Volvo to Introduce First Truly Keyless Car This Year

By next year, Volvo wants to become the first manufacturer to sell cars without keys. Instead of a physical key or even a Bluetooth key fob, Volvo customers will use a "digital key" in a smartphone app to access (and share that access) to their cars. Good news to those who habitually misplace their car keys.

Car owners will be able to use the mobile app through Bluetooth connection to start their car, open the trunk, mess with the security system, or like with a key fob, simply have the car unlock as you approach it. The automaker envisions the technology will help enterprising owners enable ride sharing to make the most of their rides. They’ll be able to share digital keys with family members, co-workers, and other designated third parties via their mobile phones.

“Our innovative digital key technology has the potential to completely change how a Volvo can be accessed and shared. Instead of sitting idle in a parking lot the entire day, cars could be used more often and efficiently by whoever the owner wishes,” says Henrik Green, Volvo Cars’ vice president product strategy & vehicle line management.

Volvo won't be rolling this new tech out right away. The company will start a pilot program later this year with a ride-sharing fleet at the Gothenburg airport in Sweden before including it with some of its production cars in 2017 and the technology will be officially unveiled next week at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The automaker says a limited number of commercially available cars will be equipped with digital keys in 2017.

There's likely a lot of issues left to be sorted out (like what happens when your phone dies and you're out at dinner?). If that idea bothers you, don't worry — Volvo will still offer physical keys to those who request them.