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Phone as a Key/Digital Key

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Discussion starter · #21 ·
Definitely different experience on my F150, it is hit and miss overall. Many times it does not see the phone, or it will finally open the doors with the phone key, but then the truck will not start. I think it more has to do with the legacy tech in the F150 as it was not built from the ground up to have these features. My understanding is the ICE version of the truck does not have a phone as key, just remote functionality similar to Toyota.
 
#22 · (Edited)
FlyPonyEV said:
I get how it works, but Android phones have NFC as well, so not sure why it will only be iPhones. Both Rivian and Tesla provide key cards with their vehicles for Valet, etc, but my Ford only provides a Key Fob and Phone.

I am not sure what them providing these cards has to do with them enabling the functionality that shows in the owners manual. These are 2 different subjects. I for one take accountability if my phone is dead, but NFC on most newer phones work even f the phone is dead.

I am just trying to figure out if Phone as a Key will be available when these trucks are delivered.
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Wait I'm an a dunce... I don't know why I kept saying NFC this whole time... What I was actually trying to say was UWB. UWB (Ultra Wide Band communication) is right now only on flagship phones and all modern iphones have UWB capabilities.
 
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Discussion starter · #23 ·
Most major brand Android phones had NFC prior to iPhones, but all good.

But, what I would say, in the near term, people purchasing a $97k truck are most likely going to have a modern phone, but not sure GM is using NFC for this product overall as NFC requires a touch (or close to a touch). In the manual, they describe the Digital Key working similar to the key fob, so not thinking they are using NFC. they may use it as a secondary based function if the phone is dead.
 
#24 ·
FlyPonyEV said:
Most major brand Android phones had NFC prior to iPhones, but all good.

But, what I would say, in the near term, people purchasing a $97k truck are most likely going to have a modern phone, but not sure GM is using NFC for this product overall as NFC requires a touch (or close to a touch). In the manual, they describe the Digital Key working similar to the key fob, so not thinking they are using NFC. they may use it as a secondary based function if the phone is dead.
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may want to reread what I said. I misspoke when I said NFC, I was actually talking about UWB.
 
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Discussion starter · #25 ·
UWB is definitely very different than NFC, and would make more sense. Would give nearly instant access at bluetooth ranges. Looking forward to seeing if it will actually work.
 
#27 ·
I've only had my 4wt for a couple weeks but I just leave the keys in the truck all the time. I use the app to lock and unlock it when I am somewhere. The problem as mentioned above is how long the app takes to talk to the truck, minimum of 30 seconds so I just do it as I am walking into a store or wherever. On my Mach E there is a door key code which is so much more handy because I also hate carrying keys around.
 
Discussion starter · #28 ·
HawaiiEV said:
Will it have driver profiles for settings depending on the phone used?
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In the owners manual, there is a reference to up to 8 driver numbers associated with remote keys, but that looks to be directly referencing only seat/mirror/steering wheel memory. Based on the fact that there are not 8 recall buttons, it would assume this is easily tracked in software and could be associated with all settings.

Tesla is the only manufacturer that I have seen that allows the profile to manage more than just these types of settings. With the lack of carplay/AA, this is a really handy feature. We had this issue with our Rivian where it was only using one account for Spotify. Makes music and other services a bit of a hassle to manage with a shared account.
 
#29 ·
You set up Trusted Device in your MyChevy app and link your vehicle profile.
Once it detects your phone it will switch to your vehicle profile.

Image
 
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Discussion starter · #30 ·
do we know if this will allow for the profile to also control things like logged in Spotify account and other settings? Would be good to see the list of settings it manages.
 
#31 ·
SilverSnappy said:
I've only had my 4wt for a couple weeks but I just leave the keys in the truck all the time. I use the app to lock and unlock it when I am somewhere. The problem as mentioned above is how long the app takes to talk to the truck, minimum of 30 seconds so I just do it as I am walking into a store or wherever. On my Mach E there is a door key code which is so much more handy because I also hate carrying keys around.
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Leaving keys / fob in the car doesn't sound safe to me. Lots of car break-ins in the urban areas around me. Also, the remote app - MyChevy App - doesn't work when in a cell hole. There are a lot of suburban cell holes around my area including my house in a subdivision in town. Also, it won't work in the remote areas where we travel for camping and recreation.

I am really hoping we get phone-as-key as I like to just carry a phone, and a few cards most of the time.
 
#32 ·
FlyPonyEV said:
I have confirmation my truck is built, just waiting on shipping. I have been driving an F150 Lightning for 2 years now, I have a Tesla Model Y and S, and had a Rivian R1S (RIP Feb 2024).

As I watched the Media Drives, I was increasingly excited to hear about the no push button to start the vehicle, just get in, press the brake, select a gear and go. Awesome, welcome to the party. Sounds awesome, until I was reading the quick-start guides for the Silverado EV. It definitely looks like the key fob is required. I really just assumed the truck would have a phone as a key or Digital Key, but I cannot find any reference to that. Will be VERY disappointing to have to carry a key with me when all I have needed is my phone for the last 3+ years.

