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NXP Semiconductors NV has just announced the availability of its production-ready single-chip solution for multifunction car keys and it can do more than just open your car doors, packs NFC (Near Field Communications) technology that allows it to connect to NFC-compliant devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops. KEyLink allows NFC-compliant mobile devices to edit and view data stored on a car key and opens many new use cases and can be deployed in five new driver-friendly applications, including Car Finder, Route Planner, Car Status and Service Data Management, Car Status and Service Data Management and Car Personalization…………..

NXP announced the availability of its production-ready single-chip solution for multifunction car keys, the NCF2970 (KEyLink Lite). Enhancing the functionality of car keys by supporting Near Field Communications (NFC) technology, NXP‘s KEyLink Lite enables car manufacturers to offer a new driving experience with keys that connect to external NFC-compliant devices, such as mobile phones, tablets and laptops. The launch of KEyLink Lite is timed to take advantage of the growing popularity and availability of NFC. Drivers will be able to simply wave their car key over an NFC-compliant mobile device to access essential and useful car data. Based on NFC standards, and utilizing the 13.56MHz frequency and cryptography such as Hitag-3 or AES-128, KEyLink Lite provides secure storage and enables communication of sensitive data. KEyLink Lite uniquely combines NFC capabilities and NXP‘s industry-leading Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) and Passive Keyless Entry (PKE) technologies. This allows NFC-compliant mobile devices to edit and view data stored on a car key and opens many new use cases. KEyLink Lite can be deployed in five new driver-friendly applications:

• Car finder: The car key records the GPS coordinates of a car’s last parking position. This can then later be read by an NFC-compliant mobile phone, which then uses a service such as Google Maps to download a vicinity map and help locate the car.
• Route planner: Drivers can use their home or office PC to plan their route and then transfer the data to the car key via NFC. They can then upload destination data from the car key to the in-car navigation system.
• Car status and service data management: Information such as how much fuel is in the car can be transferred to the NFC car key and from there to an NFC phone. A car’s service history can also be stored on the Keylink Lite.
• Problem diagnosis: Diagnostics data can also be transferred from the car to an NFC-enabled PC via the car key. This data can then be uploaded to a service website so that a diagnostic analysis can be conducted online without having to take the car to a specialist.
• Car personalization: Car manufacturers can pre-fit cars with premium services and features that drivers can choose to unlock at a later date by, for example, registering for or subscribing to the service or feature online. The fact that the driver had bought the feature would then be written to the NFC car key and transferred to the car so that it could be unlocked or activated.

Technical Features:

• Connectivity to NFC devices and ISO/IEC 14443 readers. NXP has
  integrated the ISO/IEC 14443 Type A interface into the automotive IC
  NCF2970. In addition to immobilizer and Passive Keyless Entry/Go
  functions, this device allows contactless data exchange with
  NFC-compliant devices via a standardized 13.56-MHz wireless link.
  
• Keyless entry interface. The NXP KEyLink Lite solution includes a
  low-frequency (125 kHz) front-end for the immobilizer and Passive
  Keyless Entry/Go systems, and works with an external UHF transmitter
  (315 to 928 MHz) for both Remote Keyless Entry and Passive Keyless
  Entry/Go systems.
  
• Power consumption and memory. The KEyLink Lite chip features a
  low-power high-speed RISC core with up to 32-kB user EROM for customer
  applications and 6-kB EEPROM for application specific user data,
  operating at a wide supply voltage range from 2.0 to 3.6 V.

“The car key experience will never be the same again,” says Drue Freeman from NXP’s automotive business unit. “Drivers will have a whole new connected car experience with a variety of services for comfort, convenience and maintenance, available at the swipe of the ‘smart’ key. By bringing together our industry-leading technology for car access and immobilization with our expertise in NFC, NXP’s KeyLink Lite will open a lot more doors to the world of connected mobility.”

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