Published on August 7th, 2017 | by Guest

The Technological Advancement and Future of Car Keys

Look at your car keys, do you think that’s how they looked and operated some ten years ago? Well, if you think so, you are dead wrong. There is a lot you may need to discover about car keys. So you may ask, of what benefit is that to me? I used to ask such a question myself until one day a stupid pickpocketer snatched my car keys and ran like a mad goat. I am a good runner, so I tried catching up with him but few strides about to clutch him; he threw the keys into an open sewer. At some point, all of us misplace or lose our car keys and so you may get stranded on what to do.

History at glance

Car keys can be termed as the password to your car, that’s the reason why they are often unique, as in; they are not supposed to be like any other. Two decades ago, the car key was made from a metal blade with a serrated pattern that was unique to the lock or ignition and that’s all. Even then, they were still considered as the main security to the car. That is why in some cars the key to the trunk and the bonnet are different from the ignition keys.

So what caused things to change?

In the 1990’s, there arose a great concern of vehicle security, whereby almost 1500 cars were stolen that year and the other two subsequent years. The thieves used a technique called “hot wiring” whereby you could connect a power cable from the car battery and directly shot it with the car’s starter gadget to crank the engine without actually using the ignition key.

On the other hand, the keys were also simple to duplicate. You just needed to have the original key and a round and triangular metal file to cut the then simple pattern code of the key. Someone could take your ignition car key, press it against a bar soap secretly to get the copy of the serrated pattern code and make a fraud key. These two loopholes were what caused the manufacturers to think of better car security measures. Today, we have a variety of better and safer keys including:

The transponder keys
Key fobs/ Electronic keys
High-Security Keys
Proximity Keys

Transponder chip keys

These types of keys use a transponder technology. Cars that use it are often fitted with a trans-receiver gadget, which acts as the communication between the key and the vehicle’s key chip. The buttons you press sends a signal to the car to unlock or lock it.

Key fobs

These are also called electronic keys and they came after transponder keys. They have pressable buttons for locking and unlocking the car as well. With fob key systems, you can set your car to be on alarm mode such that when a bugler wants to break into it a siren will alert you. You may wonder what the deferent between this key and the transponder chip key is. Read the names carefully, transponder chip keys use a ‘programmed chip’ to store the unique signal code specific to your car while key fobs use an electronic device fitted to both the car and the key.

High-security keys

These keys are stepped up when it comes to security, meaning they cannot be easily duplicated. However, they are not as popular as the transponder chip and the fob key.

Proximity keys

As the name suggests the car senses this type of key when you are approaching then automatically unlock the doors for you. Some proximity keys may start the car but that depends on the technology used in both the vehicle and the key. This key type is not common but it is gaining popularity with new car models.

So what do you do when you’ve lost either of these keys?

You have two options to get replacement keys to your car. You can get them either from your dealer, or a local auto locksmith. With both of them, there are pros and cons that you may need to scan over while making the decision on whom to provide the spare keys.

With your dealer, you are assured of quality in the replacement keys because they were the manufacturers of the car in the first place. However, you may have to wait for a while before the new keys arrive.

If you go by auto locksmiths, they can get you replacement keys faster but it may not be easy to land on a good locksmith that will do a dealership level service, especially with the latest car models. My advice on this is that you ask people within your circle, a relative, friend or neighbor with the same car model with yours to know what works best in your area.

So what is the future of car keys?

With the rate of advancement that technology is taking us with in the motor industry, we can comfortably predict how car keys will be in some years to come. We expect an improved car key system that will use fingerprints. Technology is becoming prevalent in cars, as in cars are now fitted with LCD TV’s, speakers, computers and cigarette lighters to enhance luxury and security. So, what prohibits a finger print car key system, yet so far, we are already using fob keys that are purely electronic gadgets?

How is that possible?

Currently, some homes already use “fingerprint key system” as the main access to some rooms. The door is fitted with a biometric gadget whereby the authorized person’s fingerprint is stored in the memory of the biometric. Only that specific person is allowed access to the room and that is by placing their hand on the availed platform. This is real and happening in high-security zones such as the military’s armory rooms, and chemical weapon control rooms.

In short, car key technology is still evolving despite the fact that we’ve come a long way.

Author Bio:

Alice is the founder behind the automotivebros.com. She is described as the car repair helper, money sever and advice giver when it comes to automobile industry. Automotivebros.com gives best automotive products and repair posts that are straightforward and share her expertise in a manner that is easy-to-understand. Readers definitely are in for a unique and fun reading experience when the visit automotivebros.com.

Tags: advancement, car, future, keys, technological