[gr33nq]

At first glance this reminded me of some Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor models which had similar unlabeled buttons. One would disable all exterior lights, including brake lights, for going into stealth/surveillance mode. An adjacent button was used to be able to remove the key and keep the engine running, while preventing the car from being shifted out of park until the key was inserted again. I haven't seen either feature re-introduced in the newer Explorers or Fusions though.

[jonah]

Many modern ambulances have a similar shifter disable switch so that it can be left running and someone can't take off with your ambulance while you're off collecting your patient.

[jagged-chisel]

> … used to be able to remove the key and keep the engine running, while preventing the car from being shifted out of park …

I’m pretty sure (not 100%) that new cars with contactless keys have this feature by default. You can get out (with the key) and leave it running, but the shifter won’t work until you return with the key.

[akira2501]

Contactless keys and fleet vehicles do not go well together.

[javawizard]

I'll bite. Why not?

[akira2501]

Loss of keys. If you expect the vehicle to be used by multiple different shifts then a lost key removes a vehicle from service unless you can reprogram it. Some cars let you program new fobs up to a limit then you need a dealership unlock to continue doing that.

Easier is just to key all the fleet vehicles with the same standard non chipped key. Then any key operates any vehicle which removes a ton of operational friction. When I drove cab we also just used fleet keys, but only because we bought old police interceptors, which also meant, our cab keys could open and drive police cars. Which is why police fleet cars sometimes have an extra interlock button or switch in them which disables the shifter so it can't be taken out of park. Similar to the switches in this post.

Vehicles assigned to a single officer may be different and will likely use the fob but the shift vehicles in a lot of jurisdictions just use fleet keys even today.

[dguest]

Seems like a solvable problem, the trivial solution is to have the dealership program multiple fobs identically.

I guess maybe not solved yet because:

- The trivial solution also means multiple cars respond to e.g. "unlock" if they are parked adjacent.

- Anything more complicated means custom electronics for a niche market.

By contrast every small town in the world has a fundi who can duplicate your physical key.

[gr33nq]

I think you're right, although I've noticed that there's a timeout where newer cars automatically turns off if the key fob doesn't come back within range after so many minutes. Probably a safety feature to avoid accidental walkaways, whereas the button required a deliberate two-step action (hold down while turning and removing the key) to activate the feature.

[kccqzy]

Mine didn't. My contactless key needs to be nearby when starting the car. The shifter is independent and does not need the key.

[slowmovintarget]

I was astonished to learn that Ford no longer sells sedans (Fusions) of any kind. Neither does GM. I dislike SUVs, and it seems the only choices for American sedans are a Cadillac or a Tesla. Hondas and Toyotas are selling like hot-cakes, but when they had to compete on quality American automakers just decided to walk away from the market.

So no need to worry about that feature on Fusions... they don't sell them anymore. Nor Chevies, Buicks, Oldsmobile is long gone, no more Dodges or Chryslers... nothing.

[foobarian]

> I was astonished to learn that Ford no longer sells sedans (Fusions) of any kind

It has been a very long time for Ford now. I was heartbroken when they discontinued the Fiesta/Focus ST/RS trims in the US, those were peak car models for me.

Story: when I was buying my Fiesta ST I did all the usual dealership prep tactics to avoid getting overcharged. I researched the dealership cost and all that jazz, and told the salesperson I have that much + a few hundred bucks which seemed a fair offer. They immediately accepted it and got me out the door with that car within the hour; I got the sense they were not selling well even back then.

[tekknik]

those CAFE standards, or the “not an EV mandate” have destroyed the US car market. Trucks come standard with 4 cylinder engines now and manufacturers are reducing their offerings to meet the aggressive climate goals.

Check Chevy and Dodge too. Chevy has one sedan and Dodge is still selling 2023 model years to avoid CAFE.

[averageRoyalty]

That must be an American thing. Ford, Holden (GMSV, Chevvy), Toyota and Honda all still sell sedans in Australia.