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Comment by aluminussoma | Hacker News Reader

My reaction: Great! Reproducing these keys costs hundreds of dollars and a trip to the dealer. Maybe it can finally be affordable again.

I'm less concerned about someone stealing my car. The local police department takes it seriously, no less because stolen cars are used to commit other crimes.

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> Maybe it can finally be affordable again.

I like how some Chrysler products handle this. You can buy a $50 fob online and program it to your car yourself. The catch is, you need two key fobs to do it. This is so the valet attendant (who only has 1 of your key fobs) can't make his own copy. So, you just have to plan ahead and do it asap when you get a vehicle and always keep 2 in storage in case you want to make another.

That is very forward of Chrysler. I just wish some of the more reputable brands would follow suit.

Extreme programming also came out of Chrysler (Kent Beck). They were the first to build and pilot EV pickup trucks and minivans. The 2020 RAM pickup beat BMW and Mercedes for "Luxury Vehicle of the Year". From consulting work I've done there in the past, they have many small groups that function like internal startups. They are surprisingly forward thinking despite many of the other products that actually make it into production, although that seems to be changing. The new infotainment system looks second to none.

My old coworker bought a 2019 RAM pickup. I was floored by the inside. It was closer to a spaceship than a truck. Glad to see they are turning things around (at least when it comes to infotainment electronics) but I wish I could trust the engine.

Wait, what are you advocating? Return to keys without an immobiliser??? You do realise that that's the feature that has single-handedly destroyed car theft that was so rampant by the 90s? That is what made cars so difficult to steal, but also what makes keys cost what they do and require an approved dealer to code the keys. Return to the old keys where you only had the key and nothing else would be......crazy, really.

Yeah, if they're overcharging then it would probably be better to go after that directly. It doesn't need to cost more than $20.

I wouldn't be surprised to find car thieves also diminished since the nineties. Akin to why violent crime is down. Could be other confounding circumstances. Is almost certainly a combination of things.

For my Honda, I purchased a 5 dollar keyfob on Ebay and programmed it myself... no hacking required (the instructions are available online).

How would the dealer be able to trick you into buying key insurance if they didn't threaten to charge you hundreds of dollars though?

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