Car Connectivity Consortium Unveils Digital Key Certification

As digital keys become more popular among car owners, a group of automakers and phone manufacturers is working to ensure that people can trust that this new technology is secure and will always work across multiple devices.

The Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) is an industry group comprised of the majority of major automakers, including Ford, GM, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, and Mercedes-Benz, as well as phone manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi. 

The consortium announced a new certification program for near-field communication (NFC) digital keys. Rather than using a key or key fob, NFC-enabled phones must be tapped against the car's door handle to unlock it.

According to the group, the goal of the CCC Digital Key Certification is to create global compatibility of products and services for a seamless experience, regardless of car or device.

Customers can be guaranteed in this way that the technology will continue to function even if they frequently purchase new cars or phones.

Manufacturers of automobiles and gadgets submit their goods to the CCC for testing to make sure they satisfy all of its requirements for interoperability, safety, and security. In order to assure customers that the device satisfies all of CCC's digital key standards, they can use the group's logo in marketing materials and obtain a certificate upon successful completion.

NFC-enabled devices are the only ones for which the certification is meant. Recently, the CCC and the nonprofit FiRa Consortium, which supports ultra wideband (UWB) and counts Qualcomm, Samsung, Apple, Google, Cisco, and other companies among its members, formed a working group.
The two groups hope to create a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and UWB certification process through this process.

In contrast to NFC, UWB and BLE support passive entry and start, enabling users to use their devices farther away and eliminating the need for tapping to unlock.

This implies that, similar to certain contemporary key fobs and key cards, you can unlock and start your car while carrying your phone in your pocket. All three technologies are present in the majority of contemporary smartphones.