Smart keys a costly option

Purchasers like theft reduction effect

Sheldon Williams, Gleaner Writer

Although the technology has long been used by manufacturers, smart key-equipped vehicles are now becoming a more widespread option for car buyers. The sophisticated systems are used mostly on high-end brands, or high-end models of a particular line of vehicles.

A smart key not only facilitates remote entry to a vehicle, as is standard with car alarm systems, but also provides a keyless start.

Kent LaCroix, chairman of the Automobile Dealers' Association (ADA), told Automotives that the smart key mechanism is merely another choice for consumers. He said requests have not been overwhelming and does not anticipate an insatiable demand any time soon.

"It's an option in some brands and some types of the brands. In other words, it's not available necessarily in the least expensive brands but the more expensive models," LaCroix commented.

"When I say more expensive, I'm talking about a more expensive version of a lesser one, not necessarily an expensive car. It all depends. Some mechanisms offer a mid-sized or medium-sized or high-spec unit and some others don't, but it's not something that one is moving towards. Some manufacturers do have it, but I wouldn't say it will be standard in all models."

an option

Automotives asked if there was a clear advantage to smart key-operated vehicles over the more traditional keys and LaCroix said, "It's an option. There's no necessary advantage or disadvantage. It's just that technology has improved in certain ways." He also pointed out that smart keys can malfunction just like any other electronic item, but dealers are able to provide replacements to car owners at a cost "because they are expensive items".

"All keys will go bad. It's electronic. Anything electronic can malfunction. It will happen at some stage. Whether from misuse or you drop the key or the battery goes low, these things will happen. The dealers offer replacement keys.We don't just leave you on your own. When you buy a car from us, you get a complete package. In other words,you get spare parts, servicing and warranty. Anything like a key or anything that goes wrong with the car, you can go back to the dealer who will replace it," he said.

However, LaCroix admitted that in some instances, dealers would have to source the keys from their overseas manufacturers. "Sometimes the keys are not readily in stock. We have to get a code from Japan if it's a Japanese car or from Germany if it's a German car to replace the key, so there's a safety element to it. Someone just can't come in with a key and say 'Listen, this key isn't working, I want a replacement'. The key has to come with the car," he said.

LaCroix told Automotives that he is not anticipating an increase in demand for vehicles that use this type of technology, because of the current economic climate.

Buying the bling

On the other hand, Lynvalle Hamilton, president of the Jamaica Used Car Dealers Association (JUCDA) said, "Most of the vehicles that come, they have the option. You have the Mazda Demio and Honda Fits, some come with smart keys and some don't. You can get the smart key". However, unlike the situation LaCroix outlined with new cars, Hamilton explained that the used car purchaser "prefer to have cars with smart keys as a result of it being harder to be stolen."

"The cars with the smart keys work with a chip that gives a signal to the engine and if you don't have that, the engine won't start. From what I gather, persons here are not capable (to break the system), as yet. Based on what we have been hearing out there, those cars are not stolen and, if they are, they (criminals) would more hold you up and take the car because if they see the car and just want to steal it, it would be extremely difficult for them to bypass, the system."

Hamilton also said it would be premature to say that the automobile industry is moving towards smart keys becoming standard. However, he said "most dealers would go for cars that have more sophisticated features because our people are like that - they love cars with more features. The bling, you may say. The cars with the more sophisticated features, we find that consumers gravitate to those cars much more."

more expensive

Hamilton also pointed out that consumers would be required to pay more for smart key-equipped vehicles. "Those cars are normally a little bit more expensive, but to the safety and comfort that those cars offer persons do prefer to go after them," he said. He emphasised the anti-theft factor as the most compelling reason for consumers to be interested in smart key vehicles.

"The most significant advantage in having that is the whole matter of theft, because it does protect the vehicle. When persons are stealing a vehicle, they want to do so as quickly as possible, but it's difficult to bypass the smart key. Some persons can just quickly find the wires as it relates to alarms, and I understand that there's some system for them to bypass the alarm, but for some reason they can't do that with the smart key," he said.

Hamilton also explained that he is yet to hear of a customer reporting their smart key has malfunctioned. "I have never heard of a customer having the experience and I have never had it. My car has it, but I ensure that I have a smart key or a spare battery. But other than that, I have not heard of it going bad electronically," he said.