The hands-free card, an invention by Renault that turns 20 years old

Technology has always been closely tied to the development of the automotive industry. One of the elements that has made progress simpler and has brought greater convenience to car use is the keyless start card. Today it is commonplace, but it reached the market only 20 years ago, thanks to Renault.

Credit goes to Bernard Dumondel, product manager of the project that would later become the Renault Laguna II. It was in 2001 that, while staying at a hotel and opening his room door with a magnetic card, he thought about applying a similar system to the new model. The idea took shape in a prototype that reached the programme director and from there, Louis Schweitzer, the company’s CEO.

The project was approved quickly and was registered and patented so that it could form part of the brand’s technological advances. Thus, the Renault Laguna II became the first model from a mainstream manufacturer to feature a keyless entry and engine start system, with a card replacing the key.

This model was followed by the Renault Espace and the Vel Satis, eventually reaching the rest of the brand’s models. The system works thanks to several sensors located at different points on the car. These communicate with the card and, if they detect it, the card emits a code that unlocks the doors.

In the opposite case, when the driver leaves the vehicle and walks away from it, the car stops interacting with the card and locks the doors. All of this happens in fractions of a second, so that controlling the car is efficient and safe.

Reimagining the technology

With use of the system, work was done to improve the technology and, after a first generation that caused some usage problems, progress was made in its development and its operation was substantially improved. Details were refined and it became the practical and safe system we have today.

Now up to a total of four cards can be associated with each vehicle. They are watertight to prevent water damage to the interior, a physical key was added to double access options, and the card has become a vehicle passport. This is because the card stores all of the vehicle’s data, from mileage to owner details.

In principle, Renault models used a slot into which the card was inserted, plus a Start button, although today simply having the card in the car is enough to start it and drive freely. The Megane E-TECH incorporates the latest version of this card, which remains a reliable, fast and safe system for the driver and the vehicle. Today, twenty years later, two out of every three Renault vehicles still use the smart card.

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackRenault Megane3 versions · from 39,650 €