Digital car keys to unlock huge market

The accelerated implementation of digital car keys will unlock a potential 100-billion-yuan ($13.77 billion) market for intelligent vehicle control systems, and this will not only benefit Chinese automotive companies going global, but also facilitate international brands in further exploring the domestic market, senior executives at an intelligent automotive solutions provider said.

"The industry needs a standard, complete digitized solution, whether it relates to international automobile companies competing in the domestic market or Chinese brands trying to expand their business overseas," Shan Hongyin, CEO of Shanghai-based Ingeek Technology Co Ltd, said during an interview with China Daily recently.

Shan said Ingeek Technology launched the latest 3.0 version of its digital key platform last month, offering a turnkey solution for automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to jointly deploy Apple Wallet-integrated digital keys at scale, thereby extensively reducing certification timelines with greater efficiency.

"This platform is fully compliant with China Compulsory Certificate standards and is a significant advancement in promoting digital keys globally," Shan said, adding that the company's digital key platform became available in a WeChat mini program in late 2022.

China exported 5.86 million vehicle units last year, a 19 percent increase year-on-year and leading the world for a second consecutive year, while Japanese car exports declined 5 percent over the same period, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

Chinese smart car manufacturers are actively developing intelligent solutions to boost the user experience, and digital car keys are a vital entry point.

However, there are major challenges in the universal deployment of digital keys in the automotive industry, such as a long certification cycle and high costs, according to Shan.

"The solution of adding car keys to Apple Wallet is probably the most technologically challenging and time-consuming task we've accomplished to date, and we are going to make the platform available in major mobile phone brands in the near future," Shan said.

"Ingeek Technology looks to connect all mainstream automobile OEMs and mobile phone brands with our digital solution platform within one year. As such, we are unlocking the intelligent vehicle control market with a scale of at least 100 billion yuan," Shan said.

"Based on intelligent vehicle control systems like our digital key platform, the driving experience will be much more convenient and there will be lots of interconnections between people and vehicles," said Chen Weixin, president of Ingeek Technology.

"The interconnections between intelligent vehicle control systems and intelligent equipment will be conducted without human intervention," Chen added.

"I personally think that Ingeek Technology's digital key platform fits into our requirements. For our OEMs, it is a great idea to develop a platform that has universal compatibility with various mobile phone terminals and meets all the different protocols available in the market. The platform allows OEMs to realize their intelligent vision seamlessly with internet technologies," said Yao Jin, director of the electronics and electrical department at IM Motors.

Ingeek Technology's latest digital key platform offers a comprehensive solution that allows consumers to add car keys to Apple Wallet via software and hardware of the vehicles, mobile phones, as well as the cloud.

The platform is expected to provide an efficient method for vehicle OEMs to quickly deploy digital keys, thereby enhancing the efficiency and reach of intelligence across the automotive industry.