Open letter to Lucid after 7 months of ownership

[Lucken]

Yep agreed. There shouldn’t be all these unexplained variables. But hopefully something lucid will address over time if they ever decide to take the Air’s software seriously. I’m hoping they don’t just dump it when the Gravity comes out.

They’ve promised to port some of the Gravity’s software improvements over to the Air, where practical. How much remains in question. Fingers crossed.

 

[borski]

> before the Lucid, when you were driving other cars, did you carry multiple entry/unlocking devices for your car?

No, but I only had a single key. There was no keycard or mobile key.

Why is this acceptable practice for Lucid?

I don’t think anyone loves it, but a *ton* of people carry only the fob (as indicated in this thread) or only the mobile key (me; others).

I carry the keycard because it takes no space in my wallet, but I have yet to ever use it outside of testing.

Why isn't Lucid doing something to fix this problem?

This has been explained like a hundred times on this forum.

Some of you guys are fortunate to have the mobile key be so reliable. Mine is totally reliable - except, I have to take my phone out of my pocket and wake up the phone to get it to unlock. PITA

This is an Apple “feature” unfortunately. It sleeps the Bluetooth connections when the device is not in use or active. Android does similar things as I understand it.

You can either take the phone out of your pocket or just shake it around a bit in your pocket to wake it up.

 

[momo3605]

This is an Apple “feature” unfortunately. It sleeps the Bluetooth connections when the device is not in use or active. Android does similar things as I understand it.

You can either take the phone out of your pocket or just shake it around a bit in your pocket to wake it up.

This is not an Apple "feature" on Teslas and Rivians and other cars with mobile key...somehow Lucid seems to not be able to deal with this correctly.

 

[borski]

This is not an Apple "feature" on Teslas and Rivians and other cars with mobile key...somehow Lucid seems to not be able to deal with this correctly.

Yes, it is: https://www.tesla.com/support/tesla-vehicle-keys

They say it’s because certain bags or clothing could block your Bluetooth connection, but please.

 

[borski]

And Rivian isn’t immune either: https://www.reddit.com/r/Rivian/s/3CXu84JwRt

 

[momo3605]

Yes, it is: https://www.tesla.com/support/tesla-vehicle-keys

They say it’s because certain bags or clothing could block your Bluetooth connection, but please.

View attachment 26288

lol that's just troubleshooting steps...you don't need to take your phone out of your pocket for it to unlock.

 

[momo3605]

And Rivian isn’t immune either: https://www.reddit.com/r/Rivian/s/3CXu84JwRt

And this is from pre ios18, so that has nothing to do with your point either. Sure it was buggy 3 years ago. They've released like 17 updates since then to continuously improve the performance of PAAK. I want to see Lucid do the same

 

[borski]

lol that's just troubleshooting steps...you don't need to take your phone out of your pocket for it to unlock.

Okay. And for what it’s worth, I don’t have to take mine out either.

For everyone else who has a problem, I guess we have plenty of “troubleshooting steps.”

Anyway, this is a moot point; your assertion appears to be that only Lucid has this issue. That is definitely not true as a single Google search would show you many complaints for either brand.

 

[borski]

And this is from pre ios18, so that has nothing to do with your point either. Sure it was buggy 3 years ago. They've released like 17 updates since then to continuously improve the performance of PAAK. I want to see Lucid do the same

This is 16 days ago: https://www.rivianownersforum.com/t...=82205&nested_view=1&sortby=oldest#post-82205

 

[momo3605]

This is 16 days ago: https://www.rivianownersforum.com/t...=82205&nested_view=1&sortby=oldest#post-82205

i think the difference is that yes, for other makes it's possible that if you have a super old phone...or you have messed up your settings...then yes phone as a key can not perform as expected.

The difference is that phone as a key doesn't work consistently for most Lucid owners. Not working is expected behavior

 

[BS8899]

And Rivian isn’t immune either: https://www.reddit.com/r/Rivian/s/3CXu84JwRt

Like any computer-based system, many EVs might encounter glitches and need for reboot from time-to-time.

That said, I have my Rivian (14+ months) and I use my phone as the key. I have never had to reboot, reinstall, turn off my WiFi, turn ON/OFF my Bluetooth to gain access to my R1S, not even once! In contrast, I had to do all of the above on my Lucid (26 month ownership), multiple times. In addition, the Lucid also ask for PIN validation in random fashion, no rhythm or reason. That, is the difference!

