[Courtesy of Hyundai Motor]
SEOUL -- South Korea's Hyundai auto group has completed the development of digital key technology that allows drivers to access, start, operate and control cars only with smartphones. It will be applied sequentially to new Hyundai cars in the queue.
Hyundai said that drivers can lock or unlock vehicles by touching the door handle. If the smartphone is mounted on the wireless charger inside, it starts the engine. A personalization profile was applied to automatically adjusts the outside mirror, the driver's seat, the steering wheel position and other functions set in advance.
"Digital key technology is expected to greatly improve convenience and versatility as a first step in connected technology through vehicle and smartphone connectivity," a Hyundai auto group official said.
The digital key improved vehicle customization features by using technologies such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), a wireless personal area network technology, and a near-frequency-communication (NFC) system.
NFC antennas are mounted on the door handles of the driver's seat, and the passenger compartment and the wireless charger. Hyundai said the digital key allows a car owner to share it with up to four other people. Authorized joint users can download it to their smartphone apps, but car owners can restrict certain functions.
Hyundai is among charter member companies of the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), which works on a digital key standard for mobile device-to-vehicle connectivity.
The auto group has developed a smart fingerprint authentication access and ignition system to provide easy and convenient access to vehicles without a bulky key chain. The system allows drivers to unlock the door and start the engine by placing a finger onto sensors fitted into door handles and a driving wheel.
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
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