I don't think using the phone app is particularly impractical. It's usually as convenient to access as the key fob is, and unlocking it and launching the app isn't that hard.
I will admit that the first thing I did when I got the update that defaulted to dead-man's-switch operation was to put it back the way it was. But I was careful to understand the implications of what I was doing, at least.
> I don't think using the phone app is particularly impractical.
In Australia, we don't have the option of disabling the dead man's switch, so we're forced to use the phone app to control Summon.
There are no words in the English language that can begin to describe how frustratingly unreliable it is. Most of the time it simply doesn't work (will say something like "failed to communicate with car"), and even when it does work it tends to lose connection half way and abort. I don't think I've ever managed to complete a Summon without it aborting. This is exacerbated by the fact that the places where I actually need to use Summon tend to be places with poor cell phone reception, e.g. underground car parks.
I can't wait for the key fob-controlled Summon to be enabled in Australia. Summon in its current state is basically useless.
Good points, I wasn't thinking of the communications problems.
It's too bad the phone app can't communicate directly with the car using local radio, like Bluetooth or peer-to-peer WiFi. That would solve this problem and others besides.
Agreed. Unfortunately it seems Tesla requires all control commands for the car to come from their servers through their VPN for security reasons, so the phone can't control the car directly.
I will admit that the first thing I did when I got the update that defaulted to dead-man's-switch operation was to put it back the way it was. But I was careful to understand the implications of what I was doing, at least.