![]() ![]() However, software updates can't yet fix some inherent flaws in current smartphone-as-car-key technology, which could make it easy for the wrong person to get access to a vehicle. "The good news is that smartphone makers generally patch known security flaws with software updates more often than automakers fix faulty hardware," Koscher says. For instance, it might be possible for hackers to access the virtual key of a car owner who has visited a malicious website or downloaded an app with malware. "The security of the system is now relying on the security of your phone," says Karl Koscher, an automotive-security researcher at the University of California at San Diego. That's why he expects most cars will still come with key fobs even if they offer a virtual key.Īutomakers also have to be sure that a smartphone-based key is as secure as a traditional key fob, and that requires working with smartphone manufacturers. "The next time I get an upgrade pushed to me by Apple, I don't want my virtual key to be inoperative," Crane says. 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. Imagine having to explain that routine every time someone borrows your car. The Model 3 doesn't come with a traditional ignition switch or push-button start, so drivers must also tap the key behind the front-seat cup holders to "start" the car. To lock or unlock the car, a driver must must swipe the keycard along the pillar next to the driver's seat. (The Tesla Model S and Model X come with a regular key fob.)īut the keycard isn't an ideal solution. ![]() Given those scenarios, Tesla provides Model 3 owners with a backup keycard (shown below) to carry in a purse or wallet. There are other drawbacks to virtual keys. What happens when your smartphone battery dies? Can you still access and drive your car if you lose your phone? And what do you do when you leave your car with a parking attendant, say, in a public garage or at a venue with valet parking, or take it to a car wash? Our testers occasionally found themselves 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. But BLE doesn't work unless the phone is turned on and the Tesla app is open and active on the phone. For instance, the Model 3 virtual key relies on Bluetooth Low Energy, or BLE, to connect with the car. ![]() The limitations of current virtual-key technology are among Crane's top concerns. "I think you want to be very careful before you roll out something radically different, there may be a gap in security or convenience," says Michael Crane, head of vehicle body and security for the automotive supplier Continental. ![]() Despite the potential benefits of virtual keys-no key fob to carry or lose (and replace for a steep price), and the fact that you can lend someone your car just by granting access through an app-some experts think it's too soon to implement the technology widely. ![]()
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