Ford Social: Remote Access Makes Your Smartphone a Virtual Keyfob

 

Interesting idea. I have to carry a key anyway, so a key fob isn't really that big a deal, but it is a nice concept. I wonder if it will catch on.

 

Why would I pay money for something that would enable me to fumble with yet one more object on my way to get in my truck and drive away?

So I can now fumble with my smartphone as well as my key? What's wrong with fumbling with just the key? Would I really have the use to lock or unlock my truck from across the nation?

Seems useless to me. No doubt it's cool technology, but it wouldn't really make my life easier.

 

Don't see it as a viable upgrade, yeah, too many things to keep in hand. On the other hand, with my wife's MKX, all we do is walk up to the car, grab the handle--it unlocks. Step in, push on the brake, push the start button, and go. Not going to help having a smartphone app.
Joe

 

I'd love to be able to remote start my truck in the dead of winter as I'm getting off the plane (where the key wouldn't do it until I'm practically there). Luckily the 6.2 warms up pretty quick, but it'd be nice to have it cranking hot air by the time I get to it. If I lived back in AZ, this would be nice on those hot summer days when you know you'll be at your truck soon but far enough away where the key fob wouldn't work. Skin + leather + 110F = not fun.

The price is a bit steep for me to make the jump though.

 

This would be nice on those cold days or very hot ones. I read the website..2011 and on the SD's.

 

I've had this on my truck for 4yrs now, via Viper Smart Start. Works great, also you can add a gps feature that allows you to see exactly where the vehicle is from your phone.

 

The app does more than lock and unlock your doors. It has the ability to email/text you if doors are breached. And for the older crowd you can have the lights flash and honk the horn if you forget where you parked. Wouldn't that be nice to know if someone is breaking into your truck? I think so.
Think I will swing by the dealer and see how much this app/package costs.

 

How long will it take for someone to hack that application?

 

You mean besides the NSA? I was wondering that too.

We have come a long way though. Now your truck can send you a Dear John letter as it's being driven off.

 

teehee !


some slickness to talk you into it

 

I had a friend who was able to create a program that was able to crack GM vehicles with his smartphone or a laptop. It was pretty cool messing with a few friends trucks. Word had gotten around about it so it was deleted and the whole program was erased.

 

With GM you're talking about cracking into Onstar or was it a direct line of sight communication? Just curious what kind of hardware is required for that sort of thing.

Not that I'm going to try and duplicate his efforts. I have enough trouble operating my smartphone. I'm just curios about the level of difficulty involved from the thief's perspective.

 

It was a direct line type of thing. He made it for fun to play a prank on a few friends. They had to have the APP running on the owners phone or tablet. Pretty much if they used an un-secure wifi network you can access it through the router. You really had to be within a few feet of the person and it was buggy but funny. It only worked on the 06 models IIRC. You can probably google plans to make something similar. In a nutshell it was a base for a 3rd party app like mentioned above.