Huh? Car keys are a problem?

[mbarker]

I'm fascinated. We traded in our old car recently, and Mitsuko looked at ALL the new crop before deciding. She does the most driving, so I insisted that we get a car that she wanted. And she looked at little ones (no), big ones (no), and various other things. She decided that a Toyota Axio was the right car. But there were two things that particularly caught her attention.

The first was a new "no-key" system. You carry a widget, and pushing the little button on the door or sliding your hand in unlocks it. And pushbutton starter for the engine. She really wanted that -- almost got a Rumion because the one on the lot had that feature, until we sorted it out and found out that it was available on the Axio, too. I have to admit, I hadn't realized that getting keys out of her purse was quite so bothersome, but she assured me and the salesman that this was a GREAT feature for women.

The second was a reverse vision camera? So that when you put the car in reverse, the car navigation shows what's behind you. She says this is a present for me -- I hadn't realized that I was having trouble, but she assures me that I really need it. Not sure why, but we'll see. I do complain that the Japanese parking spaces are very narrow, and in most cases you back into them, so maybe this will help. And it definitely provides a better guide to avoid backing too far -- hum, I have had to ask her to get out and tell me how far to back up. Maybe that's why I need it?

That "no-key" door opening, though, was the thing that she really, really wanted. Frankly, I think she was waffling about whether to trade the car in or not, but once she saw that "no-key" option, it was decided. Kind of interesting -- I don't think the salesman understood that this was a real sales point for women. Bet he thought it was a gadget for the guys before that.

Are keys in purses really that difficult? I guess if your arms are full, and you have to open the purse, dig out the keys, put it in and turn it, now yank the door open -- and probably dump your purse in the process? Hum . . . okay, a ring of keys on the belt is a lot easier to handle. A wireless car fob that just needs to be somewhere in your purse or pocket is a big improvement.

So a "no-key" system is a winner. Just stick your hand in the handle and . . . beep, beep, it's open. Or press the button on the handle and . . . beep, it's locked. Start the car? Foot on the brake, press the button . . . vroom. Car fob -- can't get in without it.

Comments

[dialyn.livejournal.com]

How does the widget work? The car allows itself to be opened if you are in certain proximity to it? If widget wearing is standing near the car, can a non-widget wearing person open the door? I'm so 20th century.

Since all the accidents I've had have been the result of backing into things, I probably could use a rear view camera. My most notable accident happened going up a hill on a freeway. A sports car cut between me and a truck, I got startled, my dog got excited and she managed (somehow) to throw my car into reverse. As I started to drift backward down the hill into a SUV, the driver saw me coming toward him and he had the good sense to slow down and by doing so kept us from having a terrible accident. My little Nova ended up with a crushed trunk but otherwise no one was hurt. And I'm still driving the repaired Nova. Happy ending, so as to speak.

I don't think a rear view camera would have helped in that case, now that I think about it. I'm pretty impressed you can back up into slender parking spaces. That's a trick I've never accomplished successfully.

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Just got the car today, so we haven't played with it too much, but basically, if there's a widget nearby, the car lets the doors and trunk be opened. No widget, no play. The widget also has pushbutton lock, unlock, and open trunk buttons, but the big selling point is that you don't need to find the thing, just have it somewhere nearby. Then sliding your hand into the door handle as if to open it -- it unlocks. You do still need to pull the handle to open it, but it's pretty natural. Press the button on the door handle and it locks. Press the edge of the trunk and it unlocks.

Basically, yes, if someone has the widget close by, anyone can open or lock the car. So you could ask the children to open the door.

We think it will be easier. We'll see how it works out. It certainly seems as if not having to physically find the key and insert it should make things a bit easier.

I really hate backing up, but most Japanese parking is done that way. So I've more or less learned. I do find it difficult to judge whether I'm far enough back or not, so I often end up a bit forward. I think maybe that's why Mitsuko thought the camera would be good for me.

[dialyn.livejournal.com]

What keeps another person from getting into the car if you don't want them to? One of the things I don't like about my car is that all the doors unlock at the same time. I guess I just live in a state of paranoia, but that seems too convenient to me. I think what would be a selling point to you would be a discouragement to me (but then I live in a neighborhood where carjackings and car theft are common).

I do, however, like the idea of a rear view camera. I feel very insecure about backing...especially in my HHR which has round edges so it's hard for me to determine where I am in relationship to other objects (okay, that's an excuse...I would have trouble backing a box).

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Luckily, Japan is still pretty safe. I agree -- if I was still living in Boston, I'd be especially bothered by the fact that all the doors unlock. I think I've had a system where one click unlocked the driver's door, while two unlocked everything. But this one is probably okay here in Japan.