'Deadly' Keyless Ignitions

[DoctorX]

Just how stupid can some people be? I can't believe they'll achieve anything here.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/aug/27/wo...

[vikingaero]

The problem isn't just about stupid people. It's about greedy American lawyers. A mass cull of lawyers is the only way forward.

[MaziA]

"Only in America".

[Rincewind209]

But why don't they switch off, they can switch of at traffic lights etc.

[Super Slo Mo]

Hang on, that article goes on about Carbon Monoxide poisoning, I thought that problem or feature of exhaust emissions had all but vanished with the advent of the catalytic convertor.

That's why people don't gas themselves in cars anymore isn't it?

[Blaster72]

Super Slo Mo said:

Hang on, that article goes on about Carbon Monoxide poisoning, I thought that problem or feature of exhaust emissions had all but vanished with the advent of the catalytic convertor.

That's why people don't gas themselves in cars anymore isn't it?

Mmm, good point! Don't diesels still produce CO2 though, maybe they throw out enough to cause problems if left long enough.

[IceBoy]

Doh !

[PowerslideSWE]

Cars with a catalytic coverter still produces carbon monoxinde, just not in the same quantity as an older car without a catalytic converter.

Edit: People who can't tell if they actually turned the engine of or not shouldn't be allowed to operate any kind of machinery, let alone a car. Only in the U.S...

Edited by PowerslideSWE on Thursday 27th August 08:38

[Super Slo Mo]

Blaster72 said:

Mmm, good point! Don't diesels still produce CO2 though, maybe they throw out enough to cause problems if left long enough.

CO2 is Carbon Dioxide, without wishing to state the obvious. I understood that the Carbon Monoxide output from diesels was extremely low, although whether it's below the danger threshold I have no idea.

The other thing though is that it's the USA we're talking about, where they have very few diesel cars in general use.

[LordGrover]

telegraph said:

...drivers leave their vehicles running after taking their electronic key fobs with them, under the mistaken belief that the engines will shut off.

The drivers' "mistaken belief" - i.e. mistake of the drivers.

I doubt even US lawyers hold out much hope if that's their case.

[The Wookie]

Devils advocate for a moment: driver pulls up in garage attached to house, stop/start kicks in and engine cuts, driver hops out with key in his pocket and wanders off for his dinner not realising the car is still effectively switched on, battery starts to drain with the electrical systems on, stop/start detects this and fires the car back up, car sits idling in garage all night gradually gassing the occupants of the house who have no idea it's running.

That would be st design.

[Super Slo Mo]

My car knows if you get out and shut the doors whilst leaving the ignition on. It sets off a warning buzzer, and won't allow the car to be driven. I might test it to see if it lets the engine kick in, I suspect it won't.

[The Wookie]

Super Slo Mo said:

My car knows if you get out and shut the doors whilst leaving the ignition on. It sets off a warning buzzer, and won't allow the car to be driven. I might test it to see if it lets the engine kick in, I suspect it won't.

My car isn't keyless but the stop start will keep the car 'alive' unless you put the park brake on. So if you shove it in park without the brake on (as many Americans do), hop out and hop back on it'll fire up without turning the key.

As soon as you put the park brake on it prompts you to start the car manually.

Something to bear in mind if you're experimenting!

[MrAverage]

I havnt read the stroy but get the jist from a few comments.

as far as the whole cutting out issue is concerned once the key has left the vehicle seems to vary; my dad dropped himself at work and his gf took car home without realising dad had key in his work bag, she managed to get half way home before car cut out (15 mins or so driving).

im sure newer keyless cars will shut off when key is removed but i dont trust that technology as far as i can throw it, nout wrong with a key!!!

[kambites]

The Wookie said:

Devils advocate for a moment: driver pulls up in garage attached to house, stop/start kicks in and engine cuts, driver hops out with key in his pocket and wanders off for his dinner not realising the car is still effectively switched on, battery starts to drain with the electrical systems on, stop/start detects this and fires the car back up, car sits idling in garage all night gradually gassing the occupants of the house who have no idea it's running.

That would be st design.

If that's happening, that would indeed be a st and dangerous design. I rather suspect that manufacturers aren't that stupid, however. I guess if the owner somehow got out and went to bed without ever taking the "key" out of range (RFID range is pretty tiny) it might be possible.

I could see it being a bit of a danger to careless mechanics though - drive car into garage; stop start kicks in so you forget to switch of it; get out and go to start fiddling under the bonnet; engine restarts and chops your fingers off.

Edited by kambites on Thursday 27th August 09:52

[SteveSteveson]

LordGrover said:

telegraph said:

...drivers leave their vehicles running after taking their electronic key fobs with them, under the mistaken belief that the engines will shut off.

The drivers' "mistaken belief" - i.e. mistake of the drivers.

I doubt even US lawyers hold out much hope if that's their case.

You are reading far to much in to that phrase... Mistaken belief is not the same as the drivers mistake. You could have a wheel fall off the car, under the "mistaken belief" that your dealership had done the job right when they took the wheel off.

[Animala]

"A keyless ignition lets a driver start a vehicle by pushing an on-off button"

"lets a driver start a vehicle by pushing an on-off button"

"start a vehicle by pushing an on-off button"

"pushing an on-off button"

"on-off button"

"off button"

WHAT PART OF THAT DON'T THEY UNDERSTAND???!!!!

[romeogolf]

If the engine shut off when the key was no longer detected you'd have a much larger problem when the battery in the fob runs out and your car turns off while you're driving it.

No, thanks.

How hard can it be to step out the car and think "Oh, the engine is still on?"

[Swanny87]

The thing the surprises me the most is that The Guardian is the source. It's the kind of thing I'd expect to see in the Daily Wail...

[xjay1337]

Call it Darwinism.