The Story of the Renault Card Key
Among all the inventions that have revolutionized the way we use cars and other vehicles, none has made as an impact on the lives of drivers as the hands-free card. Pascaline, the Head of Cross-Cutting Products at Renault Group Products, takes us through the history of this tiny device.
The origins of a card
A crucial part of the lives of car owners the hands-free card from Renault has been a huge hit worldwide. The first time it was designed, in the year 2000 it’s one of the most innovative innovations of the company. Pascaline the Head of Cross-Cutting Products at the Products division takes us on an adventure to find out the story behind this helpful accessory.
In 2001, the Laguna II, a saloon aimed at embodying ‘lifestyle’ driving, entered production. It was an era of great innovation with various new equipment attributes that helped customers enjoy their vehicles to the maximum.
The occupants were still required to use the keys to open and close their doors. This was a major problem for many and Renault engineers determined to tackle it.
They decided to include an electronic contactless card into their vehicles, and then develop an system that allows drivers to enter and unlock their vehicles by simply shaking their hands. The card’s key is present in two of three Renault vehicles. If it’s inside the ignition barrel or the centre console, the car will unlock when the card approaches, and will lock automatically when removed. This is an original Renault remote control card (without blade). It comes individually clam-packed 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 remote car keys is a wonderful convenience to have in our daily lives. Unfortunately, these things are prone to failure because of wear and wear or being dropped. renault replacement key can be quite frustrating when this happens. Fortunately, there are many ways to replace your Renault key card. Contacting the dealership is one option. This could take some time and can be costly. Another option is to go to a professional locksmith.
SR Key Solutions has the required equipment to program and make Renault keys and cards. We can repair your key at a lower cost than what a dealer would charge. We can also make it faster than a dealer.
This product is compatible with Renault Laguna II, Espace 4 and Vel Satis keycards (keyless entry system). It shields your card while giving it a nice look. It comes in two different colors and can be personalized with your VIN or logo. It can be tucked away in an accessory case for keys or with the standard keychain. This is an authentic Renault component and can only be used on the vehicle for the purpose for which it was ordered. Please supply your VIN when ordering to ensure that the right key is supplied.
The technology
Renault key cards are equipped with transponder chips inside and have a low frequency communication feature which allows the card to communicate with your car. The chips are susceptible to cracking due the use of common sense and it can be expensive to have them repaired or replaced at a dealership. We can repair or replace your Renault key card for less than the dealer price.
The hands-free card was first introduced 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 that was based on more than 6000 customer interviews that examined their lifestyles, habits and expectations, Renault ran out of time to develop prototypes and test every possible scenarios for use.
Fortunately, the product manager on Laguna II, Bernard Dumondel was in a hotel at the time and used his room key to unlock his car. He believed that a car key could be made using the same magnetic strip that was used to make the key.
In the years to come, the card was hailed an innovation that was revolutionary and is now used on two of three Renault vehicles. Renault has chosen to use the latest features of smartphones to improve the hands-free card the fact that it appears they are about to replace it.
The keyless entry system
The hands-free card of Renault was a groundbreaking piece of technology when it was introduced 20 years ago. Its exterior is the same, but the technology inside has had some improvements to make it more user-friendly as well as harder to hack.
It’s not able to be used from outside to open doors or start the car unless the driver has activated it. This is because radio antennae “around the car” are set up to determine whether the key is inside or outside. The key will still work from a distance, allowing you to start the ignition of your car, but it won’t be able to unlock the doors, and that’s for your security.
The other thing to note is that the system’s wireless remote control transmissions make use of a rolling code. This lowers the likelihood of security being compromised by someone who intercepts and retransmits an authorization message to gain access but doesn’t eliminate the threat completely. [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 a fault. If this is the situation you’ll need to replace your key fob using an original Renault replacement. For more information, click the ‘Key Programming Information tab above. Customers who are working in the locksmith or motor trades can apply for a trade account and get preferential pricing.