Keyless Entries Fail In Las Vegas On Friday

Hoompini-Ting writes "Some accuse area 51, but in any case many folks were stranded when keyless locks failed or their car computers malfunctioned. No technical explanation but I'm sure slashdotters have theories. Similar to the failure in Seattle 3 years ago. See the Las Vegas Review-Journal for more details."

Comments

wait a second...

[Transient0]

They are building keyless entry systems without physical keys as a backup measure?

Didn't we learn our lesson about manual over-rides long ago?

sorry to reply to myself

[Transient0]

but this quote from the article was choice:

"Estrada resorted to using his key to unlock his car door, but that set off his alarm."

So in one case there was a physical key as a backup system and when the guy resorted to using it (as though a key were some sort of desperate emergency measure) his car freaked out.

I'm no luddite, but this kind of stuff makes me laugh.

Re:sorry to reply to myself

[SpookyFish]

My car alarm will also go off if I use the key in the door -- but turning the key in the ignition will stop it.

That doesn't seem like unreasonable behavior.

Re:sorry to reply to myself

[The Wicked Priest]

I would not buy a car with this behavior, unless I could disable it. And I'd prefer it be disabled by default.

@#@&* car alarms!

Re:sorry to reply to myself

[Anonymous Coward]

Why do people even have car alarms?

When you hear one, do you say, "My God! Someone's stealing a car! Somebody call a cop!"

Or do you just plug your ears?

maybe, maybe not

[Transient0]

My car doesn't have keyless entry so the idea of using the key to open the door setting off an alarm seems ridiculous to me.

I mean, if the lock could detect tampering like from a pick or a jiggler and THAT set off the alarm, it would seem reasonable to me. But if the person has a key that will open the door easily, doesn't the same key work in the ignition?

Re:maybe, maybe not

[jayhawk88]

On my car, the key has a microchip (or something, maybe just more like a magnetic tag) of some sort built into the key. This chip interacts somehow with something imbedded in the ignition, which allows the car to start. In other words, if you try to start the car with something other than my key, supposedly the car won't start because that chip or whatever is missing.

This may be the idea behind this sort of thing. You can open the door with the key, or something else, and the alarm goes off. If you're the legitimate user, you then start up your car, and this chip or whatever then confirms that yes, you really are the driver, and the alarm shuts up. Otherwise, it's probably a robbery in progress.

Doesn't seem like that big of deal to me. I mean either this helps prevent your car being stolen or, worst case, you have to sit around for a bit embarrassed while AAA comes out to help you.

Re:It's Vegas.

[Waffle Iron]

Actually, bad luck doesn't really scale.

One person losing a pile of cash on a trip to Vegas == bad luck.

Millions of people losing piles of cash in Vegas each year == expected statistical outcome.

Re:Terrorist act

[Vellmont]

Slashdot give me a new appreciation for the narrow mindedness of people. Say anything the challenges peoples beliefs and you're "flamebait". Take any kind of tangent from the prescribed topic and you're "offtopic". All it takes is a few narrow minded idiots. It's really quite a sad testement to community based moderation.

Re:radio jammers?

[MoonBuggy]

It happened in the UK a while ago, but it wasn't an intentional jammer, it was a high power communication dish (IIRC) built on top of a multi-storey car park. Someone didn't bother checking the frequencies before giving it the go ahead.

Re:Terrorist act

[mediaisthemassage]

By "terrorists" do you mean Islamic fundmentalist groups created by the CIA, like Al Qaeda or are you referring to the new definition of "terrorist" ala the patriot act and patriot act II, the common US citizen?

Get real...

Re:Terrorist act

[iamhassi]

"It's amazing how, since 9/11, for every little problem in this country terrorism has to be ruled out...

[sarcasm] We are talking about people that are unable to go in their cars, it's obviously a terrorist act... [/sarcasm]"

I'm no wireless expert, but if it's effecting keyless entry couldn't it effect other wireless systems? Wireless security systems, special security doors that use wireless badges for access, perhaps even police radios and cellphones? So I believe the idea of it being terrorist related is quite valid and they had every reason to question if it was terrorist related.

From article:
"According to the Federal Communications Commission, the low-power radio frequency transmitters inside keyless entry devices are similar to those found in other everyday items such as garage door openers, remote-controlled toys, cordless telephones, building alarm systems and the rapidly spreading wireless fidelity computer networks, which are commonly referred to as "wi-fi.""

Next time RTFA before you post.