Digital Key

2024: Certification begins

On July 17, 2024, the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) announced that automaker BMW Group and semiconductor component supplier NXP Semiconductors were the first two companies to receive digital key certification for CCC Digital Key vehicles. We are talking about using an NFC-enabled smartphone to drive a vehicle.

Digital Key technology allows you to turn your smartphone into a car key. Such a digital key allows not only to unlock and lock the doors, but also to start the engine without using a regular car key. The digital key can be shared with other people, such as family members or work colleagues. The Digital Key technology used by BMW allows you to set certain restrictions when transferring a digital key. For example, you can lower the maximum engine power and disable the Dynamic Stability Monitoring (DSC) system and intelligent safety systems.

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BMW Group has reportedly received CCC Digital Key certification for its implementation of the system. In the case of NXP Semiconductors, the certificate is issued for NFC chipsets. Certification means that the products meet the highest safety and compatibility requirements of the CCC organization. It is assumed that certification of solutions will help popularize the technology.

Since the advent of digital key technology, their security has been considered the main problem in terms of consumer perception. The emergence of a universal standard is critical to increasing the confidence of motorists and ensuring a stable user experience, says Jerome Legros, vice president of NXP.[1]

2018: Digital Key announcement

On June 20, 2018, the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), of which the largest automakers and IT companies are members, announced the approval of a single standard for digital key technology for vehicles. The first version of the Digital Key specification has been developed and presented.

The technology involves controlling some automotive functions using an NFC-enabled smartphone. In particular, we are talking about unlocking/locking the central lock and starting the engine.

Phone as a digital key for a car. Digital Key standard approved

In addition, since the digital key involves the identification of users, it will also be possible to sell a car or give it away for sharing.

NFC wireless data technology allows you to exchange data at a distance of about 10 cm, so the developers claim that Digital Key technology is reliably protected from hacking.

By June 2018, CC is already working on Digital Key Release 2.0 - the next generation of digital keys. The consortium promises that the new digital keys will be easier to implement, and they will also get compatibility with a wider range of smart devices. 

The Digital Key standard resembles car sharing services, when several drivers can have car keys. In order for the system to work, some time must pass, automakers must establish the production of compatible equipment.

The CCC plans to release a ready-made digital key solution, which will become the same for all brands of cars and smartphones, in the first quarter of 2019.

The CCC consortium, working to develop global standards and solutions for connecting smartphones and vehicles, includes more than 80 companies. According to the organization's own data, its participants represent more than 70% of the global car market and more than 60% of the global market for smartphones and suppliers in the secondary consumer electronics market.^[2]

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