iPhone as a key - what I learned from the service tech

[Travelguy2500]

Service tech was out yesterday to address a squeaky steering wheel (going to be replaced) and we discussed issues with using fobs/cards/phones/phone app to get into the car.

I've had no problems with the fob - works as expected;
I've had no problems with the key card - hold near camera near door; cars opens and use PIN to drive
I've had no problems with using iphone app - use it to unlock the car and then use PIN to driver. Only complaint here is that it usually takes too long for the app to wake the car and then unlock it using the app - it works but just takes too long.
My experience with the iphone as a key was inconsistent though the tech gave me some pointers which seems to have helped a lot:
- approaching the car from a distance when it's locked, sometimes have to just open the LUCID app to get door to unlock if the app hasn't been recently opened. Tesla gives the same advice when using phone as a key if the app has been closed for awhlie on your phone, you may need to open app again to get car to recognize.
- if the phone and car are near each other but the doors are not already unlocked, a few presses of the door handle will unlock the car
Armed with this info, unlocking the car using the iphone as a key has been much more consistent.

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[experiment458]

Service tech was out yesterday to address a squeaky steering wheel (going to be replaced) and we discussed issues with using fobs/cards/phones/phone app to get into the car.

I've had no problems with the fob - works as expected;
I've had no problems with the key card - hold near camera near door; cars opens and use PIN to drive
I've had no problems with using iphone app - use it to unlock the car and then use PIN to driver. Only complaint here is that it usually takes too long for the app to wake the car and then unlock it using the app - it works but just takes too long.
My experience with the iphone as a key was inconsistent though the tech gave me some pointers which seems to have helped a lot:
- approaching the car from a distance when it's locked, sometimes have to just open the LUCID app to get door to unlock if the app hasn't been recently opened. Tesla gives the same advice when using phone as a key if the app has been closed for awhlie on your phone, you may need to open app again to get car to recognize.
- if the phone and car are near each other but the doors are not already unlocked, a few presses of the door handle will unlock the car
Armed with this info, unlocking the car using the iphone as a key has been much more consistent.

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There is a new mobile app update coming very soon to address mobile key issues. Specifically passive entry. A big tip is to make sure you location services permission for the Lucid app is set to “Always”

 

[DeaneG]

On my Tesla at least, every time the phone app is automatically updated, it is no longer running on the phone. In this case I have to manually start the app, and in a couple seconds the car is unlocked.

 

[experiment458]

On my Tesla at least, every time the phone app is automatically updated, it is no longer running on the phone. In this case I have to manually start the app, and in a couple seconds the car is unlocked.

hmm I don't experience this with my Tesla. bluetooth is a pain to work with and unreliable. Luckily Lucid is working on Apple Car Key integration using the U1 chip.

 

[DeaneG]

hmm I don't experience this with my Tesla. bluetooth is a pain to work with and unreliable. Luckily Lucid is working on Apple Car Key integration using the U1 chip.

Could be the difference between an iPhone and my Pixel 6. On Android, apps don't automatically restart/run when updated, except the communication apps - phone, messages, email etc. Other that that PAAK has been completely reliable on bluetooth with my Model 3 for years.

 

[Adnillien]

hmm I don't experience this with my Tesla. bluetooth is a pain to work with and unreliable. Luckily Lucid is working on Apple Car Key integration using the U1 chip.

Ultrawideband is a great solution with very precise location accuracy. It is also more secure than BT. Based on the FCC compliance section of the manual, our current cars do not have UWB so this is either a hardware upgrade or for future cars only. Andriod also support UWB so this in not necessarily limited to iPhones.

 

[HC_79]

I managed to get the mobile key working. I unlinked it from the car, forgot the BT network on my phone and then linked it again. Since then it's been working with just the phone in my pocket. Not sure what happened the first time I linked it but if anyone is having similar issues then just remove the mobile key and start again

 

[Paladin732]

I managed to get the mobile key working. I unlinked it from the car, forgot the BT network on my phone and then linked it again. Since then it's been working with just the phone in my pocket. Not sure what happened the first time I linked it but if anyone is having similar issues then just remove the mobile key and start again

Still not working well for me. I did the re linking this weekend on 1.2.1. This is on an iPhone 12 Pro running 15.4

 

[joec]

hmm I don't experience this with my Tesla. bluetooth is a pain to work with and unreliable. Luckily Lucid is working on Apple Car Key integration using the U1 chip.

This is very good news. Biggest gripe I have with my Tesla is both my wife and I walking up to the car at the same time, and the car having no idea which one of us is on the driver’s side. So it’s 50-50 whether the driver’s seat will adjust to the correct profile. Given I am 6’2” and she is 4’11”, this is a major inconvenience. I’ve actually had the car switch to her profile automatically AFTER I’ve sat down, which is harrowing, to say the least. Making the profiles harder to get to in the most recent software versions has only made it more of an adventure.

U1 chip should, in theory, solve this. I assume the facial recognition already helps with the post-sit-down switching. But U1 should make it clear who was driving every time.