Volvo today announced that it plans to become the world’s first car manufacturer to offer cars without keys from 2017. These cars will use Bluetooth-enabled digital key technology that would allow owners 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 using the new Volvo app.
This will also allow possibility to receive more than one digital key on their app, allowing them to access different Volvo cars in different locations – according to their changing mobility needs.
“Using the app people could potentially book and pay for a rental car anywhere in the world and have the digital car key delivered to their phone immediately. On arrival a customer could simply locate the rental car via GPS, unlock it and drive away, avoiding those frustrating queues at airport or train station car rental desks,” said Volvo.
Volvo said that it will pilot this technology in spring 2016 via its car sharing firm Sunfleet, stationed at Gothenburg airport, Sweden and a limited number of cars with this technology will be commercially available in 2017. Volvo also said that physical keys will continue to be offered for people who want them. This new technology will be shown for the first time at the Mobile World Congress 2016 in Barcelona next week at the Ericsson booth.
Commenting on the new technology, Henrik Green, Vice President Product Strategy & Vehicle Line Management at Volvo Cars, said:
At Volvo we are not interested in technology for the sake of technology. New technology has to make our customers’ lives easier and save them time. Mobility needs are evolving and so are our customers’ expectation 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 whoever the owner wishes.