Can someone start my Prius while I am standing outside of it?

The key should be inside the car, or very nearly so. The door unlocking from the outside uses a different antenna, and it knows the difference.

 

Agreed, the fob needs to be inside the car to start.

OTOH, once the car is in Ready mode and you were to get out of your car, someone could jump in and drive it off without the SmartKey.

 

I have stood outside of the car within a couple of feet of the driver's door with the window down and my daughter started the car. The range is limited but it can be done.

 

Yep, it just happened to me. My wife took her purse with her with the fob inside and went for shopping then I drove away to find the parking place. Once I parked and switched-off the car I realised that I have to re-park as I blocked the other car. No-go! Fortunately the shop was not far away. I don't like it - the car should shut-down itself once out of range of fob.

 

But you also won't like having the car shut itself down in the middle of the freeway when (not if) the fob battery dies.

 

The batteries usually do not shut down suddenly, besides - it is always possible to start the car with touching the fob to the START button. Hmm.. nothing is perfect

 

In my case, I drove to Home Depot, got out of the car with the SKS fob, and my wife got in the driver's seat and drove off to do some shopping.

Minutes later, I get a call from her that she has parked the car and couldn't start the car because she doesn't have her fob in her purse.

I had to ask several people coming out of Home Depot if they were heading in the right direction and wouldn't mind giving me a lift to the store where my wife parked several miles away.

Didn't ask any women by themselves. All the dudes were headed in the opposite direction. Finally, lucked out with an older couple who looked at me like I was from Mars when I tried explaining the situation to them and why I needed a ride lol.

SCH-I535

 

No, but the signal can be lost suddenly. Shift around in the seat a little, and maybe the fob is under your leg more or behind the center console relative to the car's antenna - and because the battery is weak, the car can't detect it any more.

The car does TRY to keep you from driving away without it - it beeps three times and displays a warning message if a door is closed and the fob is no longer in the vehicle. (Maybe this requires the driver's door to be opened once before it starts detecting this? I'm not really sure.) In any case, as long as you don't exit the vehicle via the window, it'll try to keep you from driving off unaware...

 

I also wouldn't want to have to hold the fob against the Start button just the keep the car running on the highway.

 

Maybe - must check. My wife left the car from starboard side, the driver's door remained closed. I just drove away unaware.

A piece of Scotch tape? Seriously - AFAIK the touching of START button with the fob is to be used only to activate the car when the fob's battery goes flat. Then you can drive normally.

 

I think that it should be reprogrammed in a bit more advanced way.
1) Car started normally (fob battery fine) - it should drive without fob inside until switched to P. If in P and no key inside - unable to switch to D/N/R/B.
2) Car started by touching START - it should drive without fob instide and be able to switch from P without a key inside (no battery / key detection).

This way the car will not suddenly stop on the highway. Can be parked easly. But can not be easly stolen when driver leaves the car READY.

It shouldn't be so hard to code into ECU.