SEOUL , South Korea, Jan.26, 2021 / PRNewswire / – LG Innotek (CEO Cheol-dong Jeong) revealed on the 25th that it has successfully developed a digital car key module with location detection accuracy and improved security.
A digital car key module is a communication component that is installed in a car and enables wireless data transmission between a car and a smartphone. A digital key is a next generation car key that allows users to open or lock the car door or start the engine using a smartphone. A driver can use their smartphone to monitor vehicle status at a glance, including distance traveled, fuel efficiency, tire pressure, and more.
Users can lend the digital key to another person or authorize only specific functions, such as opening or closing the trunk, using a smartphone app. Users do not need to carry a physical key, reducing the risk of losing it. In addition, the smartphone must be inside the car to drive it, which reduces the risk of car theft.
As car sharing and rental services have developed recently, the demand for digital car key module has increased every year. But the existing digital car key modules had low location detection accuracy and concerns about poor security as they were prone to hacking etc.
The digital car key module that LG Innotek developed uses Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology, which is a wireless LAN communication technology, and a proprietary algorithm, improving the accuracy of location detection. In addition, the module has enhanced security by applying proprietary hacking prevention technology.
- Industry leading location sensing accuracy with increased security
The digital car key module that LG Innotek developed can detect the location of a smartphone 5 times more accurately than existing key modules. The module error range between the actual location of the smartphone and the recognition location has been reduced from 50cm to less than 10cm.
For example, if an existing car key module detects that a smartphone is between 4.7m and 5.2m from the module while the phone is actually 5m away, the new digital car key module from LG Innotek can detect that the smartphone is between 4.9m and 5m, which is a pretty good accuracy.
To achieve this, LG Innotek used ultra-wideband technology with better distance and direction accuracy than Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology. In addition, for the module, LG Innotek used its proprietary design technology for a wireless communication antenna and its proprietary location measurement algorithm.
The more accurately a digital car key module detects the location of a smartphone, the more convenient it is to implement various functions. The digital car key module can detect the location of the smartphone and open the driver’s door in advance or start the engine automatically.
In addition, it can offer the driver a personalized driving environment. When several people use the same car, the module can recognize the location of the smartphone and automatically adjust the driver’s seat or exterior mirrors for the corresponding driver. When multiple people with the same digital car key get into the vehicle, the module can accurately detect who is in the driver’s seat.
This module also made it possible to reinforce the safety of a car. LG Innotek’s proprietary hacking prevention technology prevents electromagnetic interference and impaired communication between vehicle and smartphone. This greatly reduces the risk of car theft due to the loss of a smartphone or the hacking of a digital key.
With all these functions, the digital car key module is compact and slim. The module, the size of a single paperclip thanks to ultra-precise high-integration technology, contains approximately 60 components including an RF (radio frequency) element, a power block element, etc. Thanks to its compact size, it can be installed freely anywhere inside and outside the vehicle.
Additionally, the module complies with the latest standards from the Car Connectivity Consortium, a global digital key standardization organization, allowing it to be used regardless of country, terrain and vehicle type. LG Innotek is a key member of this organization and actively participates in the standardization of a digital car key in cooperation with the world’s leading companies in the sector.
- “Accelerate progress in the automotive digital key market”
With the digital car key module, LG Innotek plans to make an active breakthrough in the market for next generation communication components. The company is actively running promotions for global vehicle and vehicle component manufacturers in the United States, Japan and Europe , as well as Korea, with the goal of mass-producing the product by 2020. .
Insoo Ryu , Head of Automotive Components & Electronics Division, said: “It will be possible to implement various mobility services using the digital car key module to increase customer value. He adds, “We will continue to market innovative automotive components that can provide drivers with a convenient, safe and enjoyable driving experience. “
According to Strategic Analytics, a global market research institute, the number of vehicles equipped with a digital key in the global market will increase by 360%, from 6.3 million units in 2020 to 28.9 million. units in 2025.
SOURCE LG Innotek
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