As I predicted previously, car manufacturers are beginning to jump on the keyless bandwagon. In a way, they’re already there with the widespread adoption of key fobs to open doors and start the engine. The fobs are convenient because you don’t have take them out of your pocket or purse so there’s no fumbling around trying to find your keys. Still, it’s one more thing you have to carry around and in that sense it’s no different from having a traditional key.
What’s needed is a way to unlock your car’s doors and start its engine with your smartphone. According to a CNBC article, we’re on our way. Tesla has already implemented such a system and Lincoln has announced that it will introduce its own solution this fall.
There are, of course, some problems. The first thing everyone thinks of is, “What if my phone dies or gets lost?” That’s not a real concern to me for reasons I’ve explained before but not everyone is as obsessive about keeping their phone charged and in sight as I am. Lost phones or dead batteries could be a real concern for many people.
Another problem that the CNBC article points out is dealing with other people, such as parking valets, using your car. Depending on where you live, that can also be a significant problem. Tesla’s answer to both those problems is a card that can also be used to unlock and start the car. Lincoln’s answer is similar but uses a key fob instead of card. The problem with both those solutions is that we’re back to carrying something extra around.
I’m hoping that the next time I get a new car, the smartphone solution will be available and I can stop carrying around keys. That would be a delight.