PARTNER NEWS: ST has added a new NFC reader IC to its digital car key line that complies with the latest Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) specification and “delivers rapid car-key response and reliable connections over extended distances”... More
Four in five vehicles shipped by Chinese car maker BYD in 2019 included support for NFC keys “and the percentage is expected to top 95% in 2021,” automobile industry publication Gasgoo reports... More
PARTNER NEWS: ST is to host a webinar on designing robust, powerful and effective NFC readers for industrial, automotive, consumer and payment applications on 31 March... More
PARTNER NEWS: NXP has announced the availability of an automotive digital key solution that enables smartphones, key fobs and other mobile devices to “securely communicate, store, authenticate and share digital keys with vehicles.”... More
Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram drivers can now use Uconnect Market, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ new in-vehicle commerce platform, to pay for fuel at Shell-branded stations across the US... More
Olo and pilot brands experiment with in-car ordering trial — Olo — “The online ordering experience is designed for easy pre-configuration of orders, making saved favorites and repeat orders easy. Trial participants can order and pay with the push of a button and follow driving directions to pick up their orders… Nekter Juice Bar and Portillo’s Hot Dogs are the first live brands to participate in the in-car ordering pilot.”
PARTNER NEWS: NXP has launched a new ultra-wideband chip designed to work together with Bluetooth, NFC and secure element technologies to enable “true secure hands-free smart access” to vehicles... More
“My goal is to guide the NFC Forum in a slight pivot to increase focus on doing whatever is necessary to enable NFC technology to deliver a consistently positive user experience, however it is used,” Mike McCamon, the new executive director of the NFC Forum, has told NFC World... More
STMicroelectronics joins Car Connectivity Consortium — STMicroelectronics — “As a leading long-time, trusted supplier to the top players in both the smartphone and automotive industries, ST shares an interest in the mission of the CCC, which aims to make it possible and hassle-free to simply connect and ride… ST’s technology portfolio features many segments well suited to automotive connectivity and the aims of the CCC, including ST25 NFC readers, ST33 Secure Elements, STA12 Accordo infotainment processors, STA13 Telemaco vehicle processors, and Stellar vehicle gateway/domain microcontrollers.”
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has begun testing a digital wallet that allows drivers to earn cryptocurrency credits in return for sharing information about traffic conditions such as jams and potholes — and then exchange them for a complimentary cup of coffee, parking charges or electric vehicle charging... More
Hyundai Motor Group is enabling drivers to access their car and start the engine using a smartphone app and NFC instead of a physical key... More
Apple has applied for a patent for a system that uses the Touch ID or Face ID biometric authentication facility on its phones to unlock a car... More
Honda Dream Drive to deliver next-generation infotainment, commerce, services and rewards to drivers and passengers — Honda — “Since 2016, Honda has worked with Visa to build and enhance the in-vehicle payment experience to make payments more convenient and secure. Now, Honda is expanding its in-vehicle payment collaboration to include Mastercard and PayPal… Honda Developer Studio is user testing a new points-based rewards program to benefit drivers and passengers for using Honda products and services. Drivers and passengers can earn rewards points for participating in a variety of activities including purchasing services, watching and listening to media, and playing games.”
Visa and SiriusXM team up to fast track the future of in-vehicle commerce — Sirius XM Holdings — “The SiriusXM e-wallet is being designed to integrate into the dashboard and will allow drivers and their passengers to complete and make purchases for everyday tasks on-the-go: shop and pay for coffee, find and pre-pay for gas, locate and pay for parking, purchase movie tickets, seamlessly pay tolls, and more. Users will activate and authenticate payment with their Visa account using biometric authentication, like voice and touchscreen commands, to eliminate driver distractions during the transaction.”
Phillips 66 Company collaborates with Honda Developer Studio to offer in-vehicle fuel payment — Phillips 66 — “Phillips 66 is collaborating with Honda Developer Studio to develop in-vehicle fuel payment integration that allows Honda vehicle owners to reserve a pump and pay for fuel at Phillips 66, 76 and Conoco branded locations through their in-dash infotainment system.”
WeChat Pay launches auto scan-and-pay for parking in China’s shopping malls — South China Morning Post — “To be part of this system, car owners must register their plate numbers under their WeChat Pay accounts. Their plates are scanned by specially set-up cameras located at the exit points of car parking sites. The artificial intelligence-based system automatically matches the captured image of the plate number with a database of WeChat Pay users to determine the corresponding account and settle the parking fees.”
Drivers taking delivery of a new fourth generation BMW X5 SUV or 8 Series Coupe this month are the first to be able to use the luxury car maker’s BMW Digital Key option to lock and unlock their car and start their engine with an NFC phone... More
Hyundai Motor develops biometrics to open, lock and start car engine — Pulse — “The company claimed its system is the first of its kind in the world. It said there have already been fingerprint verification systems for starting the engine but applying the technology to open the door has remained a challenge. It said its fingerprint system was fortified to withstand harsh weather conditions like scorching sunlight and strong snowstorm, ensuring secure operation of its fingerprint door-locking system.”
Buick delivers peace of mind at the gas pump — General Motors — “A new update to Marketplace brings ExxonMobil’s pay for fuel functionality right to the infotainment screen of eligible Buick vehicles… The platform also automatically syncs drivers to their ExxonMobil Speedpass+ app account, and drivers accumulate rewards points with each purchase. The new service is available at more than 11,000 Exxon or Mobil stations across the United States.”
Car Connectivity Consortium announces publication of the Digital Key Release 1.0 Specification, delivering to the industry a standardized smartphone as a car key solution — Car Connectivity Consortium — “The Release 1.0 specification provides a generalized deployment method that allows vehicle OEMs to securely transfer a digital key implementation to a smart device, using an existing Trusted Service Manager (TSM) infrastructure. By leveraging NFC distance bounding and a direct link to the secure element of the device, CCC is assuring the highest state-of-the-art security level for vehicle access.”
