anyway to disable putting car in drive while key not in vehicle?

In environments where there is a meaningful risk of theft, this is essential.

An already-operating car isn't disabled by simply removing the fob from the car, because it can't tell the difference between the fob leaving, and the fob's battery simply dying while in the car. So it doesn't disable anything until you intentionally turn the car off, which more-or-less signals that you are in a safe parking place, not out on the road or blocking anything while maneuvering in a tight parking area.

 

I echo @fuzzy1 on turning the car off and locking the car also not leaving your kids or pets in the car while you are away from the car. That being said, you can lock the door while the car is in READY-mode and running by using a physical key inside of the fob. Yes, it is very cumbersome to use the physical key to lock the door, but that option is available.

 

The few times I've tried to use the mechanical key to lock my door while in READY, my Gen 3 thought "oh, no, you don't" and immediately kerchunked the door unlocked again. I had to lock it using an even more cumbersome method, reaching through the window, then closing it.

That worked, and the only way to re-unlock the door was with the mechanical key. It's still not a very complete or satisfying answer, as anybody willing to bust their way in could then just drive the car away.

 

I think you need to move out of that neighborhood. LOL

 

Wrong way around.

Keep living next to somebody with a Mercedes, and nobody will notice your Prius.

 

Hey, I would never change my Prius Prime to a Mercedes–Benz.

 

It also can't tell if you somehow dropped the fob, accidentally and it got shielded by something, like an aluminum fast food wrapper.
Or the signal is coming and going due to being blocked by something.

Mike