The Cars We Drive Today Were Influenced By These Pioneers

The cars we drive today were influenced by these pioneers

- Gareth Dean

First production car with a digital key

Volvo S90 & XC90

2016

Fishing in your trouser pocket for the keys to your car is probably one of the most Pavlovian things you can do but in terms of automotive tech history, the time between that shiny amalgam of shaped metal, plastic-tasting fresh air and the engine rumbling to life has branched out into some of the most innovative developments in the industry.

Keys have played a part in vehicle security since the beginning of the 20th century and were essentially used as part of a physical locking mechanism for the crank ignition systems of the time. It was only in 1949 that Chrysler made a single-sided key that could play a role in activating the ignition system, albeit with the aid of a push-button.