A method comprising: determining a distance between a vehicle access device and a vehicle; activating at least one communication node of a plurality of communication nodes (34-1, 34-2, 34-3, 34-4, 34-5, 34-6, 34-7) in response to the distance being less than a threshold distance; transmitting a signal from the at least one communication node; gathering a plurality of received signal strength indication values corresponding to the signal; identifying a first value of the gathered plurality of received signal strength indication values that occurs most frequently; identifying a second value of the gathered plurality of received signal strength indication values that occurs less frequently; removing the second value from the gathered plurality of received signal strength indication values; identifying at least one communication node of the plurality of communication nodes (34-1, 34-2, 34-3, 34-4, 34-5, 34-6, 34-7) corresponding to a highest value of the plurality of received signal strength indication values; and determining whether the vehicle access device is disposed in an interior portion of the vehicle or on an exterior of the vehicle based on the highest value of the plurality of received signal strength indication values, wherein, based on the identity of the at least one communication node corresponding to the highest value of the plurality of received signal strength indication values, a primary wireless communication node is configured to (i) activate a first communication node of the plurality of communication nodes (34-1, 34-2, 34-3, 34-4, 34-5, 34-6, 34-7) and (ii) idle a second communication node of the plurality of communication nodes (34-1, 34-2, 34-3, 34-4, 34-5, 34-6, 34-7). determining a distance between a vehicle access device and a vehicle; activating at least one communication node of a plurality of communication nodes (34-1, 34-2, 34-3, 34-4, 34-5, 34-6, 34-7) in response to the distance being less than a threshold distance; transmitting a signal from the at least one communication node; gathering a plurality of received signal strength indication values corresponding to the signal; identifying a first value of the gathered plurality of received signal strength indication values that occurs most frequently; identifying a second value of the gathered plurality of received signal strength indication values that occurs less frequently; removing the second value from the gathered plurality of received signal strength indication values; identifying at least one communication node of the plurality of communication nodes (34-1, 34-2, 34-3, 34-4, 34-5, 34-6, 34-7) corresponding to a highest value of the plurality of received signal strength indication values; and determining whether the vehicle access device is disposed in an interior portion of the vehicle or on an exterior of the vehicle based on the highest value of the plurality of received signal strength indication values, wherein, based on the identity of the at least one communication node corresponding to the highest value of the plurality of received signal strength indication values, a primary wireless communication node is configured to (i) activate a first communication node of the plurality of communication nodes (34-1, 34-2, 34-3, 34-4, 34-5, 34-6, 34-7) and (ii) idle a second communication node of the plurality of communication nodes (34-1, 34-2, 34-3, 34-4, 34-5, 34-6, 34-7).