A person on Nextdoor lost her car keys when she drove off having left them on the roof of her car. I didn’t know one could drive a car without the keys. Now I do. It seems like a good feature: a car that won’t start without the keys inside. I have it on my ‘87 pickup - no extra charge.
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They are called a proximity key (or smart key)… I have to be almost inside my truck before it will start, well the key does…
The older smart keys, if the key was close enough hanging on the wall in the kitchen or whatever to the vehicle in the garage, you could start the vehicle and drive off without the key no problem, but once you turned it off, it would not restart until the smart key was close enough for you to restart it again…
That problem was solved by making the key have to be within x amount of distance or inside the vehicle in order to start it…
From my owners manual (page 132)
When locking or unlocking the
doors
The system can be operated
when the electronic key is within
about 2.3 ft. (0.7 m) either of the
outside front door handles. (Only
the door detecting the key can be
operated.)
When starting the engine or changing engine switch modes
The system can be operated when the electronic key is inside the
vehicle…
Now I can manually push the buttons on the smart key to lock/unlock the doors from a distance, but using the proximity feature, meaning leaving the smart key in my pocket and not touching it, if the doors were already locked, the interior lights turn on when I am within 2.3 ft from the door and I simple grab/touch the front door handle and the door or doors unlock depending on settings and once the vehicle knows the key is inside the vehicle it will start, so if I have the key in my right pocket, I can open the door and put my foot on the brake and start the vehicle, but if in my left pocket, I have to at least sit on the edge of the seat (key inside vehicle) to start it, I normally start the vehicle then load the dogs in the back before climbing into the seat to drive away… I can set the doors to unlock only one or all 4 with touching the door handle, same with the fob, set it for one click to open one door (drivers) or to open all 4 at once, depending on your area and safety, push twice to open all 4 if set to open one…
The same type of person that would drive off with the keys on the top of their vehicle, are probably the same ones that drive off from getting gas leaving the gas cap off and gas door wide open…
As far as a new feature, that depends on new to the beginning of vehicles, or new as in the last few years… But IIRC it started back in the late 90’s with the M Benz, then by the 2000’s it was being used in higher end vehicles, and then stuff like the Prius and Altima’s and whatnot, and the last 15 years or so, it has been pretty common place…
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I’m sure this is a repeat comment but I wanna tell the dang computer programmers to just don’t help me. Let me decide. I don’t remember which car but a few years ago. I was putting in a new shaft on the door opener so took a few hours. Parked the car outside, fob in my pocket. It had started to snow while I was working and when I went to put the car in, the sun roof and all the windows were open. Snow all over the interior. I learned the feature was to cool off a hot car in the summer. Who knew? Whatever button or buttons for the feature got pushed while in my pocket. Will you please just stop with all of these useless features?
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Once the car is started and begins moving, the key proximity is no longer considered. What would you have the car do if the FOB battery died while driving for example? It’s designed to take the safest and least risky action- keep allowing the driver to control the vehicle until they purposely stop it. Once the car is stopped and turned off, if the keys are not present, it won’t start again. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of personal responsibility. You can’t protect people from every stupid or absentminded mistake they make.
You should look into getting the Carista OBD2, even though a lot of those “useless” features can be changed or turned off, navigating your way through the infotainment center can be a struggle (for me anyway) but not all settings are adjustable without using a more advanced “scanner”, with the Carista you can see and adjust most of those items much easier, I bought mine just so I could turn off the seat belt alarm and adjust the 3 blink lane change to 7 blink lane change, but for those vehicles equipped with things like auto this and auto that, they can be adjusted or turned off/on… The dealer can also go in and adjust those settings.. The Carista does have a small subscription charge…
I just renewed my yearly subscription (shorter times available) so if anyone is in my area, I would be glad to help them out for free… lol
And a cup of coffee on the roof!
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With my Chevy Volt you can not lock your FOB in your car. If you leave your FOB in your car and manually lock the doors it will unlock the door when you close it. I’m a guy and I just leave the FOB in my left pocket.
Here’s my Harley trivia. In the late 90’s Harley developed a security system. With the system armed no one can start the bike. If you turn the ignition on the fuel pump doesn’t prime, if you push the start button the engine doesn’t turn over. From the 90’s to 2006 (my bike) the fob had a button and you held down the button to arm. You double clicked to disarm. Starting in 2007 Harley came out with a proximity FOB. As you walk away the system automatically arms. As you get close to the bike it automatically disarms. I’ve heard of guys who keep their FOB/key on the workbench next to their bike. They jump on the bike and ride away. The first time they stop and shut down they are stuck there! I prefer my “old” Harley FOB!
Can this be used to shut off start/stop? Not sure how long it will take for the manufacturers to dump this option.
Rented a Nissan with this and it shut off waiting for an opening in traffic. When it came there was enough delay to scare the wife. A truly stupid idea and dangerous.
Don’t think it will allow you to change any federal emissions item… 
If you are curious about what it can do either click the link or type in the name (carista) and add .com and click on supported vehicles and see for yourself, you will either be interested or not… lol
But you can buy plug n play harnesses that keep your start/stop turned off all the time… Amazon sells lots of them…
What if they’re on the roof?
Bad, but not as bad as losing your keys.
Can’t turn them off?
It could be an RFID tag.
Everyone you can protect them from is an advance.
No sir, just checked, the key has to be inside the vehicle, it does not detect the key with it on the roof of the truck…
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In 1957, or even in the '80s, the car moved only with the key in it - in the ignition.
Yeah, but the same folks that left gas caps, lunches and coffees on the roofs are now the ones driving off with keys on their roofs… You can fix a car, you can’t fix stupid… oops I mean carelessness, not paying attention, or whatever you want to call it…
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Trackers are cheap at this point, especially compared to the cost of a new key. Everyone should have one on their keyring.
I think I might just call it not knowing how to use a key fob, or that old habits die hard.
Granted, I’m a man so all my pants have pockets, but I don’t understand why people walk around carrying keys and put them down places. My keys are either in my pocket, my bag, toolbox drawer, or hanging on the key hook.
I suppose having your keys in your hand is a leftover from the time when you needed to turn the key to use your car. But I’ve adapted.
On my cars that use a key, I walk up to the car, open it, put the key in the ignition, and drive.
On my cars that use a fob, it never leaves my pocket or bag. I walk up to the car, touch the handle to unlock it, get in and press the start button, and drive.
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The ignition switch n my Pontiac was worn enough I could remove the key and it would continue run.
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Back as recently as the '60s (or possibly a bit later) Chevys had a somewhat unique ignition switch in that there was an “off” position, as well as a “lock” position. And, that allowed the driver to remove the key in either the off position or the lock position. If the key was removed from the “off” position, anyone could then restart–and drive the car–without a key.
It’s possible that other GM makes used the same ignition switch, but I can only say for sure that this was a fact with Chevys, and a lot of them were stolen because of that type of switch.
You can, but I’d bet she has also drove off with something on the roof or without closing the gas cap and or door before driving off… lol
Speaking of driving with something on the roof, this doofus was photographed in Rhode Island a few days ago. Yes, he was driving like that.
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True. But you could also lock your car with the keys in it back then.
Reminds of the joke about the intellectually challenged family where the father locked his keys in the car late on Sunday night. Had to call a locksmith and couldn’t get his family out until the next day!
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