Gemalto Tech Lets Smartphones Unlock Doors Via New Lock System

Gemalto technology is being used to turn smartphones into keys with a new smart lock system.

The smart locks were developed by Dessman, a company described by Gemalto as a “global manufacturer of smart locks and safe boxes” in a statement announcing the collaboration. Using Gemalto’s Machine Identification Modules and Secure Elements, the system lets users use their smartphones as keys, with Gemalto indicating in an image a phone can be tapped to a door handle to unlock it. The company says that the virtual keys enabling such functionality can be issued on a temporary basis and tracked remotely, and that Dessman’s door will trigger an alarm if it is forced open.

It’s another sign of Gemalto’s focus on pioneering virtual key technology, with the company having recently announced that its Trusted Services Hub would be used to issue smartphone virtual keys for a new line of Mercedes Benz cars.