It Looks Like Smart Phones Are Going To Kill Off The Key Fob
At the same time as making key fobs bigger and more complicated than ever, BMW is thinking of ditching them altogether. At the Frankfurt Motor Show, BMW board member Ian Robertson told Reuters that the Bavarian firm is mulling over the future of the key fob, given how many of its customers own a smart phone that can be loaded with the BMW App.
The app can be used to unlock many of the company’s more recent models, so as Robertson puts it, “how many people really need it [a key fob]?” It’s something already happening elsewhere in the industry, with a mobile phone app being the only way of unlocking and starting up the new Tesla Model 3. Then there’s Jaguar Land Rover, which is currently looking at facial recognition technology as the future of car access.
As far as BMW goes, it seems to be a question of when, rather than if fobs are consigned to the history books. “We are looking at whether it is feasible, and whether we can do it. Whether we do it right now or at some point in the future, remains to be seen,” Robertson concludes.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
Apple be like “you need this handy adapter that will set you back only 1000$”
it also will have broken face recognition that will lock you out of the car
U mean 999$? 1000$ is way too expensive
If Apple actually made them Apple Car, this is exactly what would happen
First we lose the key, then the headphone jack, then the fob?
Thief - Goes on fb Clicks print
Meanwhile at Pagani
Exactly how a key should be. Simple.
Imagine if the app is not compatible with your OS System! HA!
but I have downloaded key generators :D
This is an absolutely idiotic idea, most smart phones are terribly secured and with the hackers becoming cleverer every day, this is a recepy for disaster
Hackers don’t hack technology they hack people.
Its all well and good till the phone dies. The you dont have access to your car. I LOVE bmw but this is one of the dumbest ideas ive heard in a while
Of course people are going to react negatively to this news: “hackers will hack your phone and steal your car“ what people don’t realise is hackers don’t hack technology they hack people, most security breaches are due to people. Have you not watched Mr Robot? Go do that. Now.
Phones have big flaw tho, battery. You won’t probably take your keys everywhere with you if your phone is enough, but the moment it run down, you’re fxxk
Just like the key fob killed off the actual key…
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