Greetings, my fellow port swillers!
Ol’ Robbo has noticed of late that certain producers of SUV’s are now offering some kind of New and Improved Technology® whereby, assuming your hands are full, all you need to do in order to get the back hatch open is kick some kind of sensor underneath the chassis, causing said hatch to swing upward.
Frankly, this puzzles me.
Let’s assume first that the car is locked, say in a parking lot somewhere. On the one hand, surely the technology doesn’t permit any random thug to shove his toes under the back bumper and pop the hatch? On the other hand, if you have to fish in your pockets to get out your keys to unlock the car before you apply the foot, well, don’t you already have a hand free anyway?
Well, okay. Then let’s assume the car is unlocked, say in your garage or driveway. Um, if you’re home already, what’s to stop you opening the hatch before you fill up your arms with parcels or bags or coolers or whatever it is?
Frankly, I’m puzzled.
Either I’m missing some critical piece of the math here, or else the auto industry is trying to foist a useless technology on a gullible publick. (And using it as an excuse to up the purchase price.)
Friends of the decanter probably know which way I’m leaning…..
UPDATE: Yes, I seem to have missed the math. From teh comments, I gather that the technology involves some kind of radio-frequency device that one keeps about one’s person and that teh car “reads” when one is near, after which said car activates its various electronic thingies, including the foot sensor that was the object of my initial snark.
Eh, so I made a fool of myself to the two or three friends of the decanter who still drop by, rambling on about a non-existent issue. On teh other hand, I will say that when SkyNet initiates its primary function and all those fob-enabled vehicles start eating their owners (“Fob? Nom…Nom…Nom…), I’m simply going to insert my good, old-fashioned key into my good, old-fashioned Wrangler and head for teh hills. I may even laugh….
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August 26, 2013 at 5:38 am
captainned
Ah, but the foot switch doesn’t work unless you have the proper key fob/radio transmitter in your pocket.
The ultra-brands (Ferrari, Porsche, Aston, etc) did the keyless thing 3-4 years ago and now everyone is jumping on. It’s all based on RFID technology which is dismal because of how easy it is to hack.
Stick with any car with a simple metal key.
August 26, 2013 at 9:09 am
Vicki
I was going to say the same thing with regards to the fob.
If anyone has said fob, like I do, remember: a warm fob is a happy fob.
Happy happy happy.
August 26, 2013 at 3:51 pm
NOVA Curmudgeon
My new vehicle came with a fob as well and I’ve had to make some small adjustments to my routine, such as:
1. Leaving the fob with the wife when I hop out with the car running so the blasted alarm doesn’t start beeping
2. Remembering you need to dig it out of your pocket when leave the vehicle with a valet.
Isnt technology wonderful? And yes Vicki, a warm fob is a happy fob.
August 27, 2013 at 2:10 am
Robbo
So, I’m right, right? Hawt fob aside, not that there’s anything wrong with that except that I don’t want to know, you still need to have a hand free to deal with it, yes? And if that’s the case, why would you also need a foot switch?
Then, of course, there’s the whole electronic hacking thingie. Bring me foot-long, iron skeleton-keys.
August 27, 2013 at 3:30 am
captainned
No, it’s hands-free. The car is constantly emitting a radio signal and when the fob gets close enough it returns enough of the signal with the proper code to tell the car’s brain that the unlocker is close enough and unlocks the doors/allows the foot switch to work.
August 28, 2013 at 1:21 pm
NOVA Curmudgeon
When Skynet does function, all of us will be jockeying with you on the crowded roads as most fobs I’m aware of have keys that can be removed and actually used in the lock as well when needed.
August 30, 2013 at 2:56 am
Robbo
Ah, NOVA C, but I’ll have the gunslingers’ drop, d’ye see? While you people are grabbing your fobs, not that there’s anything wrong with that, I’ll already have gone for my key. While you’re stuck in teh jam around Haymarket, I’ll already be cruising through teh Bull Run Mountains and deciding which by-way on which to jig to avoid pursuit.