The rise of car sharing schemes has posed the challenge of how best to enable members’ access to different vehicles. With wider use of smartphone handsets, new automotive applications for consumer wireless technologies including NFC and Bluetooth are thus emerging in areas such as vehicle entry systems.
The Strategy Analytics report, “Automotive Consumer Wireless Applications Spread Beyond Infotainment“, comments on these recent developments, including the imminent deployment of an ultra-wideband location positioning system.
Consumers are increasingly using smartphones as both storage devices and as a convenience device with which to remotely control vehicle systems, such as the remote setting and activation of the climate control system.
“But with the advent of car sharing schemes, these wireless technologies have come to their own. Digital keys have been developed with which users can access and drive away different vehicles using a smartphone app, thus negating the need for multiple ‘hard’ key fobs that are costly and inconvenient,” said Kevin Mak, Senior Analyst at the Automotive Practice of Strategy Analytics.
However, the implementation of new wireless applications will be challenging, such as the lack of space on the vehicle for additional antennas. One particular challenge is ensuring the security, in order to prevent hack attacks and vehicle theft. Mak added, “Besides the use of cryptography, accurate location positioning will be a key enabler for future passive entry systems.”
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