Southfield-based automotive systems and component supplier Denso today announced the acquisition of Holland, Mich.-based InfiniteKey Inc., along with several key patents and development resources. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The acquisition provides foundational pieces to developing phone-as-key technology and increases Denso’s progress in developing and deploying smartphone-based automotive access and a future with frictionless mobility.
“When we consider the future of mobility, the customer experience is always at the forefront of our design. Eliminating the need for physical keys will create a headache-free experience for car owners, and ridesharing and driverless services users,” says Bill Foy, senior vice president of engineering for DENSO International America. “This acquisition brings us one step closer to making this experience a reality and advancing vehicle access technologies.”
InfiniteKey has developed advanced technologies for micro-locating smartphones relative to vehicles using standard Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), which allows automakers to rely on phones as passive keys, the same way key fobs are used today. Unlike key fobs, phones as passive key systems enable a broad range of mobility services, including ridesharing and driverless services.
Following the acquisition, InfiniteKey will now be a satellite office for Denso, which has its international headquarters in Japan.
