Smart Keys For Cars

Smart keys are wireless car remote that functions without the traditional mechanical blade. It can open doors or pop the trunk from some distance. It also allows you to start the car without having to turn a key.

Most smart devices include battery indicators, which warn you ahead of a low charge. It's simple to replace the battery without any special tools.

Convenience

Smart keys can open doors and trunks as well as turn on the engine of the car without the driver needing to use a key made of metal. They also have features that are designed to help deter break-ins and vehicle theft, like a panic button, which produces a sound to frighten away possible thieves or suspicious individuals in isolated areas, such as underground parking garages.

These key fobs do all this by sending an audio signal between the car and the key fob via a low-power wireless technology. This is an excellent convenience, especially for those who are frequently in motion and don't have much time to spare.

A smart key is typically designed to look more like a plastic card than a real key, and it can be used to open the trunk or doors of a car when the fob's button is pressed. Some even have built-in touchscreens that allow users to control certain settings on their vehicle, like audio and climate.

The RFID signal that is sent between the key fob to a car is unique, secure and connected to the onboard computer making it nearly impossible for hackers with the latest technology to hotwire a stolen vehicle equipped with one. They can also be programmed to send a different frequency signal each time they're used so that the onboard computer doesn't recognize the old one as the authentic signal.

Security

Many people are reluctant to adopt digital car keys because they worry about security. While having a physical key fob at hand does feel more secure, it's important to understand that digital keys are also more secure than you might think. The digital keys are secured and the signal they send to a car is analyzed by an onboard computer. The vehicle won't start if the smart key copy fob is stolen.

Smart keys, unlike traditional key fobs work by using the built-in antennas of your car to connect with it and perform functions such as unlocking and starting your vehicle. This allows you to gain access to your vehicle without the physical key to insert into the ignition or lock.

The majority of systems offer an alternate method to start and open your car if you lose your smartkey or the battery dies. Emergency starting can be accomplished by placing the key into the slot, or by holding it near a particular area of the cockpit where an inductive coil can transfer energy.

The majority of smart keys also come with a low battery indicator, which will alert you when the key is dead. If necessary, you are able to easily replace the batteries yourself.

Auto-adjusting settings

Instead of using physical keys instead, the smart key makes use of radio waves to unlock and lock the vehicle. They also have the ability to remotely start your engine and keep track of the location of the vehicle should you don't remember where it's parked.

Certain smart keys are programmed to automatically adjust the exterior and interior of the vehicle depending on the key you've detected. For instance the car can detect which key you're using and automatically adjust the seat position, mirror settings and the climate control. This is useful if you need to limit certain features or have multiple drivers.

Another benefit of smart keys is the fact that they use encryption to stop theft, which isn't possible with traditional keys. This technology makes it difficult for thieves with a technological edge to take over a vehicle through mimicking an authentic frequency signal, reports How Stuff Works Electronics. Smart keys transmit a distinct, encrypted message every time the remote is unlocked.

Like any other battery-powered device the battery of a smart key will eventually run out of juice. Most systems come with a backup system to open the car and begin it if the battery fails. The emergency method may differ but usually it involves holding the key in proximity to the lock sensor on the car or pressing a key button that activates the emergency starter.

Battery Backup

Modern smart car replacement key keys, also known as keyless entry systems or passive entry, use a transmitter and receiver to unlock your vehicle. The transmitter is contained inside the key fob that you carry around and the receivers are found inside and outside your vehicle. When you drive by the vehicle the radio frequency signal from your smart key is picked up by the receivers and activates the ignition and doors.

The system has numerous advantages, like not having to look in the dark for keys, however it is vulnerable to certain types attacks. How Stuff Works Electronics reports that if the battery of your key dies or is lost the person who has it could detect the low frequency transmission signal and then open your vehicle smart key. This is the reason why many smart keys come with encrypted signals to make hacking more difficult.

However, these systems may also be interfered with due to electromagnetic fields generated by cell phones, computers and other devices. So if you notice that your smart key fob is not functioning correctly, it could be due to an interference problem. In this situation you shouldn't place your key near such devices until the battery on the fob has been replaced. The majority of smart keys will notify you when their batteries are not fully charged and the process of replacing them is relatively easy.