An car feature I didn't think I'd grow to like this much

[Feneant2]

I'll give up keyless entry for a car starter any day. The only 3 things I need in my car are A/C, remote start and cruise control. I don't care if about anything else.

As to the thieves using keyless entry hacks, I imagine they've been doing so for years. About 10 years ago on a Toyota someone went through and stole all my change, then did the same to the neighbors Toyota. I called the cops after catching him in the act (he ran away mind you) and they said 'you left your doors unlocked' and wouldn't consider that maybe the thief could get by the keyless entry.

 

[NoCreativity]

Didn't think I'd like it either but it's very handy especially with two small kids. Too bad the wife's car is the only one with it. She also has heated steering wheel and remote start. I would love all three on my next car but since I'll probably buy used I'll have to settle for what I can get.

 

[rh71]

My keyless entry isn't the new kind where you just walk up, I have a button on the door. It's still really nice though, and I streamline it by pressing the button to let myself in but using the fob to lock it while I walk away. Very easy.

What's nice about the system on my X5 is every door handle can be used for locking (no button but touch sensitive). I frequently touch the rear driver-side door instead as I'm walking away... don't have to stop and wait for the closing driver door.

I've got ACC. Again, not a super nice system (it's a 2011 Hyundai) but it does the job for sure. Following and crusing are both easy with it, but every now and then while crusing it'll see the car in front of me going slower, but not slow down by letting off the gas and instead using the brakes. If you just pulled out from behind a slower car and are in the gas that can be kind of jarring. It is very good though, has never missed a car or seen one when there wasn't one, just it kind of likes brakes and gas, not coasting.

Interesting. We have a 2013 Hyundai and I didn't see an option for ACC. I wonder if other manufacturers do better with the sudden accel/braking. Wasn't available back in '08 when I ordered, but I think BMW's current adaptive cruise is a $3k option. Ouch.

 

[shortylickens]

When I put a Viper in my Chevy it let me remote start. Pretty much only useful for really cold winter mornings, but DAMN was it nice on those mornings.

Moved to a Nissan lost the remote start but gained the touchless unlock and push button ignition, which wasnt too shabby either. The rare times I gotta drive my mothers car (mechanic or gasoline) I feel so primitive.

 

[zinfamous]

I came here to complain about the opening article in the thread title.

 

[PricklyPete]

I came here to complain about the opening article in the thread title.

You must be one of them intellectuals!

 

[JulesMaximus]

What's nice about the system on my X5 is every door handle can be used for locking (no button but touch sensitive). I frequently touch the rear driver-side door instead as I'm walking away... don't have to stop and wait for the closing driver door.

Interesting. We have a 2013 Hyundai and I didn't see an option for ACC. I wonder if other manufacturers do better with the sudden accel/braking. Wasn't available back in '08 when I ordered, but I think BMW's current adaptive cruise is a $3k option. Ouch.

Our Mercedes are the same. It's a nice feature.

Another thing I can't live without is integrated bluetooth. It is so nice to just select a name out of my contacts and just press a button to make a call. I never even take my phone out of my pocket or have to touch it.

 

[dullard]

I came here to complain about the opening article in the thread title.

You clearly are forgetting about the silent 'c' in car.

 

[vi edit]

Agreed, our last 4 cars (including the current 2) have it and when I drive a car that doesn’t, just feels awkward.

Latest 3 features that are growing on me:

1) heated steering wheel - I LOVE this feature

2) 360 parking cameras/sensors -just make parking in the city way more convenient

3) HUD - never look down anymore for speed, changing songs, or navigation info

YES. I got a heated steering wheel in my Pacifica. It's amazeballs. It's crazy how much creature comfort you gain on a chilly day wrapping your hands around a nice toasty steering wheel.

 

[Fritzo]

I hate this concept from a security perspective. When stuff like this is designed rarely is security taken into consideration. Now thieves can break into cars using an arduino without leaving any damage, and insurance won't cover it because they'll just say you left your doors unlocked. I can see how it would be convenient though such as when your hands are full and it's winter so you have mitts on, and it saves you from trying to fumble around for keys.

We build a radio capture device at my office out of a Raspberry Pi and a 12dbi directional antenna that allows us to capture the signals from your key fob, replicate them, and unlock most people's cars in our parking lot. (It doesn't work on some European cars though...I think they use a dual channel system. Might be why.)

 

[IronWing]

YES. I got a heated steering wheel in my Pacifica. It's amazeballs. It's crazy how much creature comfort you gain on a chilly day wrapping your hands around a nice toasty steering wheel.

I like heated seats. It's fun to turn on someone's seat in summertime.

 

[msi1337]

I like heated seats. It's fun to turn on someone's seat in summertime.

I was just talking to someone today about how much I love my heated seats.

 

[rh71]

Another thing I can't live without is integrated bluetooth. It is so nice to just select a name out of my contacts and just press a button to make a call. I never even take my phone out of my pocket or have to touch it.

My phone is always out on the magnet vent holder. GPS is much faster/modern/updated (traffic) than the car's system. Especially as the car ages. Also texts (at stop lights, etc.). I only use bluetooth for the music in the '13. In my '08, I have to use an aux cable as the bluetooth was not yet advanced enough (just handles phone calls).

While more technology means more can break (and I had to get my bluetooth mic fixed 3 years ago), I wouldn't go back.

 

[LikeLinus]

Lol here the criminals go for the "higher end" neighborhoods. They are more likely to have good stuff. But realy they don't discriminate. There is a drug ring in my city and they check every car every night. I think everyone just covers their own block and they go at it. Most of them don't bother if it's locked, they just go to each house and check all the doors.

Sadly crime has been going up here as this was never an issue.

