# What problem is keyless ignition trying to solve? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 25, 2012, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-problem-is-keyless-ignition-trying-to-solve/635801 "2012-09-25T17:40:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-problem-is-keyless-ignition-trying-to-solve/635801/61 "2012-09-27T22:23:45Z")
how does one “wire the door locks to the gas line?” ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-problem-is-keyless-ignition-trying-to-solve/635801/62 "2012-09-27T23:03:44Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Well the people at Dodge need to look into that little feature! My Prius is very quiet indeed when you park it, since usually the gasoline engine turns off. If you turn it off when it isn’t in Park (and there is a button to put it there, it is not on the gear control) it puts itself in park for you. From a Drive gear at least, I don’t know if it does that in Neutral. I have forgotten more than once, never any problem. ---
**Author:** ![Sacrilegium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f05b48/32.png) [@Sacrilegium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sacrilegium)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-problem-is-keyless-ignition-trying-to-solve/635801/63 "2012-09-28T00:16:16Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > how does one “wire the door locks to the gas line?” You got me, but that’s what they offered. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-problem-is-keyless-ignition-trying-to-solve/635801/64 "2012-09-28T01:33:43Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > Ha, I think if I had a teenager starting to drive I’d rather have him/her have to ask me for the key! Actually, I’m surprised that they haven’t already started to make cars where a specific key can be disabled via a web site or calling into a phone number. Since most cars are equipped with on-star or similar, it would be nothing to allow owners to disable fobs from remote. (Think, kid was told NOT to use the car, but takes it anyway) Also, I could see allowing cars to be programmed that certain fobs are only good for certain days of the week and specific times of day. This would be great for business cars, but again, say JR is only supposed to use the car for school and back. JR will know that if he isn’t home by 6pm, he’s walking. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-problem-is-keyless-ignition-trying-to-solve/635801/65 "2012-09-28T01:36:35Z")
> [@Krouget](#): > > I can understand this. > > Many new cars, when idling under normal engine operating temps, but without the radiator fans running, can be extremely silent. If you’re paying casual attention, you can certainly miss it. 🙂 > > Again, we can cherry-pick items for any situation, but it’s just something you get used to. Well, it does make sense that if the FOB is OUTSIDE of the vehicle, that the vehicle should put itself into park. Not too many drivers jump out of a moving car and want it to stay moving. So, it could also beep out to any FOB that is walking away… sort of a “WTF? Am I waiting or do you want me to shut donw?” ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-problem-is-keyless-ignition-trying-to-solve/635801/66 "2012-09-28T01:43:51Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Yeah, but you still need to handle the fob to unlock the doors or trunk - so (in my case) they need to come out of your pocket and then back into it. If it’s like my Altima, you don’t need to take the fob out of your pocket to unlock the doors or trunk. The doors and trunk have a button on them that will unlock them if the fob is nearby, e.g. in your pocket. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-problem-is-keyless-ignition-trying-to-solve/635801/67 "2012-09-28T05:49:35Z")
I live in the frozen north of Alberta, Canada. Turning on the car from the comfort of the kitchen is a _godsend_ here, in the wintertime. You walk out and the windows are already defogged and you don’t have to sit there for five minutes before you can move while your kids cry in their car-seats. Your penis hardly has time to retreat into your torso. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-problem-is-keyless-ignition-trying-to-solve/635801/68 "2012-09-28T10:10:49Z")
> [@Enkel](#): > > Actually, I’m surprised that they haven’t already started to make cars where a specific key can be disabled via a web site or calling into a phone number. Since most cars are equipped with on-star or similar, it would be nothing to allow owners to disable fobs from remote. (Think, kid was told NOT to use the car, but takes it anyway) > > Also, I could see allowing cars to be programmed that certain fobs are only good for certain days of the week and specific times of day. This would be great for business cars, but again, say JR is only supposed to use the car for school and back. JR will know that if he isn’t home by 6pm, he’s walking. Maybe not that far away. Ford has a pretty good start: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MyKey](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MyKey) ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2012, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-problem-is-keyless-ignition-trying-to-solve/635801/69 "2012-09-28T14:20:41Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > Your penis hardly has time to retreat into your torso. :eek: 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-problem-is-keyless-ignition-trying-to-solve/635801.md?page=3)