What is a Smart Key Car Key?

Also known as proximity keys, key fobs or remote keys, smart keys function to unlock doors and start engines without the driver having to insert the key. They communicate with each other through radiofrequency signals.

This helps keep vehicles secure by preventing hotwiring. Smart keys also broadcast unique encrypted signals to stop them from being used by other vehicles driven by drivers.

Convenience

You can lock and unlock your vehicle without inserting the key into the ignition slot. Simply press the handle of the door or trunk. Many modern cars also come with a feature that allows you to start your car from a distance. This is particularly useful if you're bringing groceries into the vehicle as well as transporting passengers or equipment.

This technology is intended to stop theft of vehicles. Instead of sending only one frequency signal as a standard key fob does, a smart key sends out a series of encrypted signals to a car's antennas that are embedded when you approach it. What does this mean? Stuff Works Electronics explains that this prevents other cars receiving and responding to the same signal.

Some manufacturers also use an electronic chip in the vehicle that can recognize the unique fingerprints of each key. This ensures that only authorized users use it. This is beneficial when you lend your car to family and friends.

Some smart keys for cars keys also store user settings so that mirrors, seat and steering wheel adjustments, as and stereo presets can be set automatically when the key is within the range of the vehicle. To make life easier, certain smart keys can be set to stop the car from exceeding a certain speed limit when it is activated with a specific key. This will help keep new drivers safe, and is particularly beneficial for families with young children in the back of the vehicle.

Security

Traditionally keys were made from metal to open the ignition. With smart car keys key technology, this is no longer required. Smart keys have an electronic chip that transmits signals to your car's antenna. The vehicle recognizes this signal when the driver presses the button on the trunk release or door handle. This means that it's impossible to lock your keys inside your car.

The signal that the smart key transmits to your car is encrypted, which means only the owner has the right to use it. The majority of models also shut off the engine when the car isn't started for just a few minutes. This feature is especially useful if you're in an unsafe location or need to get out of the vehicle for reasons of any kind, like at a gas pump.

Furthermore, if the smart key battery gets depleted during a ride, many systems come with a backup plan of opening and starting the vehicle. The backup system typically involves putting the key in an opening or keeping it in a particular area of the cockpit, which transfers energy to an electric motor. Certain manufacturers offer a mechanical key blade that can be utilized in a situation of emergency to open the trunk or to start the vehicle.

Battery Life

The majority of modern cars have keyless entry systems and push-button starters. These are controlled by a smart key fob that communicates with the car via proximity technology. These systems utilize a tiny transmitter that is powered by a coin-sized lithium battery. Like any other battery that eventually requires replacement, this one too will need replacement.

Even though smart key fobs are designed to last for many years, they can suddenly lose power. If the fob's battery is dead you won't have the ability to unlock or start your car if you hold it up near the front door.

It's not unusual to find the transmitter in a smart key to drain the battery. It sends a signal to your car each time you touch one button, however most of the time the smart key is not doing anything. One single lock/unlock button takes just a tiny portion of the battery power in the fob which means that there's several years worth of signals' worth of battery life left in the average smart key battery.

The fob also tends to drain the battery if you keep it close to other devices that emit electromagnetic fields, for example phones and computers. These devices create their own magnetic fields, which can interfere with the fob's transmitter, causing it to function slower. In some cases, the fob may even cease to function completely when the fob is placed too close to these devices, as per RepairPal.

Maintenance

Smart keys differ from traditional keys in that they use technology to control the security of your vehicle and perform other functions. It works by transmitting a signal through antennas placed inside and outside your vehicle. These antennas detect the fob's signals and communicate with the car's computer. The car interprets the signal, and allows you to begin or close it without having to use the physical key.

New cars are loaded with modern electronic features and the fob is now an interface for many of these functions. The most obvious are locking and unlocking, remote start, and chirping sound to assist you in finding your vehicle in a parking lot. Some fobs allow you to store different settings for various drivers, and remote-operated windows and the sunroof.

The fob is an intricate electronic device that includes an integrated board that could be damaged if utilized too vigorously or exposed to extreme cold or heat. The transmitter could be damaged if knocked or dropped. The battery contacts may be bent.

These problems can be hard to identify and fix. You can utilize your smartphone to get around this issue to see if it works. However you should always keep an extra key in your pocket or case. You can buy a generic replacement for most OEM smart keys, which costs up to 70 percent less and comes with a three-year higher-quality guarantee than OEM.