 

[Bonanzajohn]

Bobby
Do you know anything about progress of software fixes? Besides intermittent radio and HA this car is perfect. and like someone said, if my radio glitches and I don't want to stop for a minute and reboot, I can do car play.

 

[borski]

That said, I have my Rivian (14+ months) and I use my phone as the key. I have never had to reboot, reinstall, turn off my WiFi, turn ON/OFF my Bluetooth to gain access to my R1S, not even once! In contrast, I had to do all of the above on my Lucid (26 month ownership), multiple times. In addition, the Lucid also ask for PIN validation in random fashion, no rhythm or reason. That, is the difference!

You're missing my point. You can find plenty of cases on either the Tesla or Rivian forums, even now after Teslas have been out for decades - because non-UWB Bluetooth is the problem, and they do not retrofit old Teslas with new UWB hardware.

Meanwhile, I have yet to ever remove/reinstall my mobile key, turn off my wifi (its been on since I got the car), etc. I have rebooted maybe 3-5 times in the past year. When I drove a Model 3 rental, I had to reboot eight times in five days. I counted.

I have turned bluetooth off and on in the car exactly three times in the three years I've owned the car.

My point is that not everyone's mobile key sucks. Not everyone's fob sucks. That it is inconsistent is a problem. But it is absolutely not only Lucid that has the problem, and phones themselves do pose a regular issue, sometimes even by the update. Meaning, when iOS or Android change a thing, the automakers have to play catch-up, which is why you see various software updates creating various problems.

One of the things that Apple and various Android manufacturers do is sleep bluetooth connections when the phone is not actively in use; they do this to conserve battery life. If you move your phone around, wake it up, or otherwise trigger it to know that it is awake, you'll suddenly find your car opens up without issue. That is why reaching into your pocket and pulling out your phone (or otherwise waking it) causes your car to open. It has nothing to do with Lucid.

Rivian has this same exact problem. (this is from August of last year, since we're playing the "that was a while ago" game too)

 

[borski]

A few choice quotes:

Just wondering if I am unlucky or if it is somewhat common that your R1 doesn't wake up, unlock etc, even when standing directly next to the vehicle with the phone out? I have to open the app and tell it to unlock (which takes at least 30 secs or more) and when I get in, it almost always tells me that no "key" is detected and it won't let me drive.

Yep, my PaaK rarely works as expected, even opening the app is not sufficient. Also get the behavior where it won't start. A Bluetooth reset fixes it every time, and that's what I do every time I want to use the truck. Key fob works fine, but wife uses it.

Often as I approach my truck, I’ll get a welcoming flash of the tail lights, only for it to then mock me as I incredulously stand in front of the driver door, waiting for it to deem me worthy of entry.

Fishing your phone out of your pocket is the Rivian equivalent of knocking three times & saying “Joe sent me” to the guy on the other side of the peephole.

Sorry you’re having issues. Gloming on in a similar vein…. My iPhone 15 works well, but can not be in a jacket or pocket of any sort. I would have expected the Bluetooth to reach through average clothing.

UWB only works with gen 2, and gen 1 is just Bluetooth. Both do work through clothing, but the issue appears to be with the sleep state of the phone. I’ve noticed that if I have a delay, tapping the phone while in my pocket makes it work. I think that wakes it as if you were going to use it.

And that's from a single thread, because I have no interest in reading the rest of Rivian's forums; I don't own one.

For what it's worth, I've learned to walk to my car with a bit of a 'swagger' and that wakes my phone up enough that it works fine. Or if it doesn't, I reach into my pocket and tap the screen or shake it or otherwise wake it up.

The solution to this problem is UWB, or Ultra-Wideband Bluetooth.
The Air does not have UWB. The Gravity does.
Rivian Gen 1 does not have UWB. Rivian Gen 2 does.
Notice a pattern?

I am not suggesting Lucid shouldn't fix it or that it isn't a problem. I am guaranteeing that It is a problem not exclusive to Lucid.

 

[larrycpa]

i think the difference is that yes, for other makes it's possible that if you have a super old phone...or you have messed up your settings...then yes phone as a key can not perform as expected.

The difference is that phone as a key doesn't work consistently for most Lucid owners. Not working is expected behavior

Most??? I doubt that very much.

 

[HC_79]

A few choice quotes:










And that's from a single thread, because I have no interest in reading the rest of Rivian's forums; I don't own one.

For what it's worth, I've learned to walk to my car with a bit of a 'swagger' and that wakes my phone up enough that it works fine. Or if it doesn't, I reach into my pocket and tap the screen or shake it or otherwise wake it up.

