How do you start an Aptera?

[len]

We don’t know yet but having that card could be one. Their is a phone App being designed,

A looooong time ago their was talk of face recognition with maybe part of the safety pilot

I trust these details will be discussed post Gamma

¯\_(ツ)_/¯¯

[vernon-sinnott]

My phone often doesn’t recognize my thumb print. Biometrics such as that & facial recognition have a long way to go. Maybe push button start with key fob or card detection as back up.

[llewellyn-evans]

I want to get the RFID implanted in my hand.

That way when I go to the beach I don’t need my keys.

[michael-thwaite]

Would love Apple Watch integration. At the moment my Tesla needs my phone to be present (detects BT LE transponders) and I’d really prefer to leave it at home thanks, especially as they’re the size of a house brick now.

[eric-teschke]

I’m very excited and hopeful that the aptera will be able to be unlocked and driven without a key and just with a phone. Is there any proof that this is the direction it will go. I have friends use my tesla and I love that I can share the key, remotely unlock it, and let them drive without a key.

[jonah-jorgenson]

The Aptera is not a Tesla. At this point, nothing official has been announced. Rampant speculation though😉 with everybody’s favorite suggested. Not all people/potential customers will have phones so their may be a phone component, but some other method as well. Just have to wait for the official word.

[kerbe2705]

@Jonah Jorgenson Keep in mind, though, how highly Aptera’s founders regard Tesla vehicles: They plan to use Tesla’s charging port, the single control screen emulates Tesla’s design and the stalks on the steering column and trackballs on the steering yoke (and the yoke, itself) also reflect Tesla designs. It’s very likely that Aptera won’t have an on/off button.

Anyone who wants to own/drive an EV should consider having a smart phone as the two are highly integrated: There are any number of functions that most EVs assign to their phone apps that are not available through other means. IMHO the majority of people who will be interested in driving a high-tech, two-seat, looks-like-a-dolphin composite-bodied electric sports car are HIGHLY unlikely to be “techno-luddites” who refuse to own/use a smart phone.

[jonah-jorgenson]

I think valid points. certainly the Aptera market to people without phones is very small. I did not think broadly enough when making the post.

I withdraw the post with this caveat. When away from the vehicle phones can be lost, misplaced, stolen, broken, run out of charge. If Aptera decides to use a phone app for access and starting an Aptera, there needs to be a foolproof backup should a circumstance occur that would make using the phone impossible. I would leave it to the engineers to determine what that would be.

[OZ.]

From the FAQs:

How do I unlock and lock the Aptera vehicle? With a key fob?

The vehicle will unlock by detecting you via your phone’s Bluetooth connection, our app, or with a physical RFID card. Once inside the vehicle, you can open the door through the center screen controls. Aptera will automatically lock when you exit by detecting that you are not inside. The interior cabin will include a mechanical release to open the door in case of any electrical malfunction. More information to come as we push the efficiency envelope on mobility.

[george-hughes]

I know that in 99.9 percent of the cases, a start button is redundant.

The .1 percent of the time, though, it saves lives 🙂

Imagine sitting in your new Aptera with your seven year old granddaughter kind of crazily climbing all around.

The little tyke takes a dive, hits the big + and the Aptera, you with your key-card and phone giving the go-signal and the Aptera wipes out the picnic, running over your wife’s foot leaving you thankful it weighs less than a ton.

Maybe there is a better idea … an “Off” button that turns the vehicle OFF if you select it (for safety/security) but is default configured to turn the car on and ready to roll with the presence of the FOB/RFID card/phoneapp.

[OZ.]

You have to select drive or reverse for an Aptera to go anywhere, so that shouldn’t be a problem, unless your seven year old granddaughter, is very, very, accurate with her dive.

[Will-UK]

Hello folks. I still like physical steering locks . I not only like the sensation of putting the key in and turning it, it is far more secure and reliable than a servo motor operating your steering lock, and relying on RF fob. I don’t like the idea of having your phone operate the car, how is that going to work if you don’t have your phone on you, broke your phone, lost your phone, flattened your phone, want to let someone else use the car, leaving the car at a repair shop or valet parking etc. Simple key please like we have had for the last 80 years, with an RFID chip for security, like we have had since the mid 1990s. PS I would also like as many physical controls as possible. One thing I really like about my Nissan E-NV200 is the big chunky PRND lever (with B for more regen) . Even the Park control is a proper mechanical cable, not a servo motor. It does exactly what you want and no ‘I’m sorry Dave, I can’t do that’ It also has a proper parking brake. Electric parking brakes are unpredictable and unreliable, and I don’t think you can use them in an emergency situation, they are for holding the car while parked.

[OZ.]

Aptera will have a minimal amount of physical controls (Likely only turn signals/lights/wipers.) Your phone works as the key, as well an RFID card or the equivalent will be included that will work as well.

[al-purzycki]

Cloning of key fobs has become commonplace and having the option to enter a PIN, like in a Tesla, would be a good step in protecting your vehicle. Phone apps, RFID cards are a convenience but having been In Telecommunications most of my working life, I’ve always been concerned about security.

[llewellyn-evans]

I agree, some form of dual authentication would be ideal. Something that relies on the user knowing the key.

Password knock on knock sensor, PIN, fingerprint, draw a pattern on screen.

[ROMAD]

“Password knock on knock sensor, PIN, fingerprint, draw a pattern on screen” , DNA sample, sacrifice a chicken, etc 😉

[paul-hackett]

How about a fob to let me in the car like in my Prius and an f’ing key that gets stuck in the dashboard and turned? Sounds old fashioned but then no one can hack my car while they’re sitting in St. Petersburg, Russia or Beijing and I’m driving. Don’t ignore the KISS principle.

[jacob-bunce]

Most EV’s are basically “always on” PCs, always connected and ready to go.

My preference would be to “shut down” my EV PC when not in use.

[harry-parker]

I think that’s called “Storage Mode” or “Transport Mode” on a Tesla. It is what you want if you won’t be using your car for a few months. If the internal power is totally off, so are all the radios, such as remote control including the electronic key access. Also the car can’t charge without the charge controller being powered.

You can achieve this by disconnecting the 12 volt battery, although there may also be a way to do it via buttons in the car.