Model Year 23/24 Proximity Auto Walk Away Lock / Arrival Unlock

[Tell]

My understanding (and happy to be wrong) is that the importer specs the cars hence why many different motors from different countries are configured differently.

I have spoken to SEAT UK and there take on this was very simple, if you make a change to the setup of the car (lets say you change how the DRL's work and there is a problem with the DRL's then the warranty is voided. However if you have an engine failure your covered. bottom line if they can link your code change to a failure they will try and void the warranty. However that my be different in your country.


Whilst I fully agree with this in SFD1 World my understanding in SFD2 in Europe (once access is granted via diagnostic tools) is that you have to tell VAG Servers about the changes you are applying (unlike sfd1 where you are just asking for access) if that is true (That is my understanding but may be wrong) then the server will know you have made a specif change request and then another to undo it (why would you do that).

You wont get into SFD2 unless you are authorised and your average coder app isn't. @East Yorkshire Retrofits can confirm so those SFD2 areas are closed down to hobbyists with their coding gubbins. The infotainment unit is an SFD2 area and it's that, that is holding the suppressed menus that would need to be un-supressed. That's what I did with one touch kessy to lock and all the rest. Those menus you see after rebooting the unit on the infotainment system after coding to see the new menu options prior to SFD2

So I think people are snookered as of 2025 model year and beyond for doing much these days but @East Yorkshire Retrofits will straighten me out if the infotainment unit isn't fully locked down with SFD2. All part of stopping hobbyists generating swarm connected cars or non hobbyists. That EU security directive.

SFD1 was a weird one. It was put in then Vag took payment for the coders to get the handshaking access. May be it was Vag testing out the their abilities to control coding. SFD2 someone in the EU must have said, excuse me that's not what you are suppose to be doing. The rest is history.

I'll wait to be corrected on the finer points.

 

[tracktoy]

So I think people are snookered as of 2025 model year and beyond for doing much these days but @East Yorkshire Retrofits will straighten me out if the infotainment unit isn't fully locked down with SFD2. All part of stopping hobbyists generating swarm connected cars or non hobbyists. That EU security directive.

SFD1 was a weird one. It was put in then Vag took payment for the coders to get the handshaking access. May be it was Vag testing out the their abilities to control coding. SFD2 someone in the EU must have said, excuse me that's not what you are suppose to be doing. The rest is history.

I'll wait to be corrected on the finer points.

Just to be clear is not an EU directive is a United Nation one.

Re SFD1 (And 2 to some degree) VAG, BMW And Mercedes have all made clear they want to make money out of the cars after they are sold to you and the ability to turn on features was one of the simple ways to do this

 

[Tell]

Just to be clear is not an EU directive is a United Nation one.

Re SFD1 (And 2 to some degree) VAG, BMW And Mercedes have all made clear they want to make money out of the cars after they are sold to you and the ability to turn on features was one of the simple ways to do this

They rapped it up in their law then . As they say commonsense. Wonder where Russia comes in this. Hmmm too nearly.

You could ask why did they bother with SFD1 if the bridge was pulled up in SFD2 apart from allowing minor user adjustments. Think you alter things for track days or was that someone else ?. Legal and non legal on road activity. Scandinavian lightlights etc. You could see some customisation allowed between regions but the user is locked out of secure areas which is a trip wire to customisation / coding as we know it. They were only suppose to be for the manufacture in their distributed control system. Men and trainsets, trying to alter the junction and putting an incline in. Coding in cars. Trainset manufacture now has a few tricks to limit post sales fiddling.

Anyhow this Golf mk8 document pre sfd2 makes an interesting read. The light show etc is different to the Formentor but it's mqb evo so gives details on what can be done, then you scrub out the units that are SFD2 protected.

Client Challenge

(Pass on the title of that link)

Gives a quick overview at the end on radio logos, map and software updates. Always good to see a second source, third source etc.

Another way in if you trust one click apps is to install the Obdeleven app without buying the dongle. You put the car into the "garage" of the app and check what one click apps are available. Thus if walk away Kessy vanishes with 2025 and beyond Formentors then it can't be done. Last time I checked nothing could be done - may have changed. That gives you a pointer but you should always code and not use risky one click apps.

The German link I referred to on Formentor coding hasn't been updated since 2021. I checked that.

