Volvo is becoming the first auto maker to offer cars without keys. Starting in 2017, customers will be able to opt for an app on their smartphone, which can unlock, lock and start the car.
"We are not interested in technology for the sake of technology," said Henrick Green, vice-president of product strategy and vehicle line management at Volvo, in a statement. "New technology has to make our customers' lives easier and save them time. Mobility needs are evolving and so are our customers' expectations to access cars in an uncomplicated way."
It is part of Volvo's push into the shared economy and a future where fewer people own cars. By offering a digital, Bluetooth-enabled key, Volvo hopes to present an easier solution for anyone booking a rental car or owners to allow friends or family to use the car when it otherwise may just be parked.
Volvo hasn't said much about the new app, but the Swedish auto maker isn't alone in moving toward being more of a mobility company. Ford is trying car-sharing for its employees and will soon allow six people to jointly lease a car. BMW, Audi, GM and Daimler are all running car-sharing services in a limited number of larger cities. Volvo also operates a sharing service with more than 1,000 cars in Sweden. These steps are less about car sharing as it exists today and more about the sharing of an autonomous car, especially if it means one person owns the self-driving car and wants to lend/rent it out.
Remote keyless entry, which first appeared in the early 1980s, eliminated the need for putting a key in the door. Then the push button start eliminated the need for the jagged, metal section of the key. Now, on many new luxury vehicles, the 'key' is just an expensive fob. Companies like Porsche and Tesla have fobs that look like the car and BMW's new 7-Series comes with a massive fob with a built-in screen.
"There are obviously many permutations when it comes to how this shared key can be used," said Martin Rosenqvist, new car director at Volvo, in a statement. "We look forward to seeing how else this technology might be used in the future and we welcome any and all ideas."
The company is showing off the technology for the first time this week at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
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