April 26, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Hyundai Mobis on Aug. 2 said it has developed a new technology that lets cell phones function as virtual car keys for the first time in Korea. 

The nation’s largest auto parts maker has built an integrated system that supports the NCF technology, allowing drivers to use their cell phone to lock and unlock the car, as well as start and stop the engine by simply downloading the application on their gadget. 

Hyundai Mobis said it plans to start producing the system in 2019 to be widely equipped in the vehicles. 

The NFC-based “smart key” boasts user convenience and strengthened security, among others, according to the firm. 

The user can unlock the vehicle by touching the NFC-compatible cell phone to the car door, and start the engine by placing the phone on the wireless charger installed inside the cabin. 

Mobis said it has created a strong password protection and personal authentication system to encrypt data from the mobile phone and the car, to avoid being hacked. 

The car owner can also decide to share the “smart keys” with family or friends by allowing access. 

The NFC technology has existed for more than two decades, but the widespread deployment for cell phones has increased in the last few years. It is similar to Bluetooth that enables simple data exchange between devices when they are touched together, or over short distances. NFC has been widely used in contactless payments, such as Samsung Pay and Apple Pay, as also for public transit payments.

By Ahn Sung-mi (sahn@heraldcorp.com)