Anyone seeing anything different? I am hoping I am just missing it.
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I'm a little late to the party, but I have the RST in-hand. Whatever GM refers to as a "phone key" does not work anything like Tesla. You can configure what GM or Android call a "trusted device" and that device can power the car on, but any user profile with a trusted devices is required to be a PIN or password-protected user profile.

The end result is that the experience is busted at best, and not nearly as friendly as Tesla's implementation.

In order to get a "walk up to the truck, get in and get going" kind of vibe, you have to carry a key fob. Which seems silly in this day and age.

I am coming from Model X, and Tesla absolutely nailed the "phone key" thing.

There also seems to be some discrepancy between the older style "memory seat" user configurations associated with the fob and the in-built Android user profiles which control some of the car's functions. I say this only because I've had the mirrors and the seat move several times despite only having one fob on my person when approaching the vehicle. But then I press the "seat 1" button on the door and everything moves back to where I had it, even though I have verified that the fob I am carrying is associated with "seat 1."

Haven't gotten to the bottom of that one yet, but the total "phone key" experience is not good. Hopefully it's the kind of thing that can be made better with future software updates, and the vehicle already has all the hardware (bluetooth, UWB) that it needs for this stuff to work well.
 
#34 ·
originalprime said:
Haven't gotten to the bottom of that one yet, but the total "phone key" experience is not good. Hopefully it's the kind of thing that can be made better with future software updates, and the vehicle already has all the hardware (bluetooth, UWB) that it needs for this stuff to work well.
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GM is opening a technology office in Silicon Valley to create a team to better their software and tech. Fingers crossed!
 
#35 ·
Grandma-EV said:
GM is opening a technology office in Silicon Valley to create a team to better their software and tech. Fingers crossed!
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Let's hope so. There's a lot going on with software that should be fixable or updatable. I'm making notes to do a "one week in" post and eventually a "one month in" post. It looks like many of the notes I've already made can be fixed (or at least tweaked) with software.

For example, the truck has a "quick access" section of small buttons to the left-hand side of the primary display, directly underneath the volume knob. They could add a "turn off HUD" button there. Should be simple to do with software, so users don't have to dig through menus to disable the HUD when it's distracting or they just don't want it on.

I'm making a list though, for more comprehensive posts. More to come for sure.
 
#36 ·
HawaiiEV said:
Should be able to fix that with an update
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I wish they would!

It's interesting to me though, because it isn't like GM hasn't had the chance to study the fobless experience with other vehicles. I appreciate that they offer the option to PIN-protect a user profile, but requiring it is downright silly, especially when paired with other vehicle behaviors.

For example, the truck turns off when the driver door is opened. It just turns off. So if I stop to check the mail, I have to climb back into the car and input my PIN again to continue traversing my driveway. It's so obnoxious I turned off the trusted device thing after one day.

GM should have done better on day one, in my opinion. They've been shown the way by many, especially Tesla.

Maybe I'm just salty because I have to carry a fob again, but I feel like I shouldn't have to. I want to walk up to the truck with my phone in my pocket, have it unlock and turn on and set itself to my driver profile (with a setting to prefer my phone over others as this is my primary vehicle,) and I want it to turn off and lock itself after I walk some distance away, not just when the driver door is opened.
 
#38 ·
originalprime said:
Haven't gotten to the bottom of that one yet, but the total "phone key" experience is not good. Hopefully it's the kind of thing that can be made better with future software updates, and the vehicle already has all the hardware (bluetooth, UWB) that it needs for this stuff to work well.
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GM is opening a technology office in Silicon Valley to create a team to better their software an
[QUOTE="originalprime, post: 12231, member: 2218"
For example, the truck turns off when the driver door is opened. It just turns off. So if I stop to check the mail, I have to climb back into the car and input my PIN again...
[/QUOTE]
I think there is a way to override that. I remember how to do that. If I find it again. I'll post.
 
#39 ·
HawaiiEV said:
I don’t expect that they will fix it, but they should be able to. Hopefully you bought the truck for range and not a Tesla software experience. It certainly would frustrate me having gotten used to Tesla.
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The range was a big part of the purchase decision, as were the aesthetics. I know better than to expect GM to do great with software. Their software has been absolute shit for decades. The navigation system in my 2007 Tahoe looked and felt like it was created by a fifth grader in 1996.

I know that haven't historically been good at providing updates, but they absolutely must get better at it for their own sake. Going forward, this kind of stuff will be a deal breaker. And while it is far, far too soon for me to make the bold statement I'm about to make, this sort of crappy oversight is exactly why people like me will stop buying GM products.

I damn near didn't buy it because of CarPlay. It's still too soon for me to say whether I regret that or not. But that paired with this other stuff I'm already experiencing a few days into ownership does not bode well for future purchase decisions.
 
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