Comfort Access Question

[apzr]

Hey all - preparing to order a Macan as I plot a bit of an escape from Tesla, but I have a question...

Comfort Access -- I would rather not spec this as dealerships advise that it potentially becomes a safety issue and makes the car earlier to steal. Which tracks. However, is it possible to still lock and unlock the car, pop the trunk/drunk etc from the phone app without comfort Access? Obviously it can't be driven without the key, but what about app functions for unlocking etc? We've found this feature on the Tesla quite useful just in terms of my wife being able to unlock the car without having to track down the keys to get something out of the trunk or whatever.

Thanks!

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[Awaz]

Comfort Access -- I would rather not spec this as dealerships advise that it potentially becomes a safety issue and makes the car earlier to steal.

Same here. So I didn't get it.
And yes, I am able to lock and unlock the car via app function. But just that, not trunk or frunk.

 

[Wivenhoe]

Comfort access uses UWB (ultra wide band) signals which is far more secure than the previous frequencies that could be hacked. Not having comfort access and avoiding hacking of the signal doesn’t necessarily protect against theft any more.

Here in the UK, when UWB was used in cars the thieves changed their method to CanBus. The hijacker’s take out the front wheel arch liner and reach up and extract the CanBus cabling into the headlight - this gives them total control of the car with a box bought freely off the internet. Range Rovers and Lexus were particularly vulnerable and topped the most thieved cars and insurers were either refusing to insure them or the premiums sky rocketed. It was the main reason I sold my Velar. I doubt Porsche have the same vulnerability and I only include this as hacking a comfort access signal is old hat !This shows it takes less than a minute to take the car.

 

[SteveInKirkland]

I happened across a car insurance conference a few weeks ago at a hotel, and I asked a group of actuaries whether EVs get stolen. The answer was basically "no. They parts market is hard to sell into and the cars themselves are generally worthless after theft." I'm curious whether other people have data that didn't come from drunk actuaries in a hotel bar.

 

[Wivenhoe]

That’s a really good point which I hadn’t thought of, other than maybe hoping they get a real shock if they cut the wrong cable.

I just checked - in the the UK in January 25 there is not one EV in the top 10 models stolen. The Range Rovers and Lexus’s PHEV‘s have moved down since they retrofitted plates to protect the CanBus cabling.

As you say, the top ten most stolen US models doesn’t contain a single EV. This report seems to say the thieves in America are using mechanical keys having learnt how to steal cars on TikTok. Obviously even inebriated actuaries know this !
https://insurify.com/car-insurance/insights/most-stolen-cars/

 

[Awaz]

I happened across a car insurance conference a few weeks ago at a hotel, and I asked a group of actuaries whether EVs get stolen. The answer was basically "no.

I wonder why some insurers still insist on a tracker then?
Perhaps those didn't attend the conference

 

[W1NGE]

Hey all - preparing to order a Macan as I plot a bit of an escape from Tesla, but I have a question...

Comfort Access -- I would rather not spec this as dealerships advise that it potentially becomes a safety issue and makes the car earlier to steal. Which tracks. However, is it possible to still lock and unlock the car, pop the trunk/drunk etc from the phone app without comfort Access? Obviously it can't be driven without the key, but what about app functions for unlocking etc? We've found this feature on the Tesla quite useful just in terms of my wife being able to unlock the car without having to track down the keys to get something out of the trunk or whatever.

Thanks!

Using your phone to lock / unlock via My Porsche App requires you to put the kettle on and wait for it to boil - it is that slow in operation.

The issue is the same whether you have comfort access or not - they key fob transmits the signal and so if you use manually and press 'unlock' or leave it in your pocket is immaterial. A potential thief using a scanner will pick up the signal in the same way. Starting the car might be tricky as the key fob must be present.

Comfort Access or not you MUST have the keyfob present - so your wife will need to remember that or no dice. Relying on My Porsche App will likely end in divorce proceedings (its not like the electronic key in Tesla, BMW, others.

There is a risk with anything electronic but personally I would tick the box - you'll get auto lock on walk-away if you do along with gesture opening of trunk / frunk.

 

[Hut49]

I wonder why some insurers still insist on a tracker then?
Perhaps those didn't attend the conference

And 2 of the 3 insurers my broker contacted for my Turbo said a ghost immobilizer was a prerequisite. They didn’t get my business.

 

[W1NGE]

I wonder why some insurers still insist on a tracker then?
Perhaps those didn't attend the conference

Admiral used to but now don't and I think the others haven't caught up. PVTS has been dropped on new Porsches for example - I have it on my J1.1 Taycan but not available on J1.2.

Given all cars are 'online' and have satnav then tracking the car if required by the authorities is 'simple'.

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