General EV Conversation
Lead Lap
Joined: Sep 2020
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As it’s currently configured it doesn’t but I believe you can customize. However I do know it shows range when you hit reserve fuel which I’m too familiar with. 🫣
We went on a roadtrip only to find out after leaving home we didn’t have any physical key job or the digital credit card style key. Car was ran from digital key on our phone. If for some reason, it failed hundreds of miles away we would’ve been screwed.
Phone / watch as a key (or smart card as a key) generally does not require cellular service as the key uses Bluetooth LE or RFID for smartcards. RFID doesn't require any power but it has a very limited range. Bluetooth LE has a reasonable range.
So yes, there may be edge cases where your watch and phone are out power and you would need another way to access the car.
But at the risk of pointing out the blindingly obvious, you could also lose your physical keys. Does that mean physical keys are not "ready for real world use"?
As an aside, if I were to rely on my phone for my truck and I lost the phone or it ran out of power, I can access my truck using a keypad and I can start and drive the car using a PIN/password. My truck doesn't require any kind of key if you have the keypad and have set up the PIN/password.
So yes, there may be edge cases where your watch and phone are out power and you would need another way to access the car.
But at the risk of pointing out the blindingly obvious, you could also lose your physical keys. Does that mean physical keys are not "ready for real world use"?
As an aside, if I were to rely on my phone for my truck and I lost the phone or it ran out of power, I can access my truck using a keypad and I can start and drive the car using a PIN/password. My truck doesn't require any kind of key if you have the keypad and have set up the PIN/password.
We went on a roadtrip only to find out after leaving home we didn’t have any physical key job or the digital credit card style key. Car was ran from digital key on our phone. If for some reason, it failed hundreds of miles away we would’ve been screwed.
Lead Lap
Joined: May 2010
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From: San Diego, CA
and you don’t need cell signal to restart an app or the whole watch.
Is the watch on a cellular plan?
anyway, i have the tesla ‘credit card’ style key in my phone wallet if for some reason my watch or phone doesn’t work.
Lexus Champion
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Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2011
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From: ON/NY
…restarting the app is different than updating an app.
anyway, i have the tesla ‘credit card’ style key in my phone wallet if for some reason my watch or phone doesn’t work
Last edited by Toys4RJill; Oct 11, 2025 at 03:16 PM.
Lexus Champion
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Since 2023 I've been using only my phone to drive both our Tesla's with zero issues except the occasional restarting BT, which takes literally 3 seconds. I can't wait until they add support for Android watches... although I still need my phone for other things, like posting here on CL 
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Maryland
Since 2023 I've been using only my phone to drive both our Tesla's with zero issues except the occasional restarting BT, which takes literally 3 seconds. I can't wait until they add support for Android watches... although I still need my phone for other things, like posting here on CL
I trust the Tesla phone as a key 100% since I have NEVER had a problem with it to drive even when the phone wouldn’t connect to the car for some reason and it has done that a few times recently even after a reboot of the car and phone.
With my old BMW I just didn’t trust my phone only as a key and always had the fob on me.
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Lead Lap
Joined: Sep 2020
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Since 2023 I've been using only my phone to drive both our Tesla's with zero issues except the occasional restarting BT, which takes literally 3 seconds. I can't wait until they add support for Android watches... although I still need my phone for other things, like posting here on CL
I know you won’t. You will buy a hybrid before that happens😆
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