- Short Loop Communication: Ensures that communication between the app and the HW device in the car is available offline (even without cellular connection)
- Easy, Non-intrusive Installation: Does not involve tampering with OEM wiring or connections
- Ease Of Onboarding A Vehicle: Simple 3 step process to get a vehicle added, key provisioned and HW installed (~15 min)
- Versatile Power Supply: Power the RCK through the vehicle battery or AA batteries
Advantages
Use Cases
- Digital Rental
- OEM & OEM Aftermarket
- Commercial Fleets
- Service Providers and Roadside Assistance
Digital Rentals and Car Sharing
- Rental fleet operators can improve brand loyalty and simplify their customer journey by reducing wait times at kiosks using Key as a Service.
- Peer-to-Peer, Station Based and Free float carsharing models can be easily enabled using Key as a Service – Operators, Hosts and Customers all benefit from a frictionless, secure virtual key transfer thereby increasing vehicle utilization, translating to more profits.
OEM & OEM Aftermarket
- OEMs can enhance their customers’ experience with family sharing feature. OEMs can embed the Key as a Service SDK into their own native Apps to enable this feature.
- OEMs can also enable their customers to transfer vehicle accessibility to service providers such as mechanics, service centers and valets. Additionally, dealerships can use just their mobile App to show potential customers multiple vehicles without the need for physical key management.
- OEMs looking to participate in the new mobility space by operating carsharing fleets, gig-economy fleets or corporate leases can easily do so with the Key as a Service platform.
Commercial Fleets
Commercial fleet operators (passenger, light commercial vehicles, trucks) have limited flexibility and must deal with unnecessary logistical issues in order to match vehicles and drivers on the fly. By using the Key as a Service, fleet operators can remotely assign keys to vehicles for the drivers on their mobile phones, and revoke and reassign keys as needed. There are many benefits to this, as detailed below.
- Driver changeovers during trips are more efficient with no more waiting times.
- The virtual key handover is hygienic with no in person physical key transfer needed.
- Fleet servicing (mechanics, fuel topping etc) can enter the cab and work on the engine without the driver; maintenance is carried out during the driver’s rest period.
- Fleet operators can rent out vehicles 24 x 7 with a safe, reliable always on solution.
Service Providers and Roadside Assistance
- Stranded or locked out customers can allow roadside assistance providers to remotely unlock their vehicles and allow them to start their vehicles.
- First responders can get into vehicles and remove passengers who are unable to open the vehicle door and get out in cases of emergency.
- Mechanics and Fuel delivery services can be allowed access to vehicle for the duration of the service.
Technology
The KaaS solution provides APIs, an admin interface to the Continental Cloud backend and SDKs for integration with the user’s application.
Download the virtual key from the Continental Cloud backend onto the Key as a Service SDK embedded on your mobile app and communicate exclusively with the vehicle using Bluetooth connectivity to lock, unlock and start the vehicle.
Security
Incredibly secure communication channels between the Continental Cloud, the Remote Cloud Key Hardware, the Mobile SDK and the Customer Backend guaranteed by mutual authentication and data encryption.
