Smart keys

Intelligent entry

If you’re thinking that this is an article about keys that can surf the Internet or make phone calls, you’re not quite right. But that doesn’t make these little devices that enable you to unlock your doors and start your vehicle without the use of a physical key any less innovative.

Also referred to as proximity keys or simply key fobs/remotes — each brand has a different name for their specific systems — smart keys have been around since the 1990s, although they were a feature found primarily on high-end luxury automobiles at the time.

How does it work?

The smart key uses radio waves to “talk