Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
The doors of the Palexpo are open once again for the 82nd International Motor Show of Geneva.
Whilst Geneva might not be one of the biggest shows, it is still considered one of the most
important alongside the likes Paris, Frankfurt and Detroit, and 2012 was no different, with
the world premières of several key new models taking place.
SBD’s Secure Car team were there looking for the latest trends in vehicle security
and smart key technology, which we brought to you on our SBD:Live site hot of the press
last week. Now, in this video report, we focus in on the details of the latest smart key
developments from the likes of Chevrolet, Porsche, PSA Group and Mitsubishi, and analyse
what this shows for the future of smart key technology. We also cover two of the more
exciting developments in charging cable security on electric vehicles, from Renault and Volvo.
Electric vehicles are commonly being used to showcase the best vehicle technologies
with regards to comfort and convenience and the newly crowned European Cars Of The Year,
the Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera, were no different.
Both vehicles are fitted with an identical smart key system. The push button start – or
“power” button on the central console certainly matches the latest trends, but the
smart entry and emergency start methods are behind competitor systems for convenience.
The use of a single push button on the door handles to provide both smart lock and smart
unlock can be confusing for customers and shows a lower technology image than competitors,
many of whom now use touch sensors. For the emergency start, customers are highly unlikely
to intuitively find the key slot hidden underneath the rubber lining of the storage area on top
of the dashboard. End customer research has always shown the
need for clear customer direction on emergency start procedures to avoid customer complaints
– something which could yet prove an issue for Opel or Chevrolet with this system.
In contrast, the clear direction from the new Peugeot, Citroen and Mitsubishi systems
should help to avoid these issues. The latest joint-venture vehicle between these manufacturers
were all revealed at Geneva as the new Mitsubishi Outlander, Citroen C4 Aircross and Peugeot
4008 all broke cover. Like the Chevrolet Volt they also use a single push button on the
door handle for smart lock and unlock, and use a push button start on the dashboard.
The emergency start ignition port is also hidden, this time in the glovebox, but after
two unsuccessful attempts at starting the engine, the multi-function display clearly
explains the emergency start procedure. These new systems also mean that both Citroen
and Peugeot have doubled the number of models they offer with a smart key system. SBD understand
that the technology will continue to be rolled out on other models in the near future.
From manufacturers just starting out with first generation smart key systems to a manufacturer
with almost 100% fitment – Audi launched the new A3 with smart key, meaning the TT
is the only model in their range without it. Maybe the planned full model change in 2013
will see that rectified. The A3 smart entry and smart start functionality
follows the standard Audi design, with touch sensors for lock and unlock and a push button
start. The emergency start procedure of holding the key fob to the side of the steering column
and pushing the start button confirms Audi’s trend towards this style over the traditional
ignition port, but it’s the first time they have fitted a rubber moulding with key fob
symbol to highlight the correct area to customers. Using such a method for emergency start also
makes it easy to offer non-smart key variants without push button start, which Audi seems
to have done on certain variants – although the exact fitment strategy could not be confirmed
by the Audi representatives. Offering smart entry without smart start is a strange step
and SBD will be monitoring this to see the customer reactions.
One manufacturer definitely offering smart entry without smart start is Porsche. With
the Geneva focus on the new Boxster, SBD were able to get some more details on the 2011
Frankfurt show star, the 911. This vehicle uses a push button to smart lock and a touch
sensor to unlock the vehicle. An interesting handle design also gives the preferred styling
of a horizontal grip but the convenience of a lift-style opening. However, Porsche say
they want their customers to feel fully engaged in the start procedure of their vehicle and
therefore chose not to fit smart start to this model.
Our final stops at Geneva were to see the progress on electric vehicles.
One of the show’s star attractions was the new Renault Zoe, which uses a smart key system
as part of the security protection for the charging cable. As with all Renault systems,
the vehicle is fitted with walk away locking, which locks the doors, sets the alarm and
also locks the charging cable into place when the customer walks away from their vehicle.
As yet, this is the highest level of protection that any OEM has given against theft of charging
cables – something which SBD see as inevitable problem in the future due to thieves targeting
the expensive copper inside the cable. Volvo have also considered cable security
on their e-C30. There is no physical lock holding the cable in place, but, if the cable
is removed whilst the alarm is set then the siren will sound, and a separate alarm signal
will be sent to the owner’s smartphone through their Volvo app. It’s not yet clear if this
will cause any issues with false alarms, but it’s a step up from many other OEMs who
currently offer no protection against cable theft.
So that was it from Geneva, where we found another step increase in fitment of smart
key technology and the early signs that OEMs are starting to consider cable security for
EVs. If you’re interested in finding out more
about the latest developments at Geneva, then don’t forget to read our blogs on the SBD:Live
site, or contact us at info@sbd.co.uk or on 01908 305105 to find out what information
we could have for you.