Story time is fun. It's like listening to a 7 year old tell a story and how grand it gets as they tell it.

You've got a drug ring covering your entire city that goes car by car every night. Not only that, they just cover their own blocks, but because, well, you know, drug dealers live on every block in an entire city. Only the nicer ones though.

 

[bradly1101]

I'll give up keyless entry for a car starter any day. The only 3 things I need in my car are A/C, remote start and cruise control. I don't care if about anything else.

As to the thieves using keyless entry hacks, I imagine they've been doing so for years. About 10 years ago on a Toyota someone went through and stole all my change, then did the same to the neighbors Toyota. I called the cops after catching him in the act (he ran away mind you) and they said 'you left your doors unlocked' and wouldn't consider that maybe the thief could get by the keyless entry.

Anything not to do paperwork.

 

[local]

The more tech the more there is to break. Remote locking and unlocking is the most high tech thing I want in a vehicle and I went 5 years without that when the door lock actuator broke in my Ford and I only fixed that because the wife was tired of reaching across to open the passenger side door to load kids.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Story time is fun. It's like listening to a 7 year old tell a story and how grand it gets as they tell it.

You've got a drug ring covering your entire city that goes car by car every night. Not only that, they just cover their own blocks, but because, well, you know, drug dealers live on every block in an entire city. Only the nicer ones though.

Well it's just a speculation at this point, pretty much everyone figures the same thing as people who have cameras keep track of this stuff more and report on our FB page as it happens. Cops don't do anything, so it's up to citizens to watch out for themselves. I do know that the 2 times I accidentally left my car unlocked, both of those times I had someone go in, thankfully I don't store much but I could tell someone rummaged through as the seats were not set the same way, glove box was open etc. Cars are checked on a nightly basis so it's probably safe to assume they are more than one person part of this ring and they divide up the work.

Bike theft is another bad one, but not sure if it's part of the same operation, as it is very specific, they only go after children bikes. Weirdest thing. Those ones are actually worse in a way as they break into sheds and stuff. The car ones rarely actually break into cars they just check every parked car in driveways if it's unlocked.

The issue is not about a "bad" vs "good" neighborhood. The thieves are organized and cover the whole city every night. Forget to lock something just once and you WILL get stolen from, it's 100% guarantee.

At least we hardly get any murders here. I say hardly, because we did get one a few years back. :/ Yeah this town used to not have this much crime.

 

[Red Squirrel]

We build a radio capture device at my office out of a Raspberry Pi and a 12dbi directional antenna that allows us to capture the signals from your key fob, replicate them, and unlock most people's cars in our parking lot. (It doesn't work on some European cars though...I think they use a dual channel system. Might be why.)

Yeah come to think of it even the existing key fobs are probably not all that secure either. Though I always figured it had some kind of two way hand shake, does it not? Given those have been around forever I'm surprised we don't see those hacked more tbh. At least you can't drive away with the car even if you hack that though!

 

[bradly1101]

YES. I got a heated steering wheel in my Pacifica. It's amazeballs. It's crazy how much creature comfort you gain on a chilly day wrapping your hands around a nice toasty steering wheel.

Even with the cold spots?

http://www.pacificaforums.com/forum/393-interior/25137-heated-steering-wheel-could-improved.html

 

[Red Squirrel]

Heated seats and heated steering wheel is something I'd love. You only really get that in the fancy/new cars though and I can't justify that kind of money. I could in theory make my own with nichrome wire though. Could be a fun project. Extra comfort with slight risk of a car fire.

 

[vi edit]

Even with the cold spots?

http://www.pacificaforums.com/forum/393-interior/25137-heated-steering-wheel-could-improved.html

Limited models have that issue. I have the low rent touring L plus. It doesn't have the metal ring around it.

 

[skull]

That and the general high trunk-line look car designers only get away with because of backup cameras and sensors result in less visibility when looking backwards.

No one taught you how to use your mirrors? Real trucks with tons of dry storage have zero visibility without mirrors. They've been around for decades. I'm just joking pick up trucks aren't real trucks, I miss mine I need to buy another.

 

[Fritzo]

Yeah come to think of it even the existing key fobs are probably not all that secure either. Though I always figured it had some kind of two way hand shake, does it not? Given those have been around forever I'm surprised we don't see those hacked more tbh. At least you can't drive away with the car even if you hack that though!

Chrylsers and Fords seem to be the easiest to clone. Chryslers especially- we had a guy's side doors opening at closing from 40' away from a laptop.

 

[spacejamz]

I think Honda is the only one that had an actual camera on the passenger side (instead of just beeping if it detects another car) so you can actually see your blind spot without having to turn your head completely around....

This feature seems to be hit or miss as some Honda owners really liked it and others not so much. It does take up the information screen though but I would rather have the blind spot view...This is this feature I miss most when I have to get a rental for work...

Honda is phasing it out as it wont be on the 2018 Accords and I think it was already gone from the CRV's and Odyssey vans...

 

[dullard]

YES. I got a heated steering wheel in my Pacifica. It's amazeballs. It's crazy how much creature comfort you gain on a chilly day wrapping your hands around a nice toasty steering wheel.

I would only moderately want a heated steering wheel. Proper gloves are easy to put on before getting in. However, a heated drivers side floor would be heaven. It would be cheap and easy to implement, so I don't know why car manufacturers don't really do it.

All I've ever seen in the dozens of cars that I've driven is that some have a slightly better angle of the heated air blowing towards your feet. But it never actually warms your feet. Far too often every part of me in a car is toasty warm, to the point of nearly sweating, but my feet are almost frostbitten. And carrying around winter boots to just change into when you start driving is not nearly as easy as having proper gloves in your coat pocket.