Comfort access - how does it know who is driving if wife is in car?

[ronald_adi]

Hi! I got a simple question. I understand that the comfort access option will open the car automatically when you are 1.5meters near the car. Then it will set your options in the car like seat position etc based on your memory settings in your key.

But what if your wife also has a comfort access key and she gets into the car next to you?

1. How does the car know what seat position to adjust to before u enter the car?
2. how does the car know who is driving? you or your wife.

[Dunzzy]

Ronald,

I had comfort access on my M3.
It sets the seat Radio Aircon etc based on the key in close proximity of the drivers door.
You need to touch the door handle to unlock the car.
It relies on you and you wife having separate keys.
I used the BMW supplied colour coded labels to identify different keys.
This was for the M3 not sure how it will work in the X6 although I would imagine that it will be very similar.

[ronald_adi]

Originally Posted by Dunzzy

Ronald,

I had comfort access on my M3.
It sets the seat Radio Aircon etc based on the key in close proximity of the drivers door.
You need to touch the door handle to unlock the car.
It relies on you and you wife having separate keys.
I used the BMW supplied colour coded labels to identify different keys.
This was for the M3 not sure how it will work in the X6 although I would imagine that it will be very similar.

Dunzzy,

Thanks for the info. That means that even though you are sitting right next to your wife in the car, it can still tell which key is nearer to the drivers door even though the other key is just 2 feet away? That quite a precise system!

So if the key is in your pocket and you are driving. And you throw the key onto the backseat. what happens?

And even worse, you throw the key out of the window! How would the car react while you are driving at 100 on the highway?!

[dmlgc]

Originally Posted by ronald_adi

Dunzzy,

Thanks for the info. That means that even though you are sitting right next to your wife in the car, it can still tell which key is nearer to the drivers door even though the other key is just 2 feet away? That quite a precise system!

So if the key is in your pocket and you are driving. And you throw the key onto the backseat. what happens?

And even worse, you throw the key out of the window! How would the car react while you are driving at 100 on the highway?!

I believe it reads the key as you approach the drivers door, then sets everything according to what it read after that doesn't read anymore.

[727jbh]

Memory is within the key fob, as long as you and your wife are using separte keys fobs.

[ronald_adi]

Originally Posted by 727jbh

Memory is within the key fob, as long as you and your wife are using separte keys fobs.

i am aware of that. but how does the car know who is sitting in the driver's seat when the 2 seats are only 1.5 feet apart!

[GJM]

Hi Ronald,

have never had both keys in the car at the same time, which ever key is used to open & start the car will determine the memorised settings. The car will remain running without the key in the vehicle, the warning sign appears when you exit the car with key in pocket, it just won't restart if you hit the stop start button.

[teagueAMX]

Originally Posted by ronald_adi

i am aware of that. but how does the car know who is sitting in the driver's seat when the 2 seats are only 1.5 feet apart!

It's a very weak signal.

[CoachmanX6]

Originally Posted by ronald_adi

i am aware of that. but how does the car know who is sitting in the driver's seat when the 2 seats are only 1.5 feet apart!

Hi Ronald

With comfort access the seats, external mirrors etc, are set to who opens the drivers door ie by zapper or by touching the drivers door handle, If my wife opens the passenger door first by the door handle the drivers seat etc do not change from the last setting. I hope this helps as we both carry our keys on us most of the time we are out.

[ronald_adi]

CoachmanX6, thanks for the explanation. But i have a qs. When your wife opens the passenger door, how does the car know its your wife? Because of the closer proximity of her key to the passenger door?

[CoachmanX6]

Originally Posted by ronald_adi

CoachmanX6, thanks for the explanation. But i have a qs. When your wife opens the passenger door, how does the car know its your wife? Because of the closer proximity of her key to the passenger door?

Hi Ronald

I beleve that the antenna in the doors works on the proximity of the key, If you stand appx 1mtr from the door the door cannot be opened by another person, therefore my wifes key is not sensed by the drivers door antenna.

[ronald_adi]

ok. that sounds logical.