Sleeper Benz

This new theft device is cooked up and placed inside a portable blue-tooth speaker. It gets connected to a headlight connector or similar that then connects electronically to the CAN bus of the vehicle. Once "in" the Can bus, thieves use software to start the car & simply drive off. They access the headlight connector by easily loosening the front plastic wheel wheel cover or pull back the plastic bumper cover. The theft device is inside the portable blue-tooth speaker so as to not look like a suspicious if discovered.

"The Controller Area Network (CAN bus) is the nervous system of a modern vehicle, enabling communication. In turn, 'nodes' or 'electronic control units' (ECUs) are like parts of the body, interconnected via the CAN bus. Information sensed by one part can be shared with another. The CAN bus system enables each ECU to communicate with all other ECUs - without complex dedicated wiring. Specifically, an ECU can prepare and broadcast information (e.g. sensor data) via the CAN bus (consisting of two wires, CAN low and CAN high). The broadcasted data is accepted by all other ECUs on the CAN network - and each ECU can then check the data and decide whether to receive or ignore it."

I wonder if they access the CAN bus, is it possible to disable the MB vehicle locating service that MB uses to track the vehicle location for the police if stolen. Good question for a top level tech.

W205C43PFL

Sorry, I meant "what..." as in I was surprised, I do appreciate your follow up explanation...

SW20S

If someone wants to steal my car, they're going to steal it...

Frenetic

I just wish Mercedes copied BMW and allowed our phones to act as keys with that wideband receiver. That would be better than a card, although a card would certainly be nice. I’m always carrying my phone and if that is all I have to carry, then great.

W205C43PFL

Looks like BMW has more options in this case, you can either use the key card or your phone, MB doesn't have either at least not in North America.

bishop64

I suppose it is not that MB lacks this technology of using a smartphone as a key but must be for some other reasons.

Perhaps this will come as an option as part of the Mercedes Me phone app and will be most likely on an annual subscription basis?

Anyway, even when a mobile phone digital key is available, I might try it but would still prefer to have a physical fob as a backup as I have misplaced or lost a couple phones in the past. But I have never lost a car key.

And then there are other practical issues to solve. Eg Someone needs to drive the car (eg valet parking or your kids or grandkids or during MB service). You surely do not hand over your phone.

SW20S

I think it’s just that they lack the technology. They will adopt it, wait and see.

For valet there is a card you keep to give to a valet. Ask people with Teslas.

W205C43PFL

Someone mentioned it could be had on your smart watch too so you technically don't lose it if you don't take it off your wrist.

W205C43PFL

To be fair, Mercedes had a digital key solution in Europe before I am not share if they scrapped it being a short run or it never made it to production, it was in collaboration with Samsung, not the most secure way as it used NFC instead of UWB. https://news.samsung.com/global/sams...on-at-ifa-2016

W205C43PFL

I forgot to mention Mercedes also have the Digital Key handover program so you can share your digital key to another person/family member as long as they have a Mercedes Me account, you can set the expiry on it (in the case of valet use), it is cloud based so not the use your phone to tap the door handle type of thing.

Diesel Benz

My understanding is that security was not the issue but the lack of NFC support by some (one) major phone brand.

W205C43PFL

I see you are most likely right, anyways better late than never they actually advertise this digital key thing in the W214 E-Class Premiere, you can finally add it to the Wallet.

Wolfman

If you mean Apple; they actually have the most compliant approach to NFC. Lots of non-standard implementations out there. The issue is that NFC itself is inferior and not as practical as a key due to its very short range (4"). Hence the newer digital Key spec with the Ultra Wide Band chip. Mercedes is a consortium member so it is just a question of how slow they are ti implement.
If history is an indication I wouldn't hold my breath

Eaton

New E-Class has it: https://group-media.mercedes-benz.co...ko/en/56147705

Frenetic

I wonder if this backwards compatible with our car. I doubt it as I’m sure there’s some hardware missing.

I also read they moved to a single CPU architecture vis-a-vis Tesla versus multiple controllers. Is that different than what’s in our car? Is this architecture in the EQ series? If it is, I assume MBUX updates will all but disappear for us since Mercedes tends to ignore older cars with older “hardware.”

Wolfman

This is great news to see MB stepping up to offer the same functionality as BMW's Digital Key Plus.
But there will be no backward compatibility for Mercedes just like it isn't/wasn't for BMW. This needs UWB compatible hardware inside the car. Software updates will happen normally but no features requiring new hardware will be enabled. That is the same with Tesla...

W205C43PFL

That is a shame but expected.

Bubba1

The refresh S class should have it?

W205C43PFL

I honestly don't see why not...

Wolfman

Absolutely... These changes also require no facelift but usually get bundled into a model year update

W205C43PFL

Yup for example the A-Class style spoke steering wheel got introduced to the 2019 E-Class and E 400 bumped to E 450 then as you know already the facelift wasn't too long after.

MBArizona

It's interesting that when you build a 2024 GLE AMG on the MB Germany configurator, it already has the option for what looks like the software/hardware for the Digital Key function.
Even more ironic is that the GLE is built in Alabama but the US configurator has no mention of this. So hopefully this feature will be rolled out soon.

Eaton

What what I understand, Digital Key Handover works as described in the picture and nothing more. It will not make an iPhone or Android work to unlock it. Here is a video:

Diesel Benz

Right, this is already supported by the W223 at least in Europe. Is it not available for the 223 in the US?

Frenetic

The digital key handover is still pretty neat, but yeah it’s not what I really want: a digital key.

I would seriously consider breaking my lease early and exchanging for a new S class if it came with a real digital key. I hate carrying crap around with me. Having to only bring my phone would be really desirable to me.