Patent ID: 8548645

Claim:
A smart key system for an automobile having an engine, transmission, and brake pedal including a coded key fob able to be detected and authenticated within a passenger compartment and authenticated by a smart key system controller and enabling an ignition switch to start said engine, said automobile also including a transmission operating lever enabling shifting said transmission into gear, and a lever lock preventing movement of said transmission lever to shift into gear until said brake pedal is depressed, the improvement wherein a two step key fob authentication is required in which said smart key controller detects and authenticates the presence of a key fob at the time said engine is started and again attempts to detects and authenticate the presence of the coded key fob in said passenger compartment whenever said brake pedal is depressed which only if said coded key fob is detected and authenticated causes operation of said transmission lever lock actuator to release said lock lever and thereby allow said transmission lever to be moved to shift said transmission into gear, said smart key controller preventing operation of said transmission lever lock actuator to release said lock lever even when said brake pedal is depressed with said engine started in the absence of detection and authentication of said key fob, whereby said transmission lever is locked after starting said engine and release of said depressed brake pedal to prevent driving said automobile after said engine is initially started and said brake pedal is depressed by a driver without said key fob being located in said passenger compartment after starting of said engine.