Automakers Won't Abandon Traditional Ignition Key, Despite GM's Recall Woes | Edmunds.com
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Automakers Won't Abandon Traditional Ignition Key, Despite GM's Recall Woes | Edmunds.com
GM's ignition-switch and ignition-key recalls are not expected to prompt other automakers to abandon the traditional key, Edmunds has found.
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Push button ignitions are going to reach a point where the few turn-key ignition systems still offered will be unusual and quaint. It's the same reason why manual windows, manual door locks, tape decks, and CD players have disappeared. I don't buy the argument that an extra cost of $75-125 -- on a vehicle costing 300x as much -- is any sort of limiting factor. Once the consumer EXPECTS push-button start, any vehicle without is less desirable. That alone will kill the turn-key ignition.
It's econ 101. $100 may not seem like a barrier to an individual purchaser, but $100 is an extra cost of $100,000,000 for every million vehicles built, and there are a number of companies who build multiple millions of vehicles. And several hundred millions plus interest and inventory costs is still a significant amount of money for a manufacturer to tie up in one feature. Seemingly sensible improvements that cost far less per vehicle are nixed for the same reason. And while I see the convenience of not having to take the key out of your pocket, the notion that there's never hassle is absurd--if the keys are misplaced, they're lost until you find them, and you can't start the car without them. Truly keyless ignition might be making you enter a combination or solve a puzzle on the touch screen, like you do to unlock your mobile phone, and probably would be less expensive. But then you need a truly keyless entry system, and the one that's still available on Fords is usually derided as old-fashioned or outdated. Biometrics could work but be even more expensive.
Car thieves will be able to leave their 'slim-jims' & lock picks in the tool bag and upgrade to remote control technology to break into your vehicle and drive away.
At least they'll have much cleaner hands.