NXP Semiconductors has developed a new chip for use in ‘smart’ multifunctional car keys. The chip enables the GPS coordinates of the parking location to be stored in the key and to be retrieved again using a smartphone compatible with Near Field Communications (NFC) technology. Next, the parking location can be displayed on your smartphone using a suitable application such as Google Maps.

 

The NFC2970 (KEyLink Lite) communicates at ISM frequency 13.56 MHz and is suitable for cryptographic standards such as AES-128-3 and Hitag enabling the storage and communication of data to be protected. The chip includes a low-power high-speed RISC core with up to 32 KB EROM for user applications and 6 KB EEPROM for storing user-specific data. Besides recording the parking location a car key with the new chip can also be used, for example, for transferring information from a PC to the car’s satnav system, to report on a smartphone the amount of fuel left in the tank, or copy car diagnostic details to the PC at home