Digital vehicle access and the importance of certification

Q: What is the current market status for digital car keys?

A: The digitisation of vehicle access is rapidly transforming the automotive industry. Automotive manufacturers and smartphone makers are increasingly integrating digital key solutions into their offerings. With the global proliferation of smartphones and the rise of IoT technology, the adoption of digital car keys has surged exponentially. In fact, according to a recent industry report by Transparency Market Research, the digital car key market is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 21% between 2023 and 2031.  

Digital car keys allow users to lock, unlock, and start their vehicles using their smartphones or other digital devices, they also allow them to easily share the keys with friends, family or peers. They are becoming more popular among consumers. The trend is driven by the convenience and enhanced security features that digital car keys offer.  

Major car makers such as Toyota, Hyundai, BMW, Tesla, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, and Kia have already introduced digital key systems in their vehicles. Additionally, OEMs  such as Apple, Google, Samsung , Oppo, Xiaomi, and Motorola have worked with these car makers to integrate their digital key solutions, further driving the adoption of this technology. 

The market is expected to continue growing at a rapid pace as more consumers become aware of the benefits of digital car keys, and as the technology becomes more widely available. The increasing demand for connected and smart vehicles is also contributing to the growth of the digital car key market. 

However, more than 30% of cars are still equipped with a proprietary solution, which can affect the user experience since users may need multiple applications for different car brands. This fragmentation can lead to inconvenience for users, highlighting the necessity for standardized and interoperable solutions to streamline the use of digital keys across various brands. 

Q: What role does the Car Connectivity Consortium® (CCC) Digital Key Certification play?

A: The CCC Digital Key certification program plays a crucial role in the digital car key market by establishing standardized and interoperable solutions. 

The program establishes trust among all stakeholders - automakers, smartphone manufacturers, chip vendors, and consumers - by ensuring that, once certified, any smartphone can be used with any certified vehicle, thereby delivering the best user experience with Passive Entry/Passive Start (PEPS) functionalities. 

The CCC DK certification also ensures the security of digital keys used for vehicle access. The technological backbone of the certification includes the use of a Secure Element (SE) inside the mobile device: it hosts the Digital Key applet to ensure tamper-proof storage of the Digital Keys and perform all the security-critical operations. 

Finally, achieving certification allows companies to display the CCC Digital Key Certification logo, signifying that their products have passed the consortium's rigorous testing and can be trusted for both security and interoperability.

Q: Who is concerned by the CCC DK certification?

A: The CCC DK certification is particularly relevant to car makers, smartphone manufacturers, and chip makers. It ensures that these stakeholders can provide secure and interoperable digital key solutions.  

Additionally, it impacts service providers who integrate these secure digital keys, and consumers who rely on seamless and secure connection between their devices and vehicles. By adhering to these stringent standards, all companies involved can confidently implement digital keys without worrying about security breaches or interoperability issues. 

Q: What benefits does Thales provide with its CCC DK Applet -certified solutions?

A: Thales offers an open solution that ensures end-to-end interoperability without hardware or chip lock-in. This means that OEM customers have the flexibility to choose from various chip suppliers.  

Thales provides top-notch certified security combined with Ultra-Wideband (UWB) and Near Field Communication (NFC), addressing the increasing security needs in the digital world.  

The UWB secure and precise ranging in combination with Bluetooth LE enables very convenient passive entry/passive start use cases, while NFC allows the solution to remain functional even when the mobile device’s battery is low.  

This combination ensures superior user experience through enhanced interoperability, and by leveraging advanced technologies and security certifications like CCC DK, Thales guarantees that users benefit from secure, versatile, and user-friendly solutions. 

Q: How does Thales support both smartphone OEMs and car makers?

A: Thales has teams of dedicated experts providing both local and global support. Our comprehensive consulting services help clients comply with IoT certification requirements, covering tasks such as compliance assessment, certification, testing and operational support to ensure seamless integration and operation.  

Thales’ dedicated teams work closely with both smartphone OEMs and car makers to address their specific needs, offering tailored solutions and strategies. This collaborative approach ensures that both industries benefit from our expertise and can confidently deploy secure and interoperable digital key solutions. 

Q: What is Thales' vision for the future of digital key technology?

A: Thales envisions a future where digital key technology is generalized across various brands, encompassing both cars and smartphones. We foresee widespread adoption beyond flagship smartphones, reaching mid-range devices to ensure broader accessibility for all users. 

In smart mobility, digital keys will reshape how people and businesses access vehicles. For example, companies will be able to manage and control vehicle access remotely for their fleets, while car rental and car sharing users will enjoy secure, contactless entry using their smartphones instead of physical keys. Driver authentication will enable tailored in-car experiences, adapting each vehicle to the preferences of its user. As transportation services become more connected, digital keys will make it easier to move seamlessly between different modes of travel.  

Beyond smart mobility, the use of digital keys can be expended to other areas, such as secure access to hotel rooms, apartments, or homes, offering greater convenience, security and flexibility for everyday life. 

By continuously innovating and embracing these new uses, Thales is committed to making digital key technology more convenient, secure, and personalised for everyone. 

Q: Why choose Thales?

A: Thales is at the forefront of industry standards with state-of-the-art solutions and holds a unique position across the whole ecosystem, servicing car makers, smartphone makers, and chip makers. We have extensive expertise in both consumer electronics and automotive sectors and lead cybersecurity specifications.  

Thales is actively involved in standardization efforts, such as contributing to the CCC Digital Key specification since 2017, leading the CCC Digital Key certification work, alongside the GSMA eSIM standards, underscoring our commitment to driving innovation and supporting the deployment of Digital Keys solutions.  

With over 50 partnerships with car makers and a significant footprint with leading smartphone OEMs, including Google, Oppo, ST, and Qualcomm, Thales ensures interoperability and compatibility. 

Thales is also offering solutions following the standards of CCC Digital Key to Vehicle OEMs: in-car eSE implementation, NFC cards and the various servers that are part of the CCC Digital Key ecosystem. 

Leveraging our unique market position, we guarantee seamless and secure digital key solutions, globally.