Carmakers, smartphone designers and chip suppliers have been developing “digital car keys” for some time. Thanks to the efforts by the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), a cross-industry organization, “The industries have come together on one standard as to how to open a car,” explained Rainer Lutz, director of digital key and NFC segments at NXP Semiconductors.

But once a car key goes digital, why limit its applications to just unlocking and locking? Digital key applications re-imagined by automakers include starting the engine via smartphone, authenticating users, sharing the digital key remotely with other authorized users, or revoking these sharing privileges.

NXP Semiconductors has just rolled out a new “automotive digital key solution” that enables smartphones, key fobs and other mobile devices to securely communicate with vehicles. More important, these digital keys will serve to authenticate users, configure users’ driving rights and attach their entitlements.
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