this post was submitted on 03 Dec 2025
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Because it was the anti theft system and immobilizer.
It would be pretty useless if it could be defeated by putting some foil on the antenna so that it loses network connection and defaulted to allowing you to drive.
How does it validate that you are a valid driver? Do you enter a PIN or something?
With your personal vehicle access device, aka, the car key. Immobilizers with transponders in the key have been a thing (and in some places a legal requirement) for like three decades.
They've just gotten more aggressive now with "keyless" entry and being able to use your phone as your key, so some validate that info in real time - no network, no access. (Up to a point. They won't immediately strand you just because you ran out of cell coverage obviously, but apparently Porsche did enforce some part of their system to that point)
Yeah, I've seen videos of Porsches needing to be towed out of parking garages because there is no cell signal underground.