Using FordPass App as key fob

[Penco]

Does any of you are as bothered as I am that the key FOB is huge?

The bulge in my pants side pocket could be welcome for other reasons but I really dislike how big and useless a key FOB is now a days. Specially these days I don't even carry a key for my house anymore.

So I called FordPass support and I asked if the app will become the FOB in the future as it is already for the Mustang Mack E and they could not give me a straight answer. So I left my feedback and recommendation so they can consider this for the future.

I really don't want to go to a third party (viper or https://mobokey.com/ )to eliminate the original Ford FOB key when FordPass already exist and one of their car has the function that I will like.

My bronco is manual and I live in Miami so remote start is not my priority but phone as a key and proximity automatic lock/unlock is what I am looking for.

What is your opinion? would you go and risk it with a third party app like Mobkey or Viper to do these?

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[Whinney 2112]

I was just commenting on this this morning. The fob is heavier and bulkier than my husband's 22 Nissan Titan's.
Not a huge deal as it just stays in my purse... but it would be nice to have my phone serve that purpose. No remote start for me either... Yayyyy team manual!!

 

[Penco]

I usually leave my key fob in the vehicle and use the keypad to get into the vehicle. No need for some fancy keyless phone entry thing.

But you can unlock/lock the vehicle with the FordPass app—it requires a cellular network to function properly, but it works pretty well. (I assume this is also what the Mach-E uses, but never seen a Mach-E in person so not sure.)

Well for your first comment, I leave in Miami so I will never leave my FOB inside my car specially with a soft top. It is too risky!

For your second point yes I can open and close from the app but what I am looking for is proximity automatically open and close the locks and that the phone physically becomes the fob for the car.

I am sorry, I know my next comment is sacrilegious but my wife's tesla works this way and is so comfortable. You approach the car, it opens and turns on automatically. You get out of the car and walk off, the car turns off and locks automatically.

I know this might look superfluous or somewhat ridiculous for a rugged bronco owner but it is nonetheless super convenient.

 

[Penco]

I was just commenting on this this morning. The fob is heavier and bulkier than my husband's 22 Nissan Titan's.
Not a huge deal as it just stays in my purse... but it would be nice to have my phone serve that purpose. No remote start for me either... Yayyyy team manual!!

Yea right!

Manual transmission is the way!!!
check out my first sticker!

 

[drew707]

There’s some coding present regarding PAAK (Phone As A Key) but I believe you’re still limited to the software side of the FordPass app to be able to use it. It’s been one of my dream list things to mess around and try to get working.

 

[Penco]

There’s some coding present regarding PAAK (Phone As A Key) but I believe you’re still limited to the software side of the FordPass app to be able to use it. It’s been one of my dream list things to mess around and try to get working.

Using Forescan?

I am in to help you in your findings. I have full access and I don't mind experimenting.

 

[mybikeisred]

I went a step further. There’s a thread on here about scriptable widgets. I followed the instructions to create Siri shortcuts to do everything the ford pass app does. Now I don’t even need to open the app, just say, “Hey Siri, unlock my car,“ or “start my car.”

I had tried creating similar shortcuts on my own before I saw that thread. I got frustrated and gave up. I wasn’t even close.

 

[nwGTS]

Yea right!

Manual transmission is the way!!!
check out my first sticker!

I found the ageist a-hole, everyone.

*millennial who owns three manual cars

 

[mybikeisred]

There’s some coding present regarding PAAK (Phone As A Key) but I believe you’re still limited to the software side of the FordPass app to be able to use it. It’s been one of my dream list things to mess around and try to get working.

So you wouldn‘t still need the fob present to put it in gear?

 

[604Bronco]

Tesla has it nailed down - You can drive that car with just your phone, or a credit card-style key. All vehicles should adopt this...

 

[elseminoleguapo]

Fellow Miamian here. I too would never leave a fob in the car. I've been using the FordPass app to remote start and lock/unlock here and there. Within close range it works, but there is a noticeable lag and don't count on it working much beyond 100+ feet or so. That's been my experience, anyway.

 

[Penco]

I found the ageist a-hole, everyone.

*millennial who owns three manual cars

No disrespect my friend, it is just a bad joke!

 

[drew707]

Using Forescan?

I am in to help you in your findings. I have full access and I don't mind experimenting.

I appreciate the offer but after doing the lane centering modifications I don’t want to incur these risks onto others. There’s many steps of trial and error involved and it takes pushing through errors sometimes to get past. If a module bricks or something goes wrong I would hate for that to fall on anyone. Again I’m glad people are willing to experiment but I don’t want to provide information to anyone until there’s actually some momentum and security that it will be possible. Especially given that the PAAK mod could result in not being able to start the vehicle with your key.

So you wouldn‘t still need the fob present to put it in gear?

That’s in the air but the Mach E only comes with one fob when you buy it, they want you to use the PAAK. However the Mach E (and 2021+ F-150) use shift by wire unlike the shift by cable Bronco’s. However the interlock regardless is electronic so that shouldn’t matter. So if configured properly (huge if) it should be the same and you won’t need the key. But I don’t own a Mach E so I don’t have too much knowledge about the pairing process and if there is a FordPass specific communication or any other software events that goes on. I know Android’s FordPass is about to get a major overhaul release soon so at the least I’ll try to see if I can decipher some code in the app that may help point me in a better direction. The base of my knowledge so far on this is that it’s a Bluetooth link and it’s just a secure handshake to use the phone as your key. Time will tell though. For now I’ll be digging through Mach E codes to see what and where PAAK goes through. With the smallest hope, PAAK should be able to be deliverable as a software update in the future.

The Mach E does use a different SYNC system though. It’s 4A instead of the Bronco and F-150’s 4. I believe the Edge uses 4A as well though so it’s not too exclusive to the point PAAK would be isolated to the SYNC system just sharing the possibility it might. They’re both 32GB hardware units just some differences in the HMI for people who buy trucks vs people who buy luxury cars. The development of SYNC Android is being ran on this hardware currently so I imagine when that comes out next year PAAK may see a wider release across more vehicles.

 

[JTBros]

Yea right!

Manual transmission is the way!!!
check out my first sticker!

This always amuses me cause with a manual car with a manual handbrake (granted Bronco doesn’t have one) if you have a way of towing it and want to steal it you can just pop it into neutral and rollll it on away.

I found the ageist a-hole, everyone.

*millennial who owns three manual cars

Don’t say “ok boomer!” -people who put these stickers on their cars

 

[Penco]

This always amuses me cause with a manual car with a manual handbrake (granted Bronco doesn’t have one) if you have a way of towing it and want to steal it you can just pop it into neutral and rollll it on away.

Don’t say “ok boomer!” -people who put these stickers on their cars

Jejejeje you are right! but for the automatic there is the manual override for the transmission shifter that allows you to put in neutral as well. I guess it is even!

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