Rietheim-Weilheim / Friedrichshafen, Germany, February 2024 – Together with software specialist doubleSlash, mechatronics specialist Marquardt is launching a fully comprehensive digital key system to the market. The system combines hardware and software components and complies with the standards of the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC). The newly developed module solution promises powerful, secure and convenient access to the vehicle via smartphone. With its flexibility and variety of functions, such as creating, sharing and revoking driving authorization, the Digital Key opens up completely new possibilities and is therefore a forward-looking tool for all customers and OEMs in the automotive and commercial vehicle sector, as well as for car rental companies and fleet operators.  Marquardt and doubleSlash are starting their new dynamic development partnership with the Digital Key in Smart Access, but see further business areas and potential beyond this.

PnD3 in Combination with Software Solution in the Backend

The two companies provide a coordinated modular solution that makes vehicle access secure and offers smart access for all conceivable use cases. While Marquardt contributes its modular PnD3 driving authorization system to the development partnership, doubleSlash provides the software for Digital Key Services with all the necessary interfaces to the vehicle-OEM and smartphone-OEM-backend. By storing the data and information relevant to the digital key in the secure elements of vehicle electronic control units and smartphones, combined with the latest communication technologies such as Ultra-Wideband (UWB), NFC (Near Field Communication) or BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), a secure digital key is created. The modular solution, consisting of hardware and software, is based on cross-vehicle and cross-platform CCC specifications, which all major vehicle and smartphone manufacturers and suppliers who are members of the CCC have agreed on. The CCC standard allows optimal integration into the OEMs' lifecycle processes without jeopardizing their security architecture.

The Solution against Security Vulnerabilities and Implementation Problems

Although digital key systems already exist, vehicle and smartphone manufacturers face the challenge of adapting these solutions to the requirements of the CCC standard. The proprietary key systems currently in use, which use apps to connect to the vehicle, for example, are less resilient to security vulnerabilities that could occur if the smartphone is lost or stolen. In addition, the implementation of CCC-compliant smart access solutions is highly complex, especially when it comes to integration into existing IT landscapes, including compliance with security standards. The coordinated modular solution from Marquardt and doubleSlash provides vehicle manufacturers with a solution that will noticeably accelerate the market launch of the digital key. The newly established partnership can already report its first project success in Asia.

More Efficiency and Control in Smart Access

Matthias Sekinger, Managing Partner Connected Mobility at doubleSlash, emphasizes the high customer benefits of the new partnership: "With our development partnership, we are optimally combining our expertise in software and hardware. In addition to the best possible user experience, many other exciting use cases are opening up for the entire vehicle market, such as sharing vehicle keys or parameterizing vehicle settings - thanks to the digital key."

Wolfgang Stehle, Head of Product Segment Entry & Authorization Systems at Marquardt, adds: "With our joint CCC-compliant digital key solution, we are offering a secure and future-proof solution that goes far beyond traditional vehicle access and will enable greater efficiency and control in smart access."