Published on : 28 August 20194 min reading time
Many people are happy about keyless door lock on cars, while others say that there is some danger behind an upgrade like this. As any other convenient device, it brings both benefits and worries at the same time.
Keyless door locks have been around since 1982 when Ford Motor Company introduced them on the 1982 Thunderbirds. The first systems were a set of five numbers on a keypad on a front door of a vehicle. The code had to be entered within certain time frame: this allowed the owner of the auto to have enough time to enter a well-remembered combination, but it would be too short for drunk drivers or thieves to break in. The keypad was especially appreciated by those who would accidently lock the keys in the vehicle and could return inside without calling a locksmith.
After some time Ford gave up the idea of keyless entry on the cars, but due to complains of customers and strong recommendations from dealers, the auto manufacturer has come back to this option. Right now the keypad entry system is a standard feature on every Lincoln Town Car.
The keypad is not the only way to open / lock a vehicle without inserting a key. Many owners of new cars have remote key fobs. These are little remotes that serve for different functions with a simple push of a button. It can lock / unlock the door, open the trunk, start the engine, or activate panic button, which helps finding the vehicle on a crowded parking. These functions are absolutely convenient and many car owners cannot imagine now how they would do without key fobs. When the trunk can be opened by a push of a button, there is no need to set the groceries down, dig in a purse for keys and open the door. When it is freezing outside, nobody wants to sit in a cold vehicle, so one push of a button warms up the interior and lets the passengers get into a warm auto.
Besides the convenience there is another good side of the keyless lock: it is safer than standard key lock. They say that in the old times there used to be such locks on vehicles that could be open with a lollipop stick. They have improved with time, but the thieves’ skills improved as well. According to the statistics there are fewer cars stolen with this feature. Although some people might worry that a combination can be discovered easily for the keypad, it is not true. There are cases when even these kinds of locks were opened, but it makes much harder for thieves to do so.
Most new vehicles come with a keyless entry system. Every auto manufacturer offers some kind of system like this on different models. If it is not a standard feature, the system can always be added optionally. It can be purchased and installed in almost any car accessory store. The price of it varies according to the number of functions the owner wants to have. For many people a keyless remote system lock is a great investment.
Along with the advantages of the keyless entry the car owner should know about the problems that might appear. Unwanted activation is named as the number one problem for those who have a remote keyless entry system. As a rule, it is the panic button which gets pressed when the keys are in a pocket, in a purse or the owner simply presses it instead of the other button. It activates a lot of noise, brings frustration and attracts a lot of attention.
Since the remotes work on batteries, their power eventually wears out. The battery is sealed in a plastic case of the remote and it has to be pried open for a change of a battery which can be purchased at any electronics retail store.
There might be some other problems, but they are not as common and happen rarely.