct one, is already contained in the chip and is pretty much unchanged.

If somebody really wants to get inside your locked car, all they need is a decent sized rock or a tire iron or something similar. If they want to steal the car, they only need a tow truck or a trailer—a little less common than rocks, but still not too hard to come up with. If you're worried about the proximity key, you're overthinking things in my estimation.

 

If you leave the door unlocked, regardless of key type, someone could open it from the outside Just manually lock it from the inside.

There has to be some sort of manual key in case the battery on your remote dies, you can still get into the car and start it. On the car I have this key kind of pops out from the remote and looks different from a standard car key and the keyhole outside and inside are in weird spots since they aren't meant to be used except if your remote dies.

As others mentioned, the proximity area is very small so no real concerns there. Also you unlock only one door by touching it, which is actually a very good safety feature in case someone wanted to pop in the passenger side when you unlock your car. Also with a traditional remote it often unlocks the entire car and people leave it unlocked, then at the gas station or somewhere people can open the other side and steal your handbag or stuff.

 

Thanks for clearing that up, guys

So, if I'm inside the car while it's locked, it can't be opened from the outside? even with the proximity key in range?

 

Here's a REPEAT from my post answer: " You can be (nap) inside the car and lock the doors and no one can open it from outside." That is with you holding the proximity fob in your pocket, in the center console, etc........... Anyone from outside w/out a proximity devise (for that specific vehicle) will not be able to enter. (unless the has a ROCK or such other handy device).

 

I would imagine if they have a remote also they could open it. But without one, they won't be able to unlock it. The key being inside the car doesn't unlock the doors, having the key and touching the door handle from the outside is what unlocks the doors.

 

I'm assuming that even if your key fob is very close to the door while your sitting inside, pressing the door lock button manually (the one on the armrest) will disable the ability for anyone to open the doors from the outside.

 

Ya got it!!!

 

This will probably be standard on all cars fairly soon, whether you like it or not, like the back-up camera. That's "progress".

 

Yes the fob for my other car gave me hesitation at first, but they seem to have thought these things through so far.

 

What I like about it, I don't have to take out my keys each time to open the door or start the car, and opening the hatch that I have to do each morning. Saves time Not to mention, that if you leave the FOB in the car by chance (Should not happen if its in your pocket) a sound will alert the owner.

 

What does FOB stand for? lol

 

Your from Montreal? Its FOBois!!!!

 

It doesn't stand for anything; it's an actual genuine English word. Originally, it referred to the chain or ribbon attached to a pocket watch, or to whatever was at the other end of the chain or ribbon (typically a little clip, or a weight, or some ornament). A key fob is much the same thing, just obviously attached to a key or keyring rather than a watch. You could, I suppose, attach your car's key fob to a pocket watch and call it a key fob fob.

According to my dictionary, a fob can also be the small front pocket on a pair of trousers (or presumably a coat or vest) where a pocket watch is put, but I've never heard of that usage before.

 

I think the most common mistake people make is thinking "fob" is spelled "FOB" which makes it seem like an abbreviation of something.

 

What concerns me more is the push button start. I had a cleaning guy at the office last year with a car that had push button. He leaves for the night. Comes back in 10 minutes later a bit panicked that he can't start his car. I go out to see if he needs a jump. No...it's push button and nothing happens when he pushed the button. Well, use your key I say. It doesn't use my key he says! WHAT! LOL! So he's reading the manual and there's some kind of stepping on the brake while holding the key fob on the button that makes it start somehow, and it did. I never heard what the original problem was. But I made a little note to self- push button being the ONLY way to start the car could be less than good!

 

How is that any different than a key being the only way to start a car. At least our keyless ignitions aren't turning off while flying down the freeway at 75 mph, lol.

 

Yeah, I suppose. Good point. It'd also be nice not to have my rather extensive chain of keys rattling around.