Volvo Cars - the First Carmaker to Launch a Car Without a Key

Volvo Cars - the First Carmaker to Launch a Car Without a Key

GOTHENBURG, Sweden, February 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

    - With Photo

    For decades, drivers have been accustomed to accessing and driving cars with physical
keys. But no longer. In a ground-breaking move for the automotive industry, Volvo Cars
plans to become the world's first car manufacturer to offer cars without keys from 2017.

    To view the Multimedia News Release, please click:

    http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7761852-volvo-phone-as-key

    Volvo customers will be offered an application for their mobile phones to replace the
physical key with a digital key. The innovative Bluetooth-enabled digital key technology,
will offer Volvo customers far more flexibility, enabling them to benefit from entirely
new ways to use and share cars.

    The new Volvo app enables the digital key on the customer's mobile phone to do
everything a physical key currently does, such as locking or unlocking the doors or the
boot and allowing the engine to be started.

    This new technology will also offer customers the possibility to receive more than one
digital key on their app allowing them to access different Volvo cars in different
locations - according to their changing mobility needs.

    Using the app people could potentially book and pay for a rental car anywhere in the
world and have the digital car key delivered to their phone immediately. On arrival a
customer could simply locate the rental car via GPS, unlock it and drive away, avoiding
those frustrating queues at airport or train station car rental desks.

    Volvo Cars' digital key means that sharing a car will become both simple and
convenient. Volvo owners will be able to send their digital key to other people via their
mobile phones so that they can also use the car, this may be family members, friends or
co-workers in a company.

    "At Volvo we are not interested in technology for the sake of technology. New
technology has to make our customers' lives easier and save them time. Mobility needs are
evolving and so are our customers' expectation to access cars in an uncomplicated way,"
said Henrik Green, Vice President Product Strategy & Vehicle Line Management at Volvo
Cars. "Our innovative digital key technology has the potential to completely change how a
Volvo can be accessed and shared. Instead of sitting idle in a parking lot the entire day,
cars could be used more often and efficiently by whoever the owner wishes."

    Volvo will pilot this technology in spring 2016 via its car sharing firm Sunfleet,
stationed at Gothenburg airport, Sweden. A limited number of commercially available cars
will be equipped with the new digital key technology in 2017.

    "There are obviously many permutations when it comes to how this shared key technology
can be used," added Martin Rosenqvist, New Car Director, Special Products at Volvo Cars.
"We look forward to seeing how else this technology might be used in the future and we
welcome any and all ideas."

    Volvo is a pioneer with new digital key solutions. In 2015 the Swedish premium
carmaker launched the world's first commercial offer to have online shopping delivered
directly to the car, by providing a one-time digital key to a delivery company. Now the
digital key technology will also be made available for customers.

    Physical keys will continue to be offered for people who want them.

    Volvo's innovative keyless car technology will be shown for the first time at the
Mobile World Congress 2016 (22-25 February) in Barcelona at the Ericsson booth.

    Note to Editors:

    A pictures accompanying this release is available through the PA Photowire. It can be
downloaded from http://www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or viewed at
http://www.mediapoint.press.net or http://www.prnewswire.co.uk .

       
         
        Contact:

         
        Sascha Heiniger 
        Communication Manager Connected Car 
        T +46-723-717961 
        sascha.heiniger@volvocars.com

         

     

(Logo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140522/683630 )

(Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160218/335036 )

    Photo:
    http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140522/683630

    http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160218/335036

    Video:
    http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7761852-volvo-phone-as-key

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140522/683630
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160218/335036
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140522/683630
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160218/335036
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Video:http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7761852-volvo-phone-as-key
Volvo Car Group