The solution to this problem is UWB, or Ultra-Wideband Bluetooth.
The Air does not have UWB. The Gravity does.
Rivian Gen 1 does not have UWB. Rivian Gen 2 does.
Notice a pattern?

I am not suggesting Lucid shouldn't fix it or that it isn't a problem. I am guaranteeing that It is a problem not exclusive to Lucid.

I wonder if they’d have less issues if your watch could unlock. Probably more receptive to movement / being awake.

I really have no skin in this game though as my mobile key works 95% of the time and the other 5% I just need to stand for an extra few seconds or push the handle. No biggie

 

[Blue Lectroid]

This is not an Apple "feature" on Teslas and Rivians and other cars with mobile key...somehow Lucid seems to not be able to deal with this correctly.

It most certainly was with my 2018 Tesla M3P. It frequently did not allow me to unlock the car when my phone was asleep. Also, on average, my experience with my Tesla failing to react to my mobile key, although not at all bad on average, was definitely worse than so far with my 2025 AGT. I'd estimate that around 5% of the time my Tesla had some kind of issue with the mobile key and this has never happened to me so far with the Lucid.

 

[Blue Lectroid]

The difference is that phone as a key doesn't work consistently for most Lucid owners. Not working is expected behavior

Not at all accurate. I only know four people very well who have Licid Airs other than me. NONE of them have issue with their mobile key (or the FOB for that matter, although we all use the mobile key). When I was contemplating buying my car, the folks that I knew well laughed at me when I told them I was worried about the mobile key (based on everything I had read here). Their advice? "Stop wasting your time on the internet." At least with mobile key, Lucid and my personal experience over my first 6 weeks of ownership? Point taken!

Perhaps my good fortune with this "issue" is that I usually approach my car carrying my phone in hand. I rarely put my phone in my pocket for more than a minute or so (only if my hands are full). So maybe my phone is just always awake?

 

[Unmutual]

Not at all accurate. I only know four people very well who have Licid Airs other than me. NONE of them have issue with their mobile key (or the FOB for that matter, although we all use the mobile key). When I was contemplating buying my car, the folks that I knew well laughed at me when I told them I was worried about the mobile key (based on everything I had read here). Their advice? "Stop wasting your time on the internet." At least with mobile key, Lucid and my personal experience over my first 6 weeks of ownership? Point taken!

Perhaps my good fortune with this "issue" is that I usually approach my car carrying my phone in hand. I rarely put my phone in my pocket for more than a minute or so (only if my hands are full). So maybe my phone is just always awake?

You and the four people you know are extraordinarily fortunate. When I am outside of my garage, I almost always have to get my phone out and at least get the Lucid app on the screen before my doors will unlock. And every time I "utter an oath." It's just something I've come to expect, so I don't bitch about it, but many of us are suffering from this problem.

 

[momo3605]

It most certainly was with my 2018 Tesla M3P. It frequently did not allow me to unlock the car when my phone was asleep. Also, on average, my experience with my Tesla failing to react to my mobile key, although not at all bad on average, was definitely worse than so far with my 2025 AGT. I'd estimate that around 5% of the time my Tesla had some kind of issue with the mobile key and this has never happened to me so far with the Lucid.

Lol, I know you’re quite quick to post how your car is perfect and has amazing range and no issues and trust me I get it. You just picked up your car…you’re still in that honeymoon phase. Once you’ve owned and had your car for a few months and few thousand miles, and given your partner and/or family that’s maybe not as tech savvy as you some time to use the car on their own, come back and we can have a discussion. And again, this is ONLY about software. I’m not debating the ride or build quality, or space efficiency, or anything like that (these are the reasons I initially got my Lucid Air)

I’ve owned a 2018 Model 3 and a 2022 Rivian R1T. If those cars had more software issues than my Lucid, trust me I would not be posting here. I would be in those forums harping on their UI. But no…The Lucid is far and away the glitchiest and most bug-ridden UI I’ve used in an EV. (I’ve owned probably a dozen EVs since 2014). Even My wife hates having to take the Lucid on her own because of the screen freezing, music stopping to work, rear camera failing to load, or driving 75 miles RT and using 120 on the displayed range, or as discussed above…the mobile key not working. Never had a complaint from her from driving the Rivian or Teslas though!

Anyway, don’t take my word for it. Go watch reviews from Kyle from OOS, Edmunds, Motortrend, etc…they all say the same thing about software