 is going to be the next big thing to hit next to Bluetooth){kind=link}
It’s been emphasized here on BBE in recent months that Near Field Communication (NFC) is going to be the next big thing to hit next to Bluetooth.  NFC will be crucial in the mobile payment race, advertising arena, and now we’re hearing-the auto industry. A Dutch company NXP Semiconductors, is in the middle of producing a single-chip solution dubbed KEyLink Lite (codenamed NCF2970) which will enable a connection between a “smart” car key and external NFC-compliant devices, such as the upcoming BlakBerry 9900/9930 device. Check below for features.
Some of the KEyLink Lite features would include:
Car Finder
The key will record GPS coordinates (presumably connecting to the in-car navigation system) of the car’s current parking location, allowing users to locate their vehicle with the use of a mobile phone and online maps.
Route Planner
This proposed function will allow drivers to plan their route at home, transfer the details to the key, and then upload them from key to the in-car navigation system.
Car Status and Service Data Management
There will be no need to remember the fuel level or keep the car service history on paper any more. All of this information can be stored on the key, and transferred to a laptop or smartphone when needed.
Car Self-Diagnosis
Diagnostic data can be transferred from the car to a PC via the key, and then uploaded to a diagnostic website for analysis.
Car Personalization
Car manufacturers could offer some additional, exclusive features in their vehicles and provide clients with the possibility of unlocking them with the use of the key.
NXP developed a multi-functional Smart Key prototype with BMW in the past, which was supposed to work as a method for mobile payments. The Dutch company, however, does not mention such an application for the current device.
The KEyLink Lite technology is now available for production. There is no word yet on which car manufacturer may actually use it, or when.
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