Volvo owners may soon be able to open and start their car with a smartphone.
The carmaker is testing an application that relies on proximity sensors similar to today’s key fobs. When the car senses the phone is near, it will unlock the doors and allow the engine to start. Volvo will test the digital key technology starting in 2017 with its own car-sharing service in its home market of Sweden.
It may eventually expand it to the U.S. Since the technology relies on an app it can be shared with other phones, which are then granted permission to access the car.
It developed the technology with Sweden’s Ericsson. Volvo is also based in Sweden but is owned by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.
