Does anyone make a credit card style "key fob" for the M?

Example??

SwissCheeseHead wrote:Example??

I don't know if such a thing exists in the automotive world. I have "keys" to 2 businesses. They are credit card style, and I just keep them in my wallet. I never have to think about them. They are always with me. They are "passive" so to use them you do have to pass them within a couple inches of a sensor. Something similar, but "active" (takes a battery), that you could put in your wallet and always have with you would seem like a natural for modern cars.

I don't know of anything like that for the automotive world. Seems like something worth looking into though. There might be some issues with having a flat credit card style key fob and I'm sure the circuitry is different between a standard key fob and an access card, but where there's a will, there's a way.

Viper SmartKey: http://www.viper.com/smartstart/smartke ... r-smartkey

Not quite a credit card, but uses something you have on you at all times.

SmoovC wrote:Viper SmartKey: http://www.viper.com/smartstart/smartke ... r-smartkey

Not quite a credit card, but uses something you have on you at all times.

now that's cool! Thanks.

Cool, but I would never own one. The cost to buy and install wouldn't make it worth it especially since we have a key fob that doesn't need to leave your pocket anyway. Plus, phones get lost or stolen all the time, so that would be another plus for the thief.

It also looks like you still need to have the key fob in your pocket with the SmartKey to drive the car, which would defeat my purpose.

SwissCheeseHead wrote: Plus, phones get lost or stolen all the time, so that would be another plus for the thief.

So do wallets, car keys and cars.

Stripped of the case and the buttons, you are left with something that is about the thickness of 3 credit cards. I just may take a crack that this.

SmoovC wrote:

SwissCheeseHead wrote: Plus, phones get lost or stolen all the time, so that would be another plus for the thief.

So do wallets, car keys and cars.

You could make that case for anything. My point is a phone thief would also have aaccess to your car when they wouldn't have otherwise. But if you need your key fob with you anyway, it makes the product worthless.

I agree; "one can make the case for anything." In this instance, it is a cell phone being stolen, and possible access to your car; not unlike your keys being stolen, right?! I do not endorse the product, and in my personal situation I find no use for it, and it sounds like you do not either. That being said, does not however, "make the product useless."

The advantage to the unit is that it offers hands-free operation to unlock your car. Many Ford owners enjoy an active lift gate that operates in pretty much the same fashion: hands-free. So much so in fact, that it is a major selling point for them.

Conceptually, passive locking/unlocking is a great feature that I am sure many people would desire. But, just like all new technology, implementation will take on many forms until consumers drive the market in a certain direction. Case and point would be the OP looking for a credit card style passive system.

SmoovC wrote:I agree; "one can make the case for anything." In this instance, it is a cell phone being stolen, and possible access to your car; not unlike your keys being stolen, right?! I do not endorse the product, and in my personal situation I find no use for it, and it sounds like you do not either. That being said, does not however, "make the product useless."

The advantage to the unit is that it offers hands-free operation to unlock your car. Many Ford owners enjoy an active lift gate that operates in pretty much the same fashion: hands-free. So much so in fact, that it is a major selling point for them.

Conceptually, passive locking/unlocking is a great feature that I am sure many people would desire. But, just like all new technology, implementation will take on many forms until consumers drive the market in a certain direction. Case and point would be the OP looking for a credit card style passive system.

Agreed on several points. For my needs, it's useless. After all, my hand needs to open the door for me to get in the car anyway right? We have a little button that unlocks the doors with the presence of a key fob. The lift gate example you are talking about is slightly different because there are times where your hands are full and you need to load your vehicle. Also notice that I believe that is only offered in the Ford SUVs and not their sedans. The thought being that if you're going to get a lot of s*** and you own both an SUV and a sedan, chances are you're going to take your SUV to pick up said s***.

So, for me, a waste of (lots of) money for a feature that the M's don't need. For my BMW e91 that requires the use of the keyfob unlock button...possibly if I really desired that feature but not for the price.

Totally agree with you. If you really think about it, all it would do is eliminate the act of pressing the door handle request switch. Like you said, you have to open the door anyways, so how this unit would benefit an owner, I am not sure. People like their gadgets, though.