The key in the bag and the pocket just is carried, can lock & can unlock the door and the tail gate. It is convenient to also the day of rain and the day when the baggage is many.
In addition also can start the engine, with just knob operation.

• 
  HONDA smart key
• 
  Lock button (driver's seat/suicide seat door)
• 
  Lock button (tail gate)
• 
  Engine starting knob

Found this on the Honda Fit Page of the Japanese Honda Site

 

This is the one thing I miss from my Altima (well, ok, besides the 270hp of VQ Goodness). It seems like a gimmick but is super handy, especially when hands are full... push a button with the pinky, pull the door handle with the same pinky, put the load of crap you are carrying down in the car. Seems like a gimmick but really, it was a major convenience.

The difficulty with this system is that you have to have sensors all throughout the car because they car needs to determine that the key is actually inside the car (to prevent locking your keys in the car - and also to allow you the ability to lock the other key in the car). It also has to know which key is closer to the button being pushed (for when the family goes out and mom & dad both have a key - and mom wants to leave her purse in the car) you don't want someone walking up to the car and just pushing the button and the car unlocking (because mom's key is in the car).

There's a lot more to it. - this has been hashed out on the altima forums a number of times.

Great feature, tough I would think to add in after the fact as it would require a lot of panel removal.

~SB

 

I almost bought a versa for this feature.

I just put my first scratch on my car (purchased march 2010)... tossing my work gear into the back seat, and I had a key poking out of my left hand. As soon as a I reached for the door, my brain told me to stop, but it was too late. I felt the metal on paint thud as the key streaked across the door. 3 inch scratch

I imagine most things will have this technology sometime in the future- I already have a magnetic badge for work, even though I still have to swipe it (for now..). Should work on homes no problem, gated communities or parking garages, even toll roads have this technology!

I wish the NA Fit wasnt the honda stepchild. We felt like we got such a great deal on our car, I'm sure I would have paid thousands more for smartkey, leather and sky roof, swing out hitch, etc... What a cool freaking car.

 

It'll be standard in 5-10 years on all cars except for the el-cheapo cars if it isn't extinct technology. Latest is iPhone/andriod apps for starting, unlocking etc... your car. This latest tech is likely to replace proximity keys etc... for two years I didn't need a key for anything except my own personal office. I manage the Access system at the college where I work and have a Proximity card for entering buildings, My Fob for the altima let me enter/lock/start the car. I had the garage door opener for here at home. Pinpad for the building that I work in (go figure... I manage the access system be we have a pin-pad ?????). Then a key to my office. Well, soon I'll be installing the access system in my office however it ain't cheap.

~SB

 

see. Japan has all the good stuff. they just screw up the US Hondas on purpose.

 

blame uncle sam and all his "safety this" "unsafe that" "has to pass test this" "has to pass test that" etc etc etc...

 

The problem is the market. The US equates Subcompacts with Cheap cars (with only a slight few exceptions - see mini cooper) Japan and Europe have all levels of luxury in every size vehicle so you'll see things like this in other markets. In the US, small cars cannot have these accessories or else they wouldn't be the price we expect to pay for a small vehicle.

how many times have we heard "for that price, you can get a civic" or something else along those lines.

The only vehicles that can go small, at a big price are luxury nameplates. if a luxury brand were to make a small car, it would be ok to price it high with lots of options but a more economy brand could not drop something on the market at that high of a price.

~SB

 

being that we are a country of "leasers" might have something to do with it?

 

Doubtful.

Leasing is usually one of a few things.

• Business needs
• The ability to obtain a car above our realistic means (financially)
• Those unsure if a vehicle meets their needs (or someone who likes a new car every few years.)

two of these would actually allow people who couldn't afford things like keyless start to own these types of vehicles. Leasing allows for a more feature rich vehicle to be purchased and Businesses often times like the additional features that can be obtained by leasing as again, a more upscale vehicle can be "purchased".

~SB

 

I use Bio_metric door locks for home. I am no longer afraid that I will lost my keys and cannot get in. Doors always lock. I even install automatic garage door sensor to close it after 10 minutes.
I will love to see the same technology in the car soon.

 

My 2007 Vette uses a proximity key fob. I leave it in my poket and walk up to the car and it unlocks to let me in. Then just push the start button to well, start it. When I get out and get a few feet away from the car it locks itself.

The only thing the physical key is ever needed for is if the fob or car battery dies.

 

I don't think you are correct, take a look at the nissan versa- moonroof, intelli key, leather, optional interior packages, bluetooth, etc.

I believe Nissan must heavily equip their versas to keep up with the competitors, while honda is the competitor and doesn't want to cut into the sales of their own higher cost vehicles.

Besides that, for the people that are strictly looking for economy, there are still the base models available- they don't have to add all the options.

 

I just wonder if we can order this since it is in japan and get it installed on our usdm fits

 

If it can work on our cars and if we can order it, I'll definately be getting one. I've already completed a keyhole deletion on my front drivers side door.

 

The versa with moonroof requires you to fully load the package SL NAVI and comes out just under 20K. The US is beginning to see the benefits of small vehicles and also the fact that you don't have to go without amenities in smaller packages. We are nowhere close to Europe or Japan however. The Civic just began offering leather half way through the current generation... in the US.

The fact is, that other markets have had these extras readily available right along side of other (of their own brand) vehicles. What makes the US different that Honda couldn't sell a Leather loaded FIT here but can sell it alongside a civic everywhere else. It can't be that honda is afraid of taking away sales of their other vehicles or else they wouldn't offer it in other markets. It's the US POV about the vehicles that prevent the easy sale of cars like a leather/skyroof FIT.

As for people picking up the base model vs others with varying options, things like NAVI, Skyroof, Leather are not options but are trim levels. It's not something a dealer can add (technically leather could... but... not realistic). this would mean honda would have to offer a number of trim levels. Keeping to the standard honda moniker... you'd have:

• Base - LX
• Sport - EX
• Sport Leather - EX-L
• Sport leather Navi - EX-L Navi

and in theory, each of the the top 3 levels would have the skyroof option.

Since none of these would have really any of the accessories as a dealer option (not plausible for most cases) you'd have essentially 7 different trim levels that would have to be shipped from japan. That would cost and I don't think the US is willing to pay... for an economy car.

Nissan does have the price advantage but besides their VQ, they don't have the reliability in the engine (or longevity) department that honda has. - it's similar to the "DUAL" stereos vs the Pioneers. DUAL has alot of features for a low price, but it's cheap.

I'm not knocking Nissan, our Altima was great but there were many parts of it that weren't up to the quality of the components in the FIT. Nissan has to save where they can to have that potential advantage. - it's a different business model.

~SB

 

The 95 Vette also uses a proximity fob for the locks. But you start the engine with the key. It's also the ONLY other car I've ever been in, that has speed sensitive radio volume. I had at one point thought about buying it off my brother, but I'd never be able to afford the upkeep... or the gas.

 

Ok, I contacted the only Japanese part supplier I know of. He said he can get me the key, but not the rest of the system. Honda won't sell it to him. While the key looks great in and of itself, it won't serve any purpose without the system.

There's a company called SpaceKey that makes an aftermarket system for the gd fits, but they're not being super responsive to me. And they're keys look like either the Nissan key or the Mazda key (two different systems they offer).