(I had 000 / n gauge )

 

[serdar_18fr]

VAG, BMW And Mercedes have all made clear they want to make money out of the cars after they are sold to you and the ability to turn on features was one of the simple ways to do this

There was so much money to be made in retrofitting but VAG never managed to exploit this channel well enough. They could have offered so many features for which owners were willing to spend money, just like SEAT did with Full Link or Audi does with navigation activation. They made money only from genuine parts they sold for retrofitting works but all the money they could get from licensing have gone to hackers who cracked the FeC scheme.

 

[Tell]

There was so much money to be made in retrofitting but VAG never managed to exploit this channel well enough. They could have offered so many features for which owners were willing to spend money, just like SEAT did with Full Link or Audi does with navigation activation. They made money only from genuine parts they sold for retrofitting works but all the money they could get from licensing have gone to hackers who cracked the FeC scheme.

That won't happen with the signature encryption now they closed the back door off in mib3. The encryption was suppose to stop that but then it was found in mib2 high that poi file exploit existed, where anything placed after the signature could be read into the unit. That gave the on the bench stuff in the car with the green menu and the AIO software.

Mib3 their security advisors made sure they fixed the exploits. On the bench stuff was done by finding passwords. Suspect that is all burried the same way as they did the in car on the bench. Mib3 still uses FeCs but they better protect them from adjustments. The retrofitters have been brought into the fold with legitimate licenced tools and suspect the Polish / Russian retrofitter operations are closed down.

Vag still intends to sell user licenced functionality, the question is packaging. Optional connected cars functionality is part of it. We see that now.

Bit like early days of satellite TV hackers pop the chips, unless you are prepared to disassemble the car and change the chips you are a bit stuck. That would definitely be outside the warranty and the Audi security inspectors would soon be on the case for anyone selling those services. I get the impression that the mib programmers have now gracefully retired from their activities except those ROM chip swapper that I've heard talk off. Based on my legitimate experience of satboxes these days the processors over heat and pop off the boards themselves. A bit of a fools activity to mess with the hardware.

 

[serdar_18fr]

Vag still intends to sell user licenced functionality, the question is packaging. Optional connected cars functionality is part of it. We see that now.

Still "intends".

15 years have passed since the first MQB car.

A big missed opportunity and lots of frustrated customers, sick and tired looking for a retrofitter who knows what they're doing, and left with a product which would be wiped away at the first update, for features that could have been enabled with the flick of a switch, permanently licensed.

 

[Tell]

Still "intends".

15 years have passed since the first MQB car.

A big missed opportunity and lots of frustrated customers, sick and tired looking for a retrofitter who knows what they're doing, and left with a product which would be wiped away at the first update, for features that could have been enabled with the flick of a switch, permanently licensed.

We we have a good board sponsor that knows what they are doing but a bit of a leg from you. Prior to this some of us experienced a Polish retrofitter but yes there work un did and was time limited. Once the navigation FeC period incremental up by a year the infotainment system put up complaints ditto the other poster who had used their services. The Retrofitter never turned up at their place of work, had to drive half way up Birmingham. Then to get it fixed had to drive to Doncaster, left three times with the TSR warning I was breaking the camera read speed limit, it was reading kilometres an hour not MPH. Three of those failed attempts. I'm back again. More on the bench programming.

When mib tools came out the hobbyists got the subject sorted out. Interesting enough you could see the not very good retrofitters handy work in the backup file by date and time, so the hobbyists could see what they had done in the unit. Clever stuff.

Moral here buy a card fully specified. UK buyers some buy on a whim and are a bit unaware that they have something with limitations. Secondhand car market is like that. With SFD2 it will be tricky to home post fit things. Electronics raises it's ugly head for car hobbyists that want to tinker.

I like that Sennheiser system in the latest models with the pseudo surround sound but doesn't have Dolby Atmos implemented yet. That's under software control. That might be one of those added value things you pay for but never offered to Cupra like life long navigation FeCs for mib2 highs... well not until a few months from end of production.

I've yet to try that slider bar for the pseudo surround in the Tavascan. Should be in the Raval but whether it sees Dolby Atmos as an over the air upgrade like the Smart, who knows. Still not a lot of Dolby Atmos audio about other than that its mixing the sound up.

