If you order “comfort access” for an R56, you get two keys which can be used to open doors and start the engine without needing to press any key button, or insert it into any slot – very nice. A user-replaceable battery inside the key provides power for it to transmit and be detected by the car.
Without “comfort access” you get a key which must be inserted into a slot before you can start the engine – and the key is also recharged while in that slot, eliminating the need for a battery (and sealing the key since the owner doesn’t need to open it). OK so far, just like the 2005/6 MINI keys which also have no battery (and unlike the original 2002/3/4 keys, which do have a battery inside).
Little problem – how do you keep the key charged … answer: you have to use the key!
I have a habit of swapping between GPMINIs two keys about once a month, that way the spare key will always be charged in case it’s needed.
So today I swapped R56 keys – I sort of expected the result that I got, but even so … the R56 has this “clever” feature where the car’s settings/presets/etc are associated with the key being used. So guess what happens when I use the other key:
Yes – no settings or presets!
First clue was that the car only unlocked my door, not the passengers side. Then, as you see in the picture above, the radio presets are all gone. Similarly, no satellite radio presets, and no doubt the tone/fader settings were at default, etc, etc.
I suppose I could have spent time re-configuring everything, storing presets, etc – but even then, any changes I make to one key won’t be reflected when I swap keys.
Presumably this “associated memory” feature is useful if two drivers use the car regularly; each person has their own settings. But when only one person drives the car, it’s just an annoyance! There should be a way to disable the feature, if you don’t want it.
As it is, my spare R56 key will not get regularly charged … hope I never need it!
M&I / GBMINI 
Yow, that’s annoying! I wonder if there’s any way to sync or copy the settings between keys? (Which, I know, is stating the obvious, but might be worth asking about…)
A dead key should still work, use the internal door key to open the driver side door and the key fob should still work when inserted to start the car.
Brian – I’m sure the settings are in the car, not the key – presumably there’s a key identifier which the car uses to reference stored settings.
So what’s needed is a “sync” function in the car itself; not found that anywhere.
Chris – that reminds me, I should try the “emergency” key to see how well it works!
You can certainly go longer without recharging the key, I used Sam’s spare today with no trouble even remote opening, and I don’t think it has been used in six months. And like Chris said if it ever were to fully discharge you would just need to manually insert it and unlock the door and it would charge as soon as docked.
Same thing the 3-Series. If I remember correctly, for our 328i, there was a (BMW) programmable feature that turned on the ability for a second key “profile”. Perhaps Gary (MoP) might know how to deal with this.
You could always just spend a little quality time with your MINI and the second key and load your preferences on to that one as well.