Pressing a button on the opener is physical contact. That's the entire idea that the OP was trying to relay, that you need some physical way to prove that you're eligible to pair. Not that the key itself had to be hard-wired for the process to proceed.

> requires a physical connection between the fob and the receiver (located inside the locked part of the car) to

that sounds pretty clear to me that the connection isn't the human holding both buttons here.