More Accurate and Secure Than Existing Products

A digital key module from LG Innotek

LG Innotek announced on Jan. 24 that it has succeeded in developing a digital key module for vehicles that has increased accuracy in location recognition and security.

A digital key module is a telecommunication device installed on a car for wireless data communication between cars and smartphones. It can be called a next-generation car key which enables people to open, lock, or start a car with a smartphone. A driver can not only control a vehicle but check the conditions of the vehicle such as mileage, fuel efficiency, and tire pressure at a glance with a smartphone.


Recently, the growth of the car sharing industry has been feeding demand for digital key modules. However, current digital key modules lack accuracy in recognizing the location of smartphones and are susceptible to hacking.

LG Innotek has improved accuracy in location recognition by applying ultra wideband (UWB) technology, NFC technology, and an original algorithm to its new module. The company has also used its own hacking prevention technology to enhance the product’s security.

If LG Innotek's digital key module is applied to vehicles, it can detect the location of smartphones about five times more accurately than before. The error range between the actual smartphone location and the module's recognition location has been reduced from 50 centimeters to less than 10 cm. LG Innotek used UWB technology that has higher distance and direction accuracy compared to Bluetooth low energy (BLE). The company added its own technology for designing wireless communication antennas and its own location measurement algorithm.

Strategy Analytics forecast that vehicles with digital keys will increase 360 percent from 6.3 million units in 2020 to 28.9 million units in 2025 in the global market.

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