[Tweeked SRT4]

I found this article on Fquick.com. It's kinda cool and wasn't sure if you all heard about this.



I suspect that most people who buy a swanky new BMW, find that it can be a useful way to impress friends and co-workers, but one that doesn't work too well if it's parked deep in some garage. Now BMW wants to give you an excuse for flashing around your car keys, even when you're nowhere near the car.

The smart key incorporates a chip that lets it work like a credit card, so you can pay for dinner, while explaining to your date that you're not being asked to surrender your car for failing to pay the bill. Far from being a one trick pony, the smart key can also communicate with the car's electronics, to automatically adjust the seat and mirror positions, set the radio to your favorite stations, and even unlock the car's personalized online functions such as e-mail and navigation.
While just a prototype for now, BMW says the smart key could become available as soon as next year.

The link to the original site. http://dvice.com/archives/2008/11/bmw_car_key_wor.php

[135i_TT]

Kooooool!

[john08135i]

nice..but i would bet it wont work for keys already in the real world.

[GMT II]

It probably wouldn't be hard for BMW to put out a key that has this technology and still works in our existing cars.

But, this means I can't impress the ladies with my cool Amex Black card.

[arok]

dude, you must be a baller or have a baller business to have a black card.

[MadMan77]

Originally Posted by arok

dude, you must be a baller or have a baller business to have a black card.

I find it highly unlikely that he has a AMEX Black card. Here is a some facts behind the card:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centurion_Card

Back on topic: I hope it is reverse-compatible with our cars but, like the others above, I doubt it.

[GMT II]

No guys I was just kidding. No black card here. I guess I'm not on baller status. haah

[HondaGoneRogue]

I have an AMEX, and it's black lol. But not like the one shown on wiki. That would be gangsta lol.

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by MadMan77

Back on topic: I hope it is reverse-compatible with our cars but, like the others above, I doubt it.

It should be. Both technologies are using secure RFID. Even if it's not the same RFID tag they're small enough that BMW could put both in one key.

I think it's a pretty cool idea. I've thought for a long time that it would be nice to have something like this incorporated into a cell phone, but a key would be just as good.

It would be nice if there was a way it could be tied to more than one card and would let you select which one you were using as you checked out. That way you could have a normal debit function for routine purchases, and then a credit card for bigger stuff, but even if it only worked with one account it would be very cool. Once less thing to have to carry around.

[pheller]

Here's the amex color wheel from a gathering of friends a few years back:



The new personal Centurion is so much cooler, though, being anodized Titanium. And I know from experience that it won't fit in the external card readers of NYC White Castle drive through windows. LOL

[imported_erick]

So when they steal your keys, they also get your credit card/personal info?

LOL

I will take a black card instead.

[Tweeked SRT4]

I only have a AMEX Blue card.

[jkp1187]

Originally Posted by erick

So when they steal your keys, they also get your credit card/personal info?

LOL

True that. This key fob looks like a solution in search of a problem.

[crzy4135i]

Originally Posted by Tweeked SRT4

I only have a AMEX Blue card.

Same here. The working man's amex. I'm using the points for home depot gift cards and replacing the windows in my house with them.

[Xyloft]

Originally Posted by erick

So when they steal your keys, they also get your credit card/personal info?

LOL

I will take a black card instead.

this idea isn't much different than the cellphone wallet they've been testing in Japan.

just think...one less thing to carry around if your wallet and cell phone were combined and could be used almost everywhere.

i'm already carrying enough crap around, if i can get something combined i'm all for it.

[clived]

Originally Posted by MadMan77

I find it highly unlikely that he has a AMEX Black card. Here is a some facts behind the card:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centurion_Card

Back on topic: I hope it is reverse-compatible with our cars but, like the others above, I doubt it.

Now, I appreciate that in this case you were right, but why would you doubt that someone on 1addicts has an Amex Centurion?

