The Story of the Renault Card Key
The hands-free card is among of the most significant inventions ever to change the way people use cars. Pascaline, Head of Cross-Cutting Products at Renault Group Products walks us through the history of this simple device.
The history behind the card
A crucial part of the daily lives of car owners the hands-free card from Renault has been a huge hit worldwide. It was initially designed around 20 years ago and is now among the most popular innovations within the company. Pascaline who is the Head of Cross-Cutting Products at the Products division takes us on journey to learn the story of this handy accessory.
It was in 2001 when the Laguna II, a saloon that aimed at capturing the essence of 'lifestyle' driving, came into production. It was a time of significant innovation, and many new features. options that allowed customers get the maximum advantages of their vehicle.
The occupants had to use the keys to open and shut their doors. This was a huge obstacle for many and Renault engineers were determined to fix the issue.
They decided to put an electronic contactless card into their vehicles and to develop an application that would allow motorists to unlock and start their vehicles by hand gestures. The result is the card key which is now on a third of Renault vehicles. The car will unlock automatically when the card is close to the ignition barrel, or the center console. This is a genuine Renault remote control card (without blade). It is clam-packed in a sealed package and is ready to be programmed with Abrites Diagnostics for Renault/ Dacia Software with the ProTAG Programmer.
The design
A Renault key card, or even a remote car key, can be a fantastic convenience to have in our everyday lives. Unfortunately, these products are prone to failure due to wear and tear or simply being dropped. It can be quite frustrating when this happens. There are several ways that you can repair your Renault keycard. Contacting your dealer is an option. This could take some time and can be costly. A professional locksmith is an alternative option.
SR Key Solutions has the necessary equipment to program and manufacture Renault keys and cards. We can offer the replacement for your current key at a much cheaper price than what the dealer would charge. Furthermore, we can complete it much faster than a dealership would.
This product is compatible with the Renault Laguna II, Espace 4 and Vel Satis keycards (keyless entry system). It will protect your card while giving it a stylish appearance. It comes in two colours and can be printed with your VIN, logo, etc. It can be used with a standard keychain or put inside a key case. This is a genuine Renault component and is only compatible with the vehicle for the model for which it was ordered. Please supply your VIN at the time of ordering to ensure the correct key is provided.
The technology
Renault key cards come with transponder chips, as well as a low-frequency communication feature. This allows the card to talk to your car. The chips are susceptible to cracking because of use and can be extremely expensive to get them repaired or replaced by a dealer. renault clio key can repair or replacement your Renault key cards at only a fraction of the cost of a dealership.
The hands-free cards were first launched in 2001 on the Laguna II saloon, which was designed to be the 'lifestyle' car of the 21st century. But, despite a thorough design brief based on over thousands of customer interviews, which examined their lifestyles, habits, and expectations, Renault ran out of time to create prototypes and test every possible uses.
Bernard Dumondel was the product leader of Laguna II at the time. He utilized his hotel room key to unlock his car. He thought that the car key could be made with the same magnetic strip used for the key.
In the years that followed the card was hailed as an innovation that was revolutionary and is now present on two of three Renault vehicles. While smartphones may be on the verge of replacing it, Renault has chosen to make use of these new features without letting the hands-free card slip off the radar.
The keyless entry system
Renault's hands free card was a groundbreaking piece of technology when it first came out 20 years ago. The exterior is identical however the technology has been improved to make it more user-friendly and more secure to hack.
Firstly, it can't be used to unlock the doors or start the engine from outside the vehicle, unless it is activated by the driver. The reason is that the radio signal antennas "around" the car are designed to determine the presence of the key outside or inside the car. The key can still function from a distance, allowing you to start the ignition, but not to unlock the doors, and that's for your security.
The second thing is that the system's wireless remote control transmissions use a rolling code. This reduces the likelihood of someone stealing an informational message and retransmitting it to gain access, but does not eliminate it. [1]
If your Megane's key fob suddenly stops working - specifically after you've dropped it on the floor, it could be a sign that the receiver module has developed an issue. If this is the case then you'll need to replace your key fob using an original Renault replacement. To find out more about key programming, go to the Key Programming Information tab above. Customers who are working in the locksmith or motor trade can sign up for a trade account to benefit from a discounted price.