The Story of the Renault Card Key

In all the inventions which have altered the way we use cars, none has made such a huge difference to the daily lives of drivers like the hands-free card. Pascaline Head Cross-Cutting Products for Renault Group Products will walk us through the background and development of this small device.

The origins of the card

The hands-free card from Renault is a global success. It’s now an essential element of the daily lives of car owners. The first time it was designed, 20 years ago and is now one of the company’s most popular innovations. Pascaline who is the Head of Cross-Cutting Products at the Products division takes us on a an exploration to discover the history behind this handy accessory.

It was in 2001 when the Laguna II, a saloon that was designed to reflect a lifestyle driving, came into production. It was an era of a lot of innovation with various new equipment capabilities that let customers enjoy their car to the fullest.

The occupants still had to use keys to open and Renault card key close their doors. Renault engineers were determined that this was a significant issue for many people.

They decided to include a contactless card in their vehicles, and then develop the system that would allow drivers to enter and unlock their vehicles by waving their hands. The result is the card key that is now found on the majority of Renault vehicles. It’s either inside the ignition barrel or the centre console the car will open when the card is in close proximity and secure itself automatically when removed. This is a genuine Renault remote control card (without blade). It is supplied individually clam packed and prepared to be programmed using Abrites diagnostics for renault key card replacement/ Dacia software with the ProTAG programmer.

The design

Having a Renault key card, or even a car remote key could be a wonderful convenience in our lives. Unfortunately, these products can be prone to failure due to ware and wear or simply being dropped. If this occurs, it is quite stressful. There are a variety of ways you can replace your Renault keycard. Contacting your dealership is one option. It could take a while and could be costly. A professional locksmith is another option.

SR Key Solutions is fully equipped to design and program Renault keys and cards and keys. We can repair your key at a lower cost than what a dealer would cost. We can also do it much more quickly than a dealership would.

This product is compatible with the Renault Laguna II (keyless entry), Espace 4 (keyless entry) and Vel Satis (keyless entrance system). It will protect your card and gives it a stylish appearance. It is available in two colours and can be printed with your VIN, logo or any other information. It can be attached to a standard keychain or placed inside the key case. This is an original Renault item that will only fit the vehicle that you ordered. Please provide your VIN to ensure that the correct key is supplied.

The technology

Renault key cards have transponder chips within and feature a low-frequency communication feature that allows the card to communicate with your vehicle. The chips are susceptible to cracking due to normal use, and are very expensive to repair or replace them at an auto dealer. We can repair or replace your Renault key card at a fraction of the dealership cost.

The hands-free card first introduced in 2001 on the Laguna II saloon, which was designed to be the “lifestyle” car of the 21st century. However, despite an in-depth design brief based on more than thousands of customer interviews, which examined their lifestyles, habits, and expectations, Renault ran out of time to develop prototypes and test all possible applications.

Fortunately, the product manager on Laguna II, Bernard Dumondel was staying in an hotel at the time and used his room key to open his car. He thought that keys for cars could be made using the same magnetic strip as the key.

In the years to come the card was hailed as an innovative invention and is now found on two of three Renault vehicles. While smartphones seem to be on the verge of replacing it, Renault has chosen to take advantage of the new technology without letting the hands-free card slip off the radar.

The keyless entry system

The hands-free card of Renault was a ground-breaking piece of technology when it was launched 20 years ago. Its design is the same but the inside technology has undergone a few upgrades to make it more user-friendly as well as harder to hack.

It can’t be used from outside to open doors or start the car unless the driver activates it. This is because radio antennae “around the car” are programmed to detect whether the key is inside or outside. The key will continue to turn the ignition from a distance, but will not open the doors. This is for your security.

The other thing to note is that the wireless remote control transmissions of the system utilize a rolling code. This minimizes the possibility of the security being breached by someone intercepting and retransmitting the control message in order to gain access but it does not eliminate the possibility completely. [1]

If your Megane’s key fob suddenly stops working – especially after you’ve dropped it on the ground – it could be an indication that the receiver module has developed a fault. If this is the situation, you’ll need to replace it with an authentic renault clio car key replacement. To learn more about key programming, click the Key Programming Information tab above. Customers in the motor or locksmith trade can sign up for a special trade account and enjoy a discount pricing.