The In-vehicle UX (IVX) group at Strategy Analytics has explored consumer appetite for truly keyless cars in its recent report, “Keyless Cars: Do Consumers Want Them, and Are Automakers Ready?”. While keyless technology provides a number of benefits, such as consumers having one less item to lose or replace and automakers leveraging the technology for fleet management, it also holds fundamental disadvantages – the requirement of an active and charged mobile device and a reliable mobile connection

“Consumer demand is certainly present for keyless technology, but this demand is largely being driven by two specific demographics: younger or middle-aged car owners and a large majority of early adopters,” said Derek Viita, senior analyst and report author. “With the proliferation of OEM-branded apps and telematics services, stakeholders are certainly under pressure to validate the keyless concept. Narrow demand and the limitations of the technology itself evoke questions about its readiness for a wider market.”

Added Chris Schreiner, director, Syndicated Research UXIP, “Strategy Analytics advises immediate exploration of the concept for model lines catering to younger and tech-savvy consumers, but caution among wider portfolios for the near term.”