Keyless access has become the essential standard in modern car sharing, defining the convenience, security, and scalability of your service. While other access options exist, the industry relies entirely on the digital key to deliver the immediate, 24/7 experience customers expect.
This lesson explores the different access technologies available today and outlines the strategy for building a robust, long-term solution, showing you how to set up keyless access in your fleet.
There are different access technologies available for car sharing, ranging from simple manual methods to high-end digital systems. Understanding these options is key to choosing the right starting point for your business.
This involves an in-person exchange of the physical key, common in traditional rental or older peer-to-peer models. While simple to implement initially, it entirely prevents spontaneous, 24/7 service and introduces significant logistical and staffing costs. This method is not viable for modern, scalable car sharing businesses. A physical key also increases the risk of it being lost or stolen, which can lead to major operational headaches.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Near Field Communication (NFC) systems offer the first level of automation. In this setup, a user unlocks the vehicle by tapping a physical card or badge against a reader installed in the car. This method eliminates the need for staff to hand over a key, simplifying access. However, it still requires the user to carry a dedicated physical item (the card), which can be lost or forgotten. Furthermore, the physical key must often be secured inside the vehicle for the trip itself, meaning a malicious actor can simply take it out of the glovebox once they are inside the vehicle.
The digital key is a virtual replacement for a physical key and the interface that connects the physical vehicle to your operational software platform. This system relies on sophisticated hardware and software integration.
At the core of digital access is the telematics device, which integrates with the vehicle through various methods. The most robust method involves directly hardwiring the device to the car's CAN bus (Controller Area Network). The CAN bus is the central nervous system of the vehicle, through which all electronic components including the central locking system and the immobilizer communicate. The telematics device translates the "unlock" command sent from the user's smartphone (via your server) into the specific language the vehicle understands, either directly or through an integrated key.
A less common but available method is utilizing the vehicle's native ex-factory OEM telematics through a manufacturer's API, which bypasses the need for third-party hardware entirely on supported models. The preconditions are, of course, that the vehicle model has a pre-installed telematics unit and that the manufacturer's API permits remote control over the central lock.
A truly robust digital key system must be vehicle-agnostic, meaning the technology provider must have the ability to integrate with a vast range of vehicle makes and models, including modern electric vehicles (EVs) and those using newer data communication standards like CAN FD. This flexibility is essential for a growing fleet that will inevitably incorporate diverse vehicles over time. Relying on technology limited to a few specific manufacturers can severely restrict your future purchasing options and lead to costly platform changes later on.
The transition to a digital key system delivers fundamental improvements for your car sharing operations:
Keyless access powers the core functions of the business across all operational models. For free-floating services, it provides the required seamless, anywhere-access for spontaneous rentals. For station-based rental hubs, it eliminates key desk staff and ensures the vehicle is ready for the customer upon arrival. In corporate fleets, keyless technology enables efficient pooling by granting access only to authenticated employees during scheduled booking times, providing a clear audit trail and maximizing asset utility. And peer-to-peer car sharing also benefits from keyless access:
Source: Insights Interview on Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing with Getaround
From the customer perspective, keyless access creates a truly seamless customer journey. The entire process is simplified to "Click, get in, drive," eliminating friction points like waiting in line for a key or being redirected if the key is not available. Users can go directly to the vehicle without any intermediate stops. This simplicity extends to ending the trip; users can leave the vehicle immediately, confident that the system will automatically register the vehicle as returned, preventing the common problem of keys not being properly deposited or registered.
While physical keys are easily lost or duplicated, a digital key platform allows you to grant and revoke access in real-time and provides a continuous audit trail, with remote immobilization capabilities offering a final layer of protection against theft.
Setting up a keyless access system requires careful planning and coordination between your software, hardware, and installation teams. The process can be broken down into three main stages: Installation, integration and setup:
A critical step is linking the access system to the vehicle's immobilizer. The immobilizer prevents the engine from starting without an electronic check. A professional keyless system will keep the immobilizer active until the user is fully authenticated, and the rental period has officially begun. This ensures that even if a physical key is present inside the vehicle, an unauthorized user cannot start the car. At the same time, it’s not enough to break into the vehicle to steal it. Even if you get in the driver’s seat illegally, the vehicle won’t let you start the engine until the booking system unlocks the immobilizer. This sophisticated control over the immobilizer is vital for fleet security.
By executing these careful implementation steps and leveraging the operational advantages discussed, you build a keyless access system that is robust for today's needs and also designed for long-term growth. Choosing a technology partner who offers hardware agility (4G/5G, Bluetooth) and specialized shared mobility expertise is the final crucial step, ensuring your investment remains protected, and your platform can scale effortlessly with your business for years to come.