Phone, check.
Wallet, check.
House keys, check.
Wait, where are the car keys? You need to be at your destination in 30 minutes and Waze says it’s going to take 27 minutes. If you don’t leave now, you’re going to be late.
Luckily, most car manufacturers are now shifting to keyless entry, which no longer uses traditional metal keys but a keyless fob which you can easily attach to your keychain of house keys. With this job, as long as your car is in range, you can not only unlock the car doors, you can even remotely start your engine, depending on the car model. Nowadays, you can even use a mobile app, no longer limited to a keyless fob!
You may be surprised to learn that keyless entry systems have actually been around since the 1980s! The keyless system was first introduced by Ford and Lincoln, with many automakers both inside and outside the US following suit. The system worked by installing a keypad consisting of five buttons, and after the driver keyed in the correct code, the driver’s door would unlock. Different codes are required to unlock other doors.
In 1982, Renault, a French automaker, introduced a remote keyless system with a handheld transmitter on the Renault Fuego. This innovation provided stronger security against auto theft than keypads. It also marked the beginning of the era of remote access.
Is keyless entry safe?
Due to technological advancements, it’s inevitable that criminals have found ways to gain access to vehicles fitted with remote entry using signal boosters, which make the car falsely detect key fobs nearby.
Fortunately, automakers have had more than enough time to develop safety measures. Jaguar and Land Rover, for example, have equipped some models with ultra-wide-band (UWB) radio technology, which transmits data over a diverse range of frequency channels, making it impossible for thieves to track the code. Meanwhile, motion sensors in Audi, BMW, Ford, and Mercedes-Benz keyless fobs prevent them from giving out a code if they haven't moved in a while.
As a result, several automakers have implemented two methods for triggering the sleep mode on the fob: automatically (when it hasn't been moved) or immediately (by hitting a button on the fob). This is a great feature as keyfobs that can’t be manually deactivated are vulnerable to thieves in the vicinity if you’ve parked the car but are still nearby - like in a store.
Made for your convenience
Keyless entry systems were designed with convenience in mind, especially in terms of unlocking. No more struggling to juggle your bags in one hand while you dig out your keys. No more getting caught in the rain as you lock the car since you can lock it from a safe distance away. Best of all, keyless systems can also save you the headache of racking your memory to figure out if you’ve locked your car, thanks to systems that automatically lock the car after you’ve parked and walked a certain distance away.
In terms of car sharing, keyless entry provides even more convenience for the owner as they no longer need to carry the keys around with them and pass them to the renter. For systems that are app-integrated, all they need to do is leave the key in the car and provide the renter with access via the app. When the renter has finished using the car, they just need to lock it through the app and they’re done.
Another feature of keyless entry is that the key fob does not need to be within range to keep the car engine running. Should they prefer to do so, an owner does not even need to hand the fob to the renter, instead, they only need to be there to start the engine. This works particularly well if the renter only requires the car for a one-way trip.
If you own a car with a keyless entry system, why not take the opportunity to earn some side income? Sign up as a host on Moovby - it only takes 3 easy steps! Click here for more details and to learn more about this idle earning gig!
References:
https://heycar.co.uk/guides/which-cars-are-prone-to-keyless-car-crime
https://www.chicagocarkeys.com/remote-keyless-entry-system/
https://www.truebil.com/blog/keyless-entry-pros-and-cons
https://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/will-engine-shut-off-if-key-fob-isnt-present/
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