Steve Williams

Hearing a lot about the Renault 'Keyless entry', seems on the surface to be an excellent idea, what do you all think?

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Keyless Car with Renault Card

From the same company that introduced remote central locking back in 1982, get ready for the next innovation in security and convenience.

This clever idea means you'll never again have to worry about where you put your car keys.

It's called the Renault Keyless Car with Renault Card and it is based on radio frequency remote control technology.

As with a conventional central locking device, the driver "blips" but this one is on a credit card sized Renault card.

The action allows you to lock and unlock the doors , boot and fuel filler cap.

Once inside, slide the Renault card into the reader slot and, the car having identified the card, the security system releases the engine immobiliser and electric steering column lock.

To drive away, just press the start/stop button.

When you've reached your destination, press "stop" and remove the card. It's as simple -and ingenious- as that.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[Quote from Renault website]

IWatkins

Very nice,

But what happens if you loose your keycard ? Or drop it in a puddle

Cheers

Ian

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

What happens if the battery goes flat how do you get in to the car! Do the doors unlock automatically B4 the battery goes completely flat or stay locked.

DavidRB

Never understood why remote has to mean "no physical contact". Why not make it so that you have to touch the keycard onto a plate on the car door? With suitable protection against voltage overload, it would be far less vulnerable to being scanned.

Tom Evans

LOL @ Ian

Haven't the top of the range S-classes already got this card, or something similar?

As far as security goes, couldn't someone just nick the card as they would the keys to a car. What happens if it falls into the wrong hands, are they able to operate it? I assume they are.

Obviously the opportunist thief won't be able to pick a lock, so I guess it helps.

I couldn't imagine a thief breaking into a house to pinch a card so they could nick a Renault

Cheers,
Tom

robski

Not much of an advantage over a traditional alarm if you ask me

"It's called the Renault Keyless Car with Renault Card and it is based on radio frequency remote control technology."

So it can still be scanned then!?

robski

BarryK

Get rid of the keyholes. Yes please.

That's where silly ba5tard5 wallop the car door to "tap" the lock barrels.

£200 worth of damage, minimum, guaranteed. On mine they didn't even steal anything, just buggered the door and the lock. And have I ever used the key in the lock......?

And I never intend to. The feeble reasoning of "what happens when the remote dies" is just the same as "what happens when the locks are broken". I'll cross that bridge should I ever come to it.

This system is a bit poor given today's available technology. Even a credit card with holes drilled in it can do this and release (electronic) tumblers. Probably better because it can't be scanned!

Bajie

Bluetooth!
:raz:

Robyn

read recently that this system was disabled on UK versions of the car as the insurance companies did not like the sound of it.

NAF

Now why doesnt that suprise me ....

Niall

KF

They want your car to be nicked... more revenue that way. It is easy (for a manufacturer) to make a car unstealable, it is just too low on purchasers priorities.

If they spend the money they save on the car alarm, on making the car more attractive, when it is stolen, what car will the owner buy next? Or to put it another way - how many Impreza owners who have had their car nicked have gone for a car with better security next time?

DavidRB - it would fry the card in an instant, if the only contact between ground and a electrostatically charged lump of metal / human were a blob of silicon.

chiark

There's contactless smart card that could be used. These things only have approximately a 10cm range and have to be "waved" at the sensor... This certainly wouldn't fry the card.

KF: smart cards are being rolled out by the banks. There's no problems with chips getting zapped - or am I misunderstanding your point?

KF

Chairk,
Granted. You are absolutely correct. Bit like the transponder in the key fob, no?
KF.