‘Smart keys’ may pose deadly danger

(WPRI – Keyless ignition is supposed to be a convenient feature on many new cars. However, several people have died, and one person was left with debilitating injuries from carbon monoxide poisoning. The families of the victims are pointing their fingers at a «keyless ignition» design.

These «smart keys» are remote control keys that lock, unlock and start a car’s engine. It’s supposed to be the latest and greatest technology for drivers, so they don’t have to use a traditional key. You don’t even need a key to shut off your car, and that’s the problem. Some drivers have been unknowingly leaving their cars running, sometimes with deadly results.

It happened in a garage in West Boca, Florida, in a garage in Queens County, New York, and in another in Boca Raton. Carbon monoxide poisoning claimed the lives of four people. And according to court and police documents obtained by Eyewitness News, all of the victims had keyless ignitions and may have unknowingly left their cars running for hours.

«The ‘smart key’ is supposed to provide convenience to owners,» says product safety expert Sean Kane. «They no longer, in many cases, need to unlock the car. They don’t actually have to use a key in a traditional ignition cylinder to turn the car on.»

With a traditional key you have to shut the car off before you can take the key out. The families of several of the victims have filed lawsuits against the car manufacturer saying that this new keyless system contributed to their deaths.

«There’s no question that the onus is on the drivers to shut the car off,» says Kane. «But what is happening here is if you completely change the traditional relationship between the driver and the car, people make mistakes.»

We contacted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. We’re told the agency is proposing to require warning sounds if a driver gets out of a car that’s still running. While some cars already have these in place, NHTSA says not all drivers hear them. They are also considering requiring manufacturers to install automatic shut-off devices.

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