A digital key, which can lock and unlock a car using a downloaded app on a smartphone, is shown in this photo from Hyundai Motor and its sister firm, Kia Motors, on March 4, 2019. The automakers said they will add the digital key feature in phases in cars to be launched in the future to adapt to the car-sharing trend.
SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — The scope of smartphone-based digital key services, which are emerging as one of the core technologies in times of car-sharing, is expanding.
Hyundai Motor Co. announced a plan to launch a string of new-concept services by leveraging its existing digital key service.
One of the new-concept services is the one offered by consignment drivers who can use digital keys to take customers’ cars to a car wash and bring them back to the customer after washing the car.
Hyundai Motor said that based on its existing ‘Hyundai Digital Key’ service, it will launch the pickup & car wash service, in addition to parking lot recommendation and discount services, by the end of next month.
The Hyundai Digital Key that was developed in March 2019 enables owners to open or close their car door as well as start the car through a smartphone application without using a physical key. At present, the number of Hyundai Digital Key users is estimated at about 110,000.
The strength of the Hyundai Digital Key service is to enable owners to share the car with others on a non-face-to-face contact basis, while limiting the scope of shared functions.
Based on the Hyundai Digital Key service, the company plans to start providing the pickup & wash service in which a consignment driver visits the place where the car is parked and uses a digital key to take the car into a car wash and brings it back to the originally parked place after washing the car.
Hyundai Motor also plans to provide a parking lot recommendation and discount service that provides guidance on affiliated parking lots in the neighborhood, while allowing the user to be able to purchase parking tickets at a discounted price.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
