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Someone probably told the developer to implement it that way.

How is that the developer's fault?

You unlock the car with your phone over your data connection and not with a key. Losing the data connection is the equivalent of losing the key. You may not like it, I know I don't, but that's the downside of doing it this way (just like it's a downside to have a physical key because you can lose it too).

I have no doubt that the developers warned management of the risk of doing it this way, they accepted the risk.

Whether the restriction is reasonable or not is up for debate. The issue is that they created a vehicle that only works within a specific geographic area, then failed to document that area or warn users that it existed.

Devs just do whatever they're told. It's likely the PO's responsibility to think through how this should work.

Rarely are developers in charge of UX