'Thinking' Car Key Predicts Driver Actions
When Dave Proefke gets locked out of his car, it's called "research." Proefke, a GM technical fellow, leads a team that has developed an advanced wireless car key that automatically knows when to lock and unlock the doors on the 2011 Buick LaCrosse and selected other GM models.
"It does a lot of the thinking for you," said Proefke. "It tries to determine your intended action and perform that action for you."
The new key doesn't require a button press or even a keyhole. Instead it sends out a constant stream of data to the vehicle that includes where the key is located. That helps the car decide whether the doors should be locked or unlocked based on pre-programmed behavioral scenarios.
"In the future, the functions that are on the key fob could be built into smartphone apps," Proefke said. "Also, key fobs will become smaller and more jewelry-like and could even be worn."
