I'm surprised they still make cars without push button start

[Doppel]

Push button start (key never needs to come out of one's pocket or purse) has been around for a long time, but generally only in high-end cars. It's increasingly common, though; the Prius has it, most (all?) new Nissans do now as well, among others. Both of my cars have it, despite not being expensive. It also in both cases allows unlocking of the door without doing anything with the key--just pressing a button on the handle.

I cannot imagine this is expensive to make, but a lot of new vehicles still lack it. A co-worker bought a near fully loaded Highlander a couple years back that lacked it. The new Sienna appears only to have it with an expensive nav package.

I never thought I'd say it when I first heard of it but: I would refuse to drive a car without it now. It's so damn amazing that once this tiny little convenience seeps into one's life, I think it's hard to live without.

 

[HeXen]

They have it on cheaper cars too, the Ford Focus i think has it. But that is one of those features that is often part of a larger package of features. Just adding push button start but not remote start..etc seems kinda silly, some other person would think, why did they add this instead of heated seats or whatever. Gotta stop somewhere i guess to meet the price range.

Personally i don't think anything of push button start. IF i could choose a particular option, it woudln't be that...probably be better speakers or heated side mirrors or something like that.

 

[Ryan]

Yeah - I love the ability to just get in the car and go. After having a Prius and now Volt for a few years, it just seems like a no-brainer. Now, when I get into a regular car, it seems like a hassle to dig the keys out of my pocket and physically start the car.

 

[Murloc]

cheaper cars have it too, like the VWs.
But not the smallest lowest priced models, because that thing costs money and is not vital, it's just a small thing that is cool to have but not really a deal breaker for the average guy, it's just one of those premium things.

For me it's not a big improvement because I take wallet and keys out of my pockets to drive because I don't find it comfortable, if the pants are large they also fly out during the trip and that's annoying too.

Remote start-up and heating stuff seems useless to me, but the climate here is not extreme (although the hands do become all red and stuff in the morning because of the cold wheel). I guess this is a reason they are not included before the other features as a standard: most people don't need it.

 

[Kaido]

Yeah, my parents have a Nissan Versa hatchback and it has the neato key system. You can actually buy a really nice aftermarket kit for $599:

http://www.digitalguarddawg.com/KEYLESS-IGNITION-AUTO-PKE-PBS-COMBO-PG-1.htm

Button options are here:

http://www.digitalguarddawg.com/KEYLESS-IGNITION-AUTO--Opt PUSH-START-BUTTONS-FULL.html

It includes a push-button start system, plus a passive key entry system (RFID keycard included for your wallet). So when you walk within range of your car, it unlocks, then you get in and push the "Start" button and drive away! Pretty cool. I think that would be a real slick combo with a Viper SmartStart System: (smartphone remote start + GPS tracking)

http://www.viper.com/smartstart/

And the Automatic OBD-II system for smartphones:

http://www.automatic.com/

Pioneer makes some great car stereos that have Bluetooth streaming for calls & music: (both under $150)

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/CD-Receivers/DEH-X6500BT

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/CD-Receivers/FH-X700BT

It's amazing what you can do now to just about any car...RFID, push-button start, wireless OBD-II monitoring, Bluetooth calling & music streaming, you name it!

 

[HeXen]

Hassle to reach in your pocket? lmao. Wow, no wonder america is the way it is. How long until walking to your car becomes too much of a hassle i wonder, well knowing todays attitudes it probably already is just as it is to put up shopping carts.

Maybe i'm just getting to old, i'll have to learn that these are the ways of the future and that is just that.

 

[Doppel]

Hassle to reach in your pocket? lmao. Wow, no wonder america is the way it is.

I know. I won't apologize for it, but honestly it is a hassle getting my keys. As ludicrous as it sounds and admittedly is, I just find it burdensome now to grab keys out of pocket, select the correct one, put it in a hole, and twist it. And then reverse the entire procedure when I'm done driving?! Ugh.

But, that's my life. I curse the microwave's slowness. Everything can be better. Push button really is awesome. Have you regularly used a car with it? It may be like cellphones: you have to own one and get used to it to then appreciate how awful it is to not have it.

