Is a $1,300 car key progress?

Even when they are expensive, new technologies do not always make our lives easier. Sometimes they even make us miss the days when things were simple and the base suited us perfectly. Take the electronic keys of these modern cars that are started by pressing a button. They can put a considerable dent in the budget, without improving our quality of life.

When Rosaire got a brand new Toyota Camry in mid-December, it had four wheels, two mirrors, but only one electronic key. The second was to be given to him a little later. He is still waiting for her. Like other car manufacturers, Toyota continues to suffer from the shortage of electronic components and no longer provides two keys on delivery.

This unique key has become a source of concern for the retiree. What if she was lost? What if it was defective? Either way, he and his wife would meet on foot. Without a car.

In reality, even when this type of key is in perfect condition, the car may not start! Scrambled wave problems are becoming more common, as reported Protect yourself^⁠1.

This phenomenon had even paralyzed all the cars in a district of Shawinigan^⁠2in 2020. Not very convenient when you need to get somewhere or risk a fine if you don’t move your vehicle right away.

This is without counting that fraudsters love models equipped with so-called smart keys. Using software that picks up the signal, they can create a duplicate in less than a minute or use a device that amplifies the signal enough to start the car. All they have to do is approach very close to residences where a recent car is parked in the driveway to give it a try.

Insurance companies and the CAA therefore suggest storing electronic keys in a metal box away from the front door or windows. What progress!

The risk is great enough for the insurer Beneva to state on its website that stolen cars “mostly come with a smart key or a push-button start device”. Sure, newer cars are more attractive, but police still warn they’re seeing more and more thefts ‘in connection with smart keys’, reports The sun^⁠⁠3.

As if that weren’t enough, these smart keys are complicated to obtain and very expensive. It has nothing to do with going to the corner hardware store that makes house keys in 3 minutes, for $3.

Since they must be programmed near the vehicle, you will have two options in the event of loss, if you do not have a duplicate: have the vehicle towed to the dealer and wait for them to obtain a key or find an automotive locksmith who will come to meet you to save you.

At the dealership, the bill is around $500 to $600 including taxes and programming (at Toyota, Ford and Volkswagen, for example) and up to $1,300 at Mercedes.

These amounts do not include towing or car rental, if necessary. It usually takes between two and five days of waiting.

The automotive locksmith is a less expensive option, especially if you choose a generic key, without the manufacturer’s logo. For a double, it takes between $250 and $500.

If there is an emergency, the bill should be between $350 and $1,000 depending on the distance to be traveled, specifies Samuel Duval, owner of Serrurier Duval, from Quebec. An identity document is then required. “Sometimes it’s not funny. A guy dropped his key in the water, in Laurentian Park. He was with his children. An unforeseen expense of $1000, that scrape holidays ! »

The cost of replacement in the event of loss or breakage is so high that motorists file claims with their insurer. We can’t blame them, but it drives up premium prices for everyone.

At the time, when Rosaire learned that he would only have one key for a while, he thought he could always use the standard, metal key. But he soon found out not.

When he wanted to start his vehicle by pressing the button, the alarm system started. He hadn’t been warned that the car absolutely had to detect the electronic key for the engine to start. “The real key is just to open the car. It’s a decoy. We can’t leave the car with it. Of course, I would have taken the leap too. Rosary could of course stretch a few hundred dollars to get a duplicate. But in principle, the idea displeases him. Because his incomplete car, he paid for it in full, like other frustrated motorists^⁠4.

Even if Samuel Duval makes money with smart keys, he shares my misunderstanding of this technology that is imposed on motorists. “It’s not an improvement. It’s more fragile, it’s more expensive and it’s less secure. Cars are stolen more. I don’t see any benefit. »

Nothing to add, your honor.