Two cars, one key? - MBWorld.org Forums

Aug 3, 2021 | 06:39 PM

John CC

Thread Starter

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From: New Hampsha

'17 GLS450, '14 GLK250, Grandpa's Roadster

Two cars, one key?

Any idea if I can program the GLK to accept the key from the GLS? The GLS has power tailgate and Keyless Go; the GLK does not. Sure would be nice if I could drive either one with one key in my pocket.

(I know the emergency key would not work...)

TIA

Aug 4, 2021 | 08:11 AM

BlownV8

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From: In my garage

E55, GLS450, GL63, GLE350

Nope.

Aug 4, 2021 | 01:50 PM

Discod

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I think cars that can be started by cell phone apps would get around this limitation. You can have a car manufacturer's app with multiple vehicle profiles, or multiple apps on the same phone.

Aug 4, 2021 | 07:05 PM

BlownV8

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From: In my garage

E55, GLS450, GL63, GLE350

Quote:

Originally Posted by Discod

I think cars that can be started by cell phone apps would get around this limitation. You can have a car manufacturer's app with multiple vehicle profiles, or multiple apps on the same phone.

Was the GLK available with remote start from the factory? Even so, won't you need the key to drive the car? I don't see any way around not using separate keys.

Aug 4, 2021 | 07:47 PM

superswiss

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From: San Francisco Bay Area

2019 C63CS

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlownV8

Was the GLK available with remote start from the factory? Even so, won't you need the key to drive the car? I don't see any way around not using separate keys.

Newer cars have digital NFC keys. You hold your phone up against the door handle to unlock/lock and then place the phone in a designated area in the cabin to start the car. The phone basically works as a virtual keyfob. So far it was only possible with Android phones and not in all markets, but Apple recently released a framework to do the same. You basically add the key to your digital wallet and then your phone becomes your key fob. You can also give guest access if somebody needs to borrow your car. You can send them a temporary key to their phone. The GLK is too old for this, and so far MB hasn't announced support for the Apple framework, but they do support Android, so it's just a matter of time. But even the Android key has not been offed in the USA yet.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211234

Aug 4, 2021 | 09:22 PM

BlownV8

MBWorld Fanatic!

Joined: Aug 2003

Posts: 8,882

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From: In my garage

E55, GLS450, GL63, GLE350

Quote:

Originally Posted by superswiss

The GLK is too old for this, and so far MB hasn't announced support for the Apple framework, but they do support Android, so it's just a matter of time. But even the Android key has not been offed in the USA yet.

This!

Aug 5, 2021 | 08:32 AM

JaTe

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Joined: Aug 2008

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MB GLS450

Quote:

Originally Posted by superswiss

I have this on my BMW X7. It is awesome. No more carrying key fobs. I use my iPhone to open/lock and start the car. You can also send digital keys to other people to use. For instance, I added my wife, so she no longer needs to carry a fob either and I sent a digital key to my work phone to have as a backup. So far, it's all working well.

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Aug 5, 2021 | 11:04 AM

superswiss

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From: San Francisco Bay Area

2019 C63CS

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaTe

I'm actually kinda so-so on the idea, at least as a primary key, because the NFC range is much shorter. You pretty much have to take the phone out of your pocket and hold it close enough to the door handle, and to start the car close enough to the NFC reader in the cabin. So you can't just walk up to the trunk for example with your hands full and use the foot kick motion to open it. The regular keyless go fob is proximity based with a longer range. I prefer Tesla's approach. They use Bluetooth proximity, so you just have to walk up to the car with your phone in your pocket and it unlocks, and to start it, the phone just has to be somewhere inside of the car. That's functionally equivalent to the regular fob. NFC seems to be the wrong choice for this.

Last edited by superswiss; Aug 5, 2021 at 11:06 AM.