is Apple Watch as a key without phone possible?

[Polar]

It is technically impossible now.
PAAK relies on a Bluetooth handshake that is tied to the unique ID of the paired phone. This is also why you can’t just sign into your FordPass on a different phone and have PAAK work.

You would have to also pair your watch as a PAAK device for there to be any way for this to work currently. Which is not something that will happen as it needs the app to complete the pairing/handshake.

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[vinuna]

Don't those toys need a phone to have a signal strong enough to reach to a cell tower?

It's pretty much just a remote terminal (dumb terminal *) for the phone, right?

I'm dating myself. Do these still exist?

yeah good point. They do have two versions of the apple watch…one that does connect (just like a stand-alone phone) and one that doesn’t. the one that connects you add it as a line to your cell plan just like a second phone. lots of the newer phones have this as an option.


re: “no to doing this” — thank you everyone for the replies.

 

[Jimrpa]

As others have said, ford does not support WAAK (it would be cool if it did). The FordPass app on the watch will remote unlock and remote start the car (I believe only over Bluetooth, not LTE?) even if your car is unlocked and “running” you can’t drive away without “starting it”.
You can get similar behavior by using the door code to unlock the driver’s door, then use the car password to unlock and drive the car away.
If they changed their scheme to work the way Apple CarKey works, then they could theoretically use NFC, which Apple Watch supports (thats why transit passes work). I haven’t heard anything about ford going to Apple CarKey.

 

[nvabill]

You don’t even need a watch for that. You can enter your code on the door pillar to get in and use your start code to drive away.

Bingo, while I don't have a Mach E yet I believe you deserve a gold star for solving this problem.

 

[WNKent]

as the title says. Curious if this is possible.

(about to purchase a watch and this would put the apple watch in the lead as I would love to go places without a phone)

I know the app exists on the watch but wasn’t sure if that meant I could use it as a key or just a few basic functions.

thank you!!

So I cave a cellular AppleWatch 7 and the Ford Pass app shows on the watch, but I just got my build week and don't know what features are on that app. It will definitely last all day and night. I fly for work and changing time zones all day long and I simply throw it on the charger when I head off for bed. That app has to have some functionality..... get the cellular version.

 

[txaggies07]

Yes I know about LTE watches. PAAK requires constant bluetooth scanning that would use more battery than the watches have now. I'm saying you'd need a watch with LTE and a bigger battery to make it possible and have the watch battery last all day.

Again….Bluetooth scanning not actually a huge deal. If my watch can connect to the countless other Bluetooth devices for 20 hours on a single battery charge it can handle one Bluetooth connection.

 

[vinuna]

You don’t even need a watch for that. You can enter your code on the door pillar to get in and use your start code to drive away.

nice!!!!

tyty. I forgot all about this.

perfect!

I'm trying to free myself from my phone anywhere possible in my life.

 

[ncvolt]

No it will not work. I have an Apple Watch SE and 2021 MME AWD extended range. If my watch is connected to the phone, I can use the watch to lock and unlock the car. No such luck if the watch is NOT connected to my iPhone 13 pro.

 

[notaek]

No way the watch has the battery life for that. A data connection to the cloud is also required. Maybe in 5-10 years.

Its because Ford’s backward ways of doing it using old tech.

Its already possible with Apple CarKey and some BMW’s and Kia’s. It even works when your phone is dead!

Ford just doesn’t support it and some reason they aren’t even a part of the CCC which is really too bad because it’s the future.

Read more:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211234
https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10006/
https://carconnectivity.org/members/
https://carconnectivity.org/press-r...he-future-of-vehicle-access-with-digital-key/

 

[ripperAZ]

An excellent question everyone of my vehicles both Kias a Stinger and a Telluride a Genesis G 90 and the Tesla All can be started from my watch. I can adjust almost any function that’s related to the front screen
It doesn’t do it when I walk up it does it when I tell it to ….which I prefer
The whole concept of not even having to think about opening your car starting it because you have a fob in your pocket or your phone on you is kind of silly
I prefer The control the other products I mentioned have and I really don’t see the advantage to the PAAK since they have not even managed to perfect PAAP in our poor little Mach E s yet
By the way PAAP is phone as a phone one of the best submissions ever here in terms of comedy. My phone is the biggest issue talking to my car it’s the most annoying thing about this vehicle
I can’t figure out what’s wrong with carrying around the FOB. And I don’t want to hear you want your cousin or nephew or employee to drive the car with just their phone Why strand those poor bastards as well I would never count on my phone to start the car as my only option
It creates the scenario where you can’t drive your car because the tech goes down
Hello Any chance I can have a key as well
Fantastic car no good if you can’t freaking start it
Jes sayin

 

[Polar]

It creates the scenario where you can’t drive your car because the tech goes down
Hello Any chance I can have a key as well
Fantastic car no good if you can’t freaking start it
Jes sayin

No. It does. Not.
That’s exactly what the backup passcode solves. We know you dislike PAAK - but for literally dozens of us we have zero issues at all with PAAK and PAAP

 

[ripperAZ]

No. It does. Not.
That’s exactly what the backup passcode solves. We know you dislike PAAK - but for literally dozens of us we have zero issues at all with PAAK and PAAP

I don’t dislike PAAK I like many others here realize it’s a very spotty interface. Unreliable and buggy and frequently does unexpected things I don’t know if it’s been improved since I sold my first GT and my first premium but I have two more in order and I’m waiting to see if they can raise it to the level of other manufacturers

PAAP Is basically a joke but it’s not funny because the car handles phone connections both iOS and android worse than almost any vehicle.

They should stop investing in companies like Rivian. Direct competitor to the lightning truck
Maybe invest a billion in some company that is able to effectively work code in to iOS and android and make the system work like other manufacturers like Tesla have done

Jes sayin. Might want to put a bigger 12 V battery and access to it as well

Cheesy bad decision making

 

[generaltso]

PAAP Is basically a joke but it’s not funny because the car handles phone connections both iOS and android worse than almost any vehicle.

I have no idea what you’re talking about. My phone has always worked perfectly as a phone with the car. Jes sayin

 

[Gullwingdmc]

I'm trying to free myself from my phone anywhere possible in my life.

There’s always the fob then

Its because Ford’s backward ways of doing it using old tech.

I would hardly say Ford is old tech. Yes they don't support CarKey yet, but only 2 manufacturers do, and even then only on some models.
There’s nothing to say ford won’t adopt it in the future. They have been pretty progressive integrating other tech in, including wireless CarPlay and android auto.
There’s also the issue that CarKey only works with some apple devices and leaves older apple devices and all android devices out. The current PAAK tech isn’t perfect, but it is as close to universal as you can get.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

These are the only functions available on Apple Watch. Handy to not have to open the app to remote start, since ford didn’t think we needed that on the fob. And easier than opening the app on the phone. But no way to add the PAAK handshake to the watch.

Also no way to change the photo to a lime green MME.

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