Toyota invented a Bluetooth enabled device called the Smart Key Box that allows users to unlock and launch their car's car using just their smartphone.
The device is a pilot and is more for the car-sharing market. Imagine a car owner who wants to borrow his car for a fee.
He can install the Smart Key Box on his car dashboard without having to make any further modifications.
The tenant sends a password through an application to be able to access the device. When the renter's smartphone is a nearby vehicle, codes are validated via Bluetooth, a process similar to smart car keys.
The time and period the user can access the Smart Key Box is set and managed by Toyota, which is based on the rental time of the vehicle.
Toyota plans to release this new technology for testing next year, on a limited pilot scale in San Francisco, in partnership with a peer-to-peer car-sharing service called Getaround. And according to Rauters, last week, Getaround received a $ 10 million dollar investment from a Toyota-controlled fund.
The fund mainly spends money on artificial intelligence and robotics, but investing in Getaround is a sign that Toyota is interested in expanding its car-sharing market.
As far as the pilot test is concerned, only the people who own the new Prius or any Lexus model can participate in it.
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