Chrysler's Peapod EV lets iPod double as ignition key
By Ross Miller 
posted April 19th 2009 8:31AM
posted April 19th 2009 8:31AM
That unassuming iPod dock we saw in Chrysler GEM's Peapod prototype? Turns out it's got a pretty interesting little trick, allowing your iPhone / iPod double as the ignition key. According to the EV's brochure, the company's got an app that makes all the magic work, and if you wish to start your car in an old-school manner, keys are still a viable option. Sure, it's not the first example of car-phone integration we've come across, it's a welcome addition to the oddly-shaped neighborhood whip that's going beyond concept phase into production this October.
What in the...
... I am astounded. That is all.
Discounting that this is a stupid idea... I personally let my iPhone drain completely sometimes in a single day if I'm using it a lot - plugging into the charger would still require a few minutes before the phone will turn back on (to restore a minimum level of charge I suppose).
I'd hate to be sitting in the driver seat of my fancy car twiddling my thumbs while I wait for my phone to charge up enough to start the friggin car.
@potato
"I'd hate to be sitting in the driver seat of my fancy car twiddling my thumbs while I wait for my phone to charge up enough to start the friggin car."
In which case, you'd still be able to use the normal 'key' method. And on those rare occasions that you do have phone charge remaining, it'll work. And you'll have the added benefit of charging your phone whilst you're driving.
Personally I've never run out of juice on my iPhone.
My car only starts charging stuff AFTER I turn the key. So there's a nice Catch-22 when confronted with an empty iPhone.
@shadowMaker
Do you Drive the Peapod?
Ok then. I think Chrysler's engineers could have seen this flaw... but i don't know since their accountants didn't notice their empty bank accounts...
@ potato and Michael:
Brag about your iPhone.
I own a Chrysler 300 and an iPhone 3G.
Let me be first to say this is the stupidest thing I've heard in the past week.
So you:
1) Put the "Key Peapod" in your ignition.
2) Put your iPhone on the dock (and wait for phone to turn on if battery is drained).
3) Launch the application.
4) Click the button to start the car.
Why not just do this?
1) Put the "Key Peapod" in your ignition and twist it like any other key and start the car.
@Tinu: that doesn't seem very fun or cutting edge.
Ryan: We already have fun and cutting edge - it's called key fob sensors that can sense when you're inside the car, and enable the push-button ignition. Even relatively cheap $20K new cars have this sort of technology, and there's no reason to use the iPhone when you have the same (if not better tech) already.
I see a few inherent problems with this system:
1) People will be 10x more inclined to steal your iPod
2) No more leaving the iPod in the car
3) If you drop your "key" it could break
4) Can it unlock the car from the outside?
5) "My key is out of batteries"
I'm sure there are even more that I'm missing.
o, so easy to lose the car key then
WiFi sniffer + custom software = vehicle loss.
Unless it drops straight in, as I personally find the dock connector a little fiddly, it's not going to be better than keys.
I'd only consider it over Bluetooth. Keys go in easy. Dock connectors do not.
No one?! Come on you guys jeez...
That's what she said.
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
Good to see they´re not wasting that bailout money on anything useless.
I lol'd :D
Does Chrysler have time and resources to develop such useless tomfoolery while on the verge of bankruptcy?
This is the only thing they know how to do..
Chrystler is the first one to go unless they bow down to Fiat and kiss feet.
Yes, they must and should. With out innovations like these, they will surely loose business to the foreign competition.
Too many clicks/taps, I would hate that.
Is your avatar a pic of Nick Cave?
I totally had this idea.
Lol, look at all of the tags you guys put under this article, thank god you didn't put "Zune" or "Microsoft Surface" just like what you did for the Chrysler article of the Surface applecation when you tagged it with iPhone and not the Surface.
P.S: guys, the "Monster Cable Sucks" thing is getting old... I say: "Monster Cable, eat my shit."
And when your iPhone battery dies, you're screwed.
What part of "allowing your iPhone / iPod double as the ignition key" do you not understand?
@Saad Rabia
"keys are still a viable option"
Seems like you have to purchase this option when you buy the car.
"allowing your iPhone / iPod double as the ignition key."
I forgot the iPhone has no other purpose that it can do. /end sarcasm The iPhone would have a second use as a key, rather then its normal use of a phone/etc.
Erm, the dock connector you put it into also charges it? Did you not think about that?
@Phoenix
Ok, I never thought of that, I take back my statement.
it's not gonna charge it if the car is off >.
actually, things like cigarette lighters are still powered with the car off. I can see a system where if the circuit is completed it powers for a few minutes, then switches off just in case.
Not all cars, even newer ones, have a cigarette lighter that is on when the car is off.
@ BigD145: As much fail as this idea is, I'm sure they at least thought enough to supply power to the iPod/iPhone dock when the car is powered off...sort of like how the ignition system has power today.
What happens when the iphone is out of date? What a stupid idea.
Apple loves releasing products full of bugs / glitches & requires monthly patches / updates until the next model is released.
Not to worry, by then the Chrysler car you bought the option for will also be out of date and/or dead.
Hmm, although its not so fascinating innovations, i thing that quite cool if we can start our car using a phone. It just another value added service that we should appreciate it.Thnx
Gee, really can't figure out why they're going under.
And what the #$^& kind of a name for a car is Peapod, anyway?
I like this idea. Maybe not the most practical, but Chrysler is on the right track, finally (maybe too late?) using trying to innovate instead of lagging way behind the curve.
If that app could also dig up diagnostic information or control other things or double as an automatic car starter and let you set the thermostat from your house, that would be really really awesome.
Surely your going to need the key to unlock the doors, so you may as well use the key to start it...
Umm...I don't know if you noticed, but it's 2009. I don't think I've used a key to open a car in about 15 years.
Hello ! Hello ! Anybody home ???
"Chrysler finally on track...Innovating new stuff"
This is all bling bling ! Just another way to distract people (PR operation) from real issues. They're f**ing bankrupt ! And they will go down the drain because they have no ideas (real ones) to bail themselves out.
Whatever gadget they come up with won't make them a better administered company.
This is just a big smoke screen !
I don't think that it's a good idea using the iphone instead of keys as it would take longer to turn on the iphone (if it's off) and load the application then start the car while you can just use keys to instantly turn on the car. However, I think the idea has potential. You could use the iphone to download information realtime about the car. Possible health of car? if anything needs maintaining e.g. oil or temperatures etc. Plus I assume the car has a dock so running out of batteries wouldn't be an issue
Wait, so can't anyone put in their iPod and start the car? This isn't exactly anti-theft.
No, they exchange crypto keys. It will only work with "your" iPod/iPhone. It will use a physical key as a backup.
If I'm not mistaking, the title clearly says iPod, when the picture is clearly an iPhone....?
Nice work Engadget.
I don't care if you love or hate Apple. That right there oozes of awesomeness.
Ummm....no?