 

[Kaido]

Hassle to reach in your pocket? lmao. Wow, no wonder america is the way it is. How long until walking to your car becomes too much of a hassle i wonder, well knowing todays attitudes it probably already is just as it is to put up shopping carts.

Maybe i'm just getting to old, i'll have to learn that these are the ways of the future and that is just that.

It's not that it's hard, it's just that it's a really nice convenience feature that you get used to easily. It really is quite cool walking up to a car, opening the door, pushing the "Start" button, and driving away without having to unlock the car first or turn the keys in the ignition.

 

[Kaido]

How long until walking to your car becomes too much of a hassle i wonder

Well, since you asked...

http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/13/hitachi-ropits-transport-robot/

:biggrin:

 

[Ryan]

It's not that it's hard, it's just that it's a really nice convenience feature that you get used to easily. It really is quite cool walking up to a car, opening the door, pushing the "Start" button, and driving away without having to unlock the car first or turn the keys in the ignition.

Also, in the Volt, I turn the car off and walk away - it locks within 30 seconds of me getting out of the car.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Even some motorcycles have this now.

When I rented that Lotus years ago I got the keys, went out and folded myself into the driver's seat and proceeded to fumble about for 10 minutes trying to figure out how to start the darned thing. I gave up and walked back in to Enterprise and asked how to start the car. Turns out you have to put the key in the ignition, which I did, and turn the ignition on, which I did, then you push a button on the key fob and hold it while you push the start button on the dash. It is not intuitive at all.

 

[Mixolydian]

OK I admit I don't know much about cars, but I never understood the whole push-button start concept. Wouldn't it make it easier for people to steal your car? Smash a window, push a button and drive off?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Yeah, my parents have a Nissan Versa hatchback and it has the neato key system. You can actually buy a really nice aftermarket kit for $599:

http://www.digitalguarddawg.com/KEYLESS-IGNITION-AUTO-PKE-PBS-COMBO-PG-1.htm

Button options are here:

http://www.digitalguarddawg.com/KEYLESS-IGNITION-AUTO--Opt PUSH-START-BUTTONS-FULL.html

It includes a push-button start system, plus a passive key entry system (RFID keycard included for your wallet). So when you walk within range of your car, it unlocks, then you get in and push the "Start" button and drive away! Pretty cool. I think that would be a real slick combo with a Viper SmartStart System: (smartphone remote start + GPS tracking)

http://www.viper.com/smartstart/

And the Automatic OBD-II system for smartphones:

http://www.automatic.com/

Pioneer makes some great car stereos that have Bluetooth streaming for calls & music: (both under $150)

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/CD-Receivers/DEH-X6500BT

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/CD-Receivers/FH-X700BT

It's amazing what you can do now to just about any car...RFID, push-button start, wireless OBD-II monitoring, Bluetooth calling & music streaming, you name it!

I had a high end Pioneer bluetooth stereo in my last car and it would not pair automatically with my phone. I had to pair it manually everytime I got in my car. It was a pain in the ass.

The system in my Toyota is much better. It pairs automatically as soon as I start the car as long as bluetooth is enabled on my phone.

 

[JulesMaximus]

OK I admit I don't know much about cars, but I never understood the whole push-button start concept. Wouldn't it make it easier for people to steal your car? Smash a window, push a button and drive off?

You can't start it without the key fob. This is a frequent problem with valet parking because owners get out of the car with the key fob in their pocket then when the valet goes to move the car he gets in and it won't start.

 

[Mixolydian]

You can't start it without the key fob.

So in a way, you still need a key to start the car. WTF is the point?

 

[Kaido]

OK I admit I don't know much about cars, but I never understood the whole push-button start concept. Wouldn't it make it easier for people to steal your car? Smash a window, push a button and drive off?

It doesn't work without the RFID keyfob (wireless key). You keep the SmartKey in your pocket:

http://img.weiku.com//waterpicture/...ey_3button_314_85mhz_634656800806921272_1.jpg

It has an RFID chip inside, which is paired to your car. When you get near your car or leave the area, it activates/deactivates the system. Once inside the car, you push the button to start and it verifies it wirelessly against your RFID key and starts up (it's all instant, no delay).

