From digital keys to diagnostics data transmission, consumables monitoring, in-vehicle payments, infotainment connectivity and car sharing, NFC technology offers an array of opportunities for vehicle manufacturers to add value, STMicroelectronics’ Rene Wutte explains in a webinar[1] hosted by NFCW’s Sarah Clark.
The range of in-vehicle use cases for NFC technology is expanding rapidly and its implementation could become standard across the mainstream vehicle market in just “a few years”, Wutte says.
STMicroelectronics has been developing and supplying NFC readers and tags to the automotive industry for more than five years and has seen the market expand so that the company now has customers across Europe, the USA and Asia.
“In the beginning, of course, it was more luxury cars, so only the high-end cars were implementing this,” Wutte says, adding that NFC technology is now also being implemented in mid-range vehicles.
Digital keys
“The [digital] key is now the main market driver,” he says. “If you look at the commercials from the car makers, I think most of the car makers already have active promotion of NFC features in their cars…” You will soon be able to get an entry-level car with NFC functionality, he adds.
Wutte begins the webinar with an overview of how NFC works in the context of road vehicles. He then explores the most common current and emerging use cases, identifies the main drivers for the growth of NFC within the automotive industry and explores the potential for NFC technology to become standard at every level of the automotive market.
Detailed information on the technical considerations for manufacturers looking to include NFC in their vehicles is also provided, along with information on how ST’s NFC reader products
