Goodbye car keys, hello phone – Volvo

For decades, drivers have been accustomed to accessing and driving cars with physical keys.

However, in a break from tradition, and in keeping with a rapidly digitising world, Volvo Cars aims to become the world’s first car manufacturer to offer vehicles without keys, as from 2017. Instead, Volvo customers will be provided with an application (app) on their mobile phones, replacing the physical key with a digital one.

This Bluetooth-based digital key technology will allow Volvo customers to use and share their cars in a number of new ways.

The Volvo app enables the digital key on the customer’s mobile phone to do everything a physical key currently does, such as locking or unlocking the doors, or the boot, and allowing the engine to be started.

However, it also offers customers the possibility to receive more than one digital key on their mobile app, providing them with access to different Volvo cars in different locations, according to their changing mobility needs. This means people could potentially book and pay for a rental car anywhere in the world, with the digital car key delivered to their phone immediately.

On arrival, the customer locates the rental car via a set of coordinates, unlocks it and drives away, avoiding long queues at car rental kiosks or car sharing locations.

Volvo Cars’ digital key also means that sharing a car among a circle of people will become simpler and more convenient. Volvo owners will be able to send their digital key to other people, utilising their mobile phones, so they can use the car. This circle may include family members, friends or co-workers in a company.

“At Volvo we are not interested in technology for the sake of technology.” says Volvo Cars product strategy and vehicle line management VP Henrik Green.

“New technology has to make our customers’ lives easier and save them time. Mobility needs are evolving and so are our customers’ expectations to access cars in an uncomplicated way.

“Our innovative digital key technology has the potential to completely change how a Volvo can be accessed and shared. Instead of sitting idle in a parking lot the entire day, cars could be used more often and efficiently by whomever the owner wishes.”

Volvo will pilot its new digital key technology in spring 2016, through its car sharing firm Sunfleet, stationed at Gothenburg Airport, Sweden.

A limited number of commercially available cars will be equipped with the new digital key technology in 2017.

“There are obviously many permutations when it comes to how this shared key technology can be used,” notes Volvo Cars special products new-car director Martin Rosenqvist.

“We look forward to seeing how else this technology might be used in the future and we welcome any and all ideas.”

The Swedish premium carmaker in 2015 introduced the possibility for customers to have their online shopping delivered directly to their cars, by providing a one-time digital key to a delivery company.

Physical keys will continue to be offered for people who require one.