German Car Zone

How's this for a "smart" car key: BMW's research arm has developed a multipurpose key prototype that could be used to pay for nearly anything.

The prototype will be shown at a trade show in November in Paris.

BMW researchers worked with NXP Semiconductors, a European technology company, to develop the potentially forward-thinking key. Working like a credit card, it could be used for general shopping, buying gasoline, public transportation or toll roads.

The key is powered by NXP's latest security chip, and the companies say the key could be transferred to other BMWs, if the owner borrows or rents a car.

Here's our take: If this comes to fruition, you really don't want to lose your keys.

autoweek

Press Release

Car key of the future with integrated credit card

BMW Group Research and Technology has developed a prototype for a multifunctional car key which enables cashless payment and personalised vehicle access. "As part of our research project we first integrated a security chip into the key casing, which communicates across short distances by radio with a card reader," says Hans-Jörg Vögel, project manager at BMW Group Forschung und Technik. In future the key could also be used for other transport systems. Indeed, electronic tickets for bus, train and air travel could all be stored on the chip. The credit card function in the security chip allows electronic payments to be carried out quickly, securely and conveniently from the prototype key.
Adding a personalised credit card function to the car key opens the door to a wealth of other mobility scenarios. For example, the holder of the key can enjoy secure in-car access to personal data since the key gives the driver authorised online access to his personalised ConnectedDrive services inside a BMW - not only when he's travelling in his own car, but also from a BMW hire car, for example. Here, the driver identifies himself using his personal key and the car adopts his individual settings. Access to personal data such as address books, favourite radio stations and personal subscriptions to services and content providers is activated through the multifunctional key.
Because the driver can be identified with total certainty, the key can now - for the first time - be linked to the car owner rather than any particular car. This also makes hiring cars and car sharing, for instance, even easier.
"With the concept of integrating a cashless payment function into a car key, we are working on ways of linking up vehicle technology and lifestyle," says Prof. Raymond Freymann, Director of BMW Group Research and Technology.
Via: worldcarfans

The key not being in the shape of an X6 = fail

*knock knock Porsche*

I don't really see the purpose of this.
I think it's pretty obvious that it is the mobile phone who will be used to pay, make reservations, identify yourself, and phone, in the future. This tech is already in testing phase all around the globe.

I think the car keys could also be integrated in this multi-purpose phone via a special car-SIM with codes and co.

Interesting stuff, this smartkey, but I'm not sure it is adapted to the future, I believe in multifunction phone rather than in multi-purpose carkeys.

This actually made it to most daily papers in Sweden. It is a good use of the technology even if it might seem trivial...

Aren't the CC supposed to do this?...anyway i couldn't careless i rarely use my CC anyway let alone my car key

I think this is by far the stupidest invention I have seen all year. WHy on earth would one use their car key as a credit card? It only escalates the possibility of E-fraud.

just as stupid as this: