Is there a way to share the Prius Gen 5 (with Digital Key)?

Reading between the lines here...........
It sounds like the new model REQUIRES a working phone to start the car.

If that is true......may God help us all.

 

This site needs a facepalm emoji.

Toyota Digital Key is an ALTERNATATIVE to using a standard keyfob. If you choose to use it, it means one less thing in your pocket. But you're more than free to just keep on using one of the two regular keyfobs you get with your new Toyota.

 

Reading through the Toyota support site, it looks like the core of the problem is that Toyota treats Digital Key(Bluetooth based) and Remote Connect(cellphone network based) as two different things. You're allowed to share your Digital Key up to 7 times, but Remote Connect is different.

While it's possible to share Remote Connect with a different person, only one user may be active at any given time. It almost feels like Toyota wants you to use a shareable account for family usage, while sharing Remote Connect is for letting someone borrow your car.

https://support.toyota.com/s/article/What-is-the-difference-between-Digital-Key-and-Remote-Connect-Toyota?language=en_US
https://support.toyota.com/s/article/How-do-I-share-my-Digital-Key-Toyota?language=en_US
https://support.toyota.com/s/article/Can-I-share-my-Remote-10703?language=en_US

 

feels funny they ask you to pay for the digital key, and you need to subscribe to use it after a year because it is the function people already pay for it upfront. It like people buy a lock, and the company asks you to pay monthly in order to enter your house.

 

I'm not sure if we are agreeing with each other or trying to say different things, so I'm going to restate some stuff in a different format just in case.

Digital Key
- uses Bluetooth
- short range only
- turns a cell phone into a basic keyfob
- only allows locking/unlocking of doors and starting the car
- can be shared up to 7 times by primary user

Remote Connect
- uses cell phone network
- unlimited range(as long as cell phone and car both have cell signal)
- allows remote start/stop, lock/unlock, lights, horn, hazards, climate
- can only be assigned to one driver at a time
- can be assigned to a guest driver, but assignment must be revoked in order for primary driver to have control back


So let's look at a couple scenarios...

1. You are the primary driver of the car. You drive the car 99% of the time. Very occasionally you have someone else(significant other, child, parent, friend, etc.) use the car and want them to have complete access. In that case, it might be worth the hassle of assigning them to be a Remote Connect guest driver and then taking control back when they return the car.

2. You are the primary driver/owner of the car, but it is regularly used by others in your family. You want the other(s) to have complete remote access, but it would be way too much of a hassle to be constantly switching control between multiple Toyota accounts. In this case, it's probably better for everyone involved to share a single Toyota account on all phones.


Note: I'm basing all this on reading/watching Toyota support articles/videos. I don't have my gen5 yet, and my gen3 doesn't have any remote features, so I don't have any personal experience with the app.

 

The problem is that for these systems to work, the car needs access the cell phone network. And the cell providers aren't going to give that access away for free. In a way, you're paying for adding your car to your cell plan.

The basic functions are free for ten years(I figure Toyota assumes most buyers sell/trade their cars before that)
- Safety Connect: Emergency Assistance Button, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Automatic Collision Notification, and Stolen Vehicle Locator
- Service Connect: receive personalized maintenance updates and vehicle health reports

The functions that require far more regular access(and correspondingly many more cell network connections) are free for one year
- Remote Connect: description in my other post

The functions that require large amounts of data from the cell network either have very short trials or no trials at all
- Wi-Fi Connect: turns the car into a hotspot; 30 day/3GB trial
- Drive Connect: cloud-based navigation with some extra nav stuff including talking to a real person for directions; 1-year trial on Limited/XSE+, no trial on lower trims

 

Sadly, I think Digital Key has been around for a few years. It was definitely available on several 2022 models, and possibly some 2021 models as well. That would put development of the tech back to 2020 or even 2019.

The following article was published in Aug of 2019. It had the Digital Key name by that point, even if it's clear from the article that the tech wasn't finalized yet.
Toyota Connected North America | Digital Key

 

Is this analogous to the “Peter Principle”: cars are lumbered with increasing complexity, till a stalemate is reached; hardly anyone can comprehend/use half the dreck?

Same principle applies to the beleaguered mechanics trying to maintain/fix them.