The titanium cards haven't made it to the UK yet I'm sorry to say

[lib]

I'm always a fan of new tech but this isn't something I look forward to:

I'm dead set against any credit info going over RFID. There are plenty of ways to make it secure but some knucklehead always screws up the implementation. RFID has a lot of great uses but this isn't one of them.

There are also a ton of card readers that won't be changed over to this RFID system for years. It would be annoying to have certain cards that can only be used it a few places.

I'm not keen on handing the keys for a brand new BMW to someone that makes $4/hr + tips when it's time to pay for a meal.

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by lib

I'm always a fan of new tech but this isn't something I look forward to:

I'm dead set against any credit info going over RFID. There are plenty of ways to make it secure but some knucklehead always screws up the implementation. RFID has a lot of great uses but this isn't one of them.

There are also a ton of card readers that won't be changed over to this RFID system for years. It would be annoying to have certain cards that can only be used it a few places.

I'm not keen on handing the keys for a brand new BMW to someone that makes $4/hr + tips when it's time to pay for a meal.

RFID is already in widespread use for credit cards. The Mobil Speedpass system also uses it. It's just a matter of a year or so before it replaces magnetic strips completely.

Waiters and waitresses will be carrying handheld scanners to your table very shortly to deal with the problem you're talking about.

I'm sure there will be mistakes made, but I'm also sure they will be overcome.

[jkp1187]

Originally Posted by lib

I'm not keen on handing the keys for a brand new BMW to someone that makes $4/hr + tips when it's time to pay for a meal.

And I'm not keen on handing a key that also doubles as a credit card to some punk when I use valet parking at a restaurant, either.

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by jkp1187

And I'm not keen on handing a key that also doubles as a credit card to some punk when I use valet parking at a restaurant, either.

That's an interesting thought.

On one hand, you're ok with handing him the keys to a $40k car, but worried about a credit card, which is a little funny

But you have a point. Maybe the CC function could be disabled when you pull the Valet key out or something.

Just FYI, I've got good friends who valet cars for a living....avoid it at all cost. Some of the stories I've heard

[lib]

Originally Posted by jeremyc74

RFID is already in widespread use for credit cards. The Mobil Speedpass system also uses it. It's just a matter of a year or so before it replaces magnetic strips completely.

Oh, it's definitely becoming increasingly widespread - I still am not a fan.

It's essentially solving a problem that no one had, there is no real need to send your credit info over the air. How is it any more convinent to hold up a card against a pad than it is to swipe a card through a slot? Either way you still need to get the card out.

Yes, it's encrypted. Yes, the systems are generally ok. But no system is perfectly secure. If one thing has been proven time and time again, any real world system is vulnerable - even the ones that should be perfect, simply because people make mistakes with the implementation. Sending the info over RF removes a number of the physical barriers which at least made it a bit more dificult. You can find countless examples by simply looking up some of the instances of cloning smart cards and stealing credit card info over the air.

[jkp1187]

Originally Posted by jeremyc74

That's an interesting thought.

On one hand, you're ok with handing him the keys to a $40k car, but worried about a credit card, which is a little funny

Not really. A valet stealing a car on a whim is pretty likely to get caught. But stealing a credit card number (or electronic info)? Unless it's a serious amount, it's quite likely that the guilty party will not be caught or prosecuted. And by "serious" I mean: in the millions. In the meantime, the lucky holder of the credit card gets to deal with the aftermath. Sure, you can only be held liable under US law for $50.00 of fraudulent credit card use, but it's still quite a hassle to get everything straightened out in the meantime. Happened to my wife a few years ago.

(Besides, some of us have available credit greater than $40k!)

But you have a point. Maybe the CC function could be disabled when you pull the Valet key out or something.

Yes, but now that you have to engineer something else to fix an item that was never needed in the first place. (I can just see a black market emerging in stolen 'valet keys', too.) I'll just save the hassle, along with the $500.00 that BMW will inevitably charge for such an option by not getting it in the first place.

Just FYI, I've got good friends who valet cars for a living....avoid it at all cost. Some of the stories I've heard

Probably true, but it's not always an option to avoid the valet.