Same thing with my wife's new Honda Civic (has regular keys with chips inside) - the keys have wireless tags inside, so even if you hotwire the car, you're not going anywhere since you don't have the key for the system to verify against.

 

[Mixolydian]

It doesn't work without the RFID keyfob (wireless key). You keep the SmartKey in your pocket:

http://img.weiku.com//waterpicture/...ey_3button_314_85mhz_634656800806921272_1.jpg

It has an RFID chip inside, which is paired to your car. When you get near your car or leave the area, it activates/deactivates the system. Once inside the car, you push the button to start and it verifies it wirelessly against your RFID key and starts up (it's all instant, no delay).

Same thing with my wife's new Honda Civic (has regular keys with chips inside) - the keys have wireless tags inside, so even if you hotwire the car, you're not going anywhere since you don't have the key for the system to verify against.

OK, that makes sense. Thanks!

 

[Kaido]

So in a way, you still need a key to start the car. WTF is the point?

Convenience. Why do you need a wireless house phone when you can have one with a cord? Because it's nice to have, that's all.

The key never leaves your pocket. You walk up to your car, open the door, hop in, push the start button, drive, get out, and it locks when you walk away. It's a surprisingly great feature to have in a car, even though it sounds gimmicky.

 

[Kaido]

OK, that makes sense. Thanks!

Np. I also think they have a door sensor, so it can tell when you are "inside" the car, to allow the pushbutton to activate when you push it.

Plus, it's just cool to simply push a button and have your car start up :awe:

 

[JulesMaximus]

It doesn't work without the RFID keyfob (wireless key). You keep the SmartKey in your pocket:

http://img.weiku.com//waterpicture/...ey_3button_314_85mhz_634656800806921272_1.jpg

It has an RFID chip inside, which is paired to your car. When you get near your car or leave the area, it activates/deactivates the system. Once inside the car, you push the button to start and it verifies it wirelessly against your RFID key and starts up (it's all instant, no delay).

Same thing with my wife's new Honda Civic (has regular keys with chips inside) - the keys have wireless tags inside, so even if you hotwire the car, you're not going anywhere since you don't have the key for the system to verify against.

My Ducati has an RFID chip in the key as well. You cannot hotwire the bike without that chip. A thief would need a complete ECU to hotwire my bike and ride it away.

Convenience. Why do you need a wireless house phone when you can have one with a cord? Because it's nice to have, that's all.

The key never leaves your pocket. You walk up to your car, open the door, hop in, push the start button, drive, get out, and it locks when you walk away. It's a surprisingly great feature to have in a car, even though it sounds gimmicky.

Agreed. It is a nice feature. No fumbling for keys, you just grab the door handle and the door unlocks, same with the trunk. I just walk up, push the soft touch button under the recess above the license plate and it opens. No key needed as long as the key fob is in your pocket.

 

[LTC8K6]

I like the system where the door also unlocks when you touch the handle. You don't have to do anything with a key or fob at all. It just needs to be with you.

Get in, sit down, foot on brake, push the button.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I like the system where the door also unlocks when you touch the handle. You don't have to do anything with a key or fob at all. It just needs to be with you.

Get in, sit down, foot on brake, push the button.

When I approach my car it gets ready for me by turning on the interior lights even before I touch the door handle.

 

[Kaido]

My Ducati has an RFID chip in the key as well. You cannot hotwire the bike without that chip. A thief would need a complete ECU to hotwire my bike and ride it away.

That AMA you posted about the motorcycle thief had some scary stuff about the BYO ECU! D:

 

[Kaido]

When I approach my car it gets ready for me by turning on the interior lights even before I touch the door handle.

The Altima I was checking out for my next lease had a model that had underglow by the doors when you walked up...very slick!

And I forget which car, but one of them actually popped out the door handle for you to grab :biggrin:

 

[Murloc]

alright, I said that I don't appreciate fully the push button but not having to unlock the car is good because I don't take out the stuff of my pockets until I'm in the car.
So yeah, I dig that.
Very useful when you have stuff on your hands, like bags, so you can just open the door and throw it in without fumbling with bags and keys.

Walking away trusting the autolock feature?
I will never be able to do that.