Find Music in Dolby Atmos

Dolby Atmos Music streaming services and compatible devices deliver immersive sound at home or on the go. Find songs and artists with music in Dolby.

www.dolby.com

 

[serdar_18fr]

We we have a good board sponsor that knows what they are doing but a bit of a leg from you.

That's not the point and I wasn't talking for myself. I see it as everyone's problem.

 

[Tell]

That's not the point and I wasn't talking for myself. I see it as everyone's problem.

Good retrofitters area rare . Bit of a hot-spot in Yorkshire.

 

[tracktoy]

There was so much money to be made in retrofitting but VAG never managed to exploit this channel well enough. They could have offered so many features for which owners were willing to spend money, just like SEAT did with Full Link or Audi does with navigation activation. They made money only from genuine parts they sold for retrofitting works but all the money they could get from licensing have gone to hackers who cracked the FeC scheme.

Agreed, but I suspect that VAG Group are rather distracted, they had a go at being a software house and that failed big time.
They entered the EV Market but cost and structural issues have left them well behind the competition,
They have far to many highly paid people on the books and the Unions are not letting them restructure like they should so cost's are high and new model turnaround is not as fast as the Chinese. It reminds me of when the Japanese killed the UK Motorbike manufacturers.

Sales volumes are down and margins are under pressure.

Now trump has upped the Tarrif to 25% (well till he has a TACO moment) and from memory they cant ship from China to the US Either.

On the bright side its a lovely sunny day and my old banger is not impacted by any of this stuff.

 

[Tell]

Agreed, but I suspect that VAG Group are rather distracted, they had a go at being a software house and that failed big time.
They entered the EV Market but cost and structural issues have left them well behind the competition,
They have far to many highly paid people on the books and the Unions are not letting them restructure like they should so cost's are high and new model turnaround is not as fast as the Chinese. It reminds me of when the Japanese killed the UK Motorbike manufacturers.

Sales volumes are down and margins are under pressure.

Now trump has upped the Tarrif to 25% (well till he has a TACO moment) and from memory they cant ship from China to the US Either.

On the bright side its a lovely sunny day and my old banger is not impacted by any of this stuff.

Might be sunny where you are. It isn't here.

Vag are back to talking about selling off some of that spare factory space to their Chinese partners and whether any of their Chinese models are suitable for Europe. Perhaps we will get the Unyx 8 then from the same factory as the Tavascan. VW seem to be moving fast with the next architecture for 2030. All those co-deals may be paying off.

No America takes 0 cars from China. Basically America is petrol heaven. VW are also pushing ahead with regenerative no plug in hybrids. Covering a lot of bases at once.

 

[tracktoy]

Well time will tell how well VAG do in this space, personally I think they will survive but will be a much smaller company.

 

[trew]

Anybody else finding that P2 of this thread is like trying to read French, when all you know is, "Bonjour. Comment ca va?"

 

[Tell]

I'd just have the starters then the floating custard island thingy to finish off with and catch the ferry back. Duty free is now possible .

The upshot was proxy keyless locking wasn't a good function to have and if it was a 2025 model and above you would not be able to enable it due to SFD2 via coding if not fitted as standard. The coding has always been available going back in Kessy ten years or more.

I didn't mention that historically people who had enabled it with coding, leaving their keys in the car (presume a locked garage) found they were locked out when returning. Think the remote battery failed and it locked them out. Been a few posts like that over the years with Kessy, auto locking on proxy with the keys inside.You do get auto locking as well if the car gets unlocked but no door is open, so it could be related to that - a door unlock was triggered from a dying fod, then the fod locked in the car. Best not to mess with the built in functionality.

Rest of Kessy works fine with one touch to lock and handle grab to open. Enable auto close of mirrors on lock as visual check for lock and that motor sound is quiter than the illegal EU beep that some want.

Relay thief has now been sorted on these new implementations so we are told... not so sure about that (keep your keys well away from the front or rear house door, police say 6ft or something or a Faraday bag).

More on security

https://leasing.com/guides/relay-car-theft-what-is-it-and-how-can-you-avoid-it/

Had kessy for ten years come Autumn, no issues. Ateca was the first implementation on Seat / Cupra. I don't leave the keys by the front door.

 

[trew]

I'd just have the starters then the floating custard island thingy to finish off with and catch the ferry back. Duty free is now possible .

The upshot was proxy keyless locking wasn't a good function to have and if it was a 2025 model and above you would not be able to enable it due to SFD2 via coding if not fitted as standard. The coding has always been available going back in Kessy ten years or more.

I didn't mention that historically people who had enabled it with coding, leaving their keys in the car (presume a locked garage) found they were locked out when returning. Think the remote battery failed and it locked them out. Been a few posts like that over the years with Kessy, auto locking on proxy with the keys inside.You do get auto locking as well if the car gets unlocked but no door is open, so it could be related to that - a door unlock was triggered from a dying fod, then the fod locked in the car. Best not to mess with the built in functionality.

Rest of Kessy works fine with one touch to lock and handle grab to open. Enable auto close of mirrors on lock as visual check for lock and that motor sound is quiter than the illegal EU beep that some want.

Relay thief has now been sorted on these new implementations so we are told... not so sure about that (keep your keys well away from the front or rear house door, police say 6ft or something or a Faraday bag).

More on security

https://leasing.com/guides/relay-car-theft-what-is-it-and-how-can-you-avoid-it/

Had kessy for ten years come Autumn, no issues. Ateca was the first implementation on Seat / Cupra. I don't leave the keys by the front door.

Yup. My fob goes straight into the Faraday box when not in use. The spare already lives in there. I get neighbourhood watch emails from the old Plod and it's surprising how many vehicles are stolen from driveways.

 

[Veedub]

My VZ2 has to option to autolock when you walk away, but I don't trust it, so I've disabled it and just touch the doorhandle to lock the car. This means I don't have to turn around when I walk away to see if the damn mirrors have folded or not.

I have a 2025 Leon V3. I've had issues from when I bought the car new with the Kessy system not always locking when I walk away. My dealer says they can't find any issues but it has happened to me from Week one. That was September 2025. I have insisted it gets sorted and my car has been back in at least 6 times so far. I have been asked and provided my dealer/Cupra UK with videos showing it not working.. I am waiting a more positive oulook but will keep on at Cupra until my car is fixed. I understand that my dealer have followed a cupra instruction to reset software but it's had no effect. They have previously said that they have never heard of this issue but from the various Cupra forums I've been on the problem is far bigger than Cupra care to admit though there are a lot of guys that have either disabled Kessy because of reliability or just don't use it. I'm a great believer that if the system is available and meant to work I want it to work. Interested in your comments

 

[Tell]

I have a 2025 Leon V3. I've had issues from when I bought the car new with the Kessy system not always locking when I walk away. My dealer says they can't find any issues but it has happened to me from Week one. That was September 2025. I have insisted it gets sorted and my car has been back in at least 6 times so far. I have been asked and provided my dealer/Cupra UK with videos showing it not working.. I am waiting a more positive oulook but will keep on at Cupra until my car is fixed. I understand that my dealer have followed a cupra instruction to reset software but it's had no effect. They have previously said that they have never heard of this issue but from the various Cupra forums I've been on the problem is far bigger than Cupra care to admit though there are a lot of guys that have either disabled Kessy because of reliability or just don't use it. I'm a great believer that if the system is available and meant to work I want it to work. Interested in your comments

Well it was always possible in the coding since VW came out with Kessy but not implemented on Seat / Cupra till recently. There may have been a reason for this. Normal one touch operation on the handle if enabled works fine. Been using it for nearly 10 years. Nearly 8 on the Arona. Use to live in London and Essex, I wouldn't swan down the road leaving the car unlocked with crime levels waiting for proximity to click in / out. Lock and walk away is the order of the day. Proximity locking and unlocking is just a fad for the light show.... call me old fashioned . That is why it's in now I reckon.

 

[Momochi]

My car also has auto unlock and lock when you approach and walk away from it. Like you, I also don’t trust this feature and if it wasn’t part of my car’s standard spec, I’d never ever have paid extra to have it. The only time I re-enable it is when my car goes back to the dealership for its annual service. I disabled it again as soon as the service has been carried out.

Another of those ‘must have’ features I could easily live without………

Kept the autolock function (tested the other day, locking activated when I was just over 4 metres away from the front door handle), but not the auto-UNlock....