• Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Forums
  • Buyer's Guide
  • Contact Us
  • Connect on LinkedIn
    1. Access & Identity
    2. Access Control
    3. Locks

    UWB Solutions Finally Catching On

    Feb. 13, 2025
    First shown at CES for access control five years ago, the technology has made its way into a few new smart lock options
    Photo: Xthings
    The ULTRALOQ Bolt Mission from Xthings uses UWB to sense a keyholder approaching with centimeter-level accuracy.
    The ULTRALOQ Bolt Mission from Xthings uses UWB to sense a keyholder approaching with centimeter-level accuracy.

    This article originally appeared in the February 2025 issue of Security Business magazine. Feel free to share, and please don’t forget to mention Security Business magazine on LinkedIn and @SecBusinessMag on Twitter.

    The Skinny:

    • Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology was featured at CES in consumer smart locks, enabling precise, hands-free unlocking based on user movement.

    • Key Players at CES: Xthings’ ULTRALOQ Bolt Mission, Allegion’s Schlage Sense Pro, and Lockly’s Secure Pro Deadbolt Duet Series showcased UWB-powered locks.

    Back in 2020, HID Global made an appearance at CES in the NXP Semiconductors pavilion, touting a demonstration of a practical access control use-case for Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology.

    Fast forward to this year, and the first consumer-targeted UWB access control products were hitting the show floor – not as card reader/door controllers as in HID’s 2020 demo; instead, in 2025, smart locks were the vehicle.

    That said, the concept remains the same: A user approaches a door with their authorized personal device (a smartphone), and the UWB device intelligently calculates speed, trajectory, and motion to ascertain intent to enter and unlocks the door precisely as the user reaches their door. The difference was the 2020 HID demo actually opened the door, while the products on display at CES simply unlocked a smart lock.

    Here’s a closer look:

    ULTRALOQ Bolt Mission from Xthings

    The ULTRALOQ Bolt Mission UWB + NFC Smart Deadbolt from Xthings was showcased at the Pepcom event at CES. According to a press release, the lock uses UWB – the same technology commonly used in digital car keys – to sense the keyholder’s phone location with centimeter-level accuracy, determining both distance and direction of approach. This spatial awareness enables automatic unlocking as users approach from the outside and also prevents unintended unlocking when users are inside their homes.

    “We believe [UWB] offers the best hands-free auto unlocking experience,” explains Matthew Brown, Xthings’ Chief Strategy Officer. “A lot of consumers have tried to kind of rig a hands-free experience using Bluetooth or geofencing, but those are not reliable enough – they often open, unlock, and lock without a degree of reliability that Ultra-Wideband offers. For that reason, we feel like this is really going to be the way that people want to access their homes, hands free. You can keep your keys and your phone in your pocket, and just walk up to the door. It’s as simple as that.”

    Bolt Mission additionally features NFC for quick tap-to-unlock functionality and automatic locking. It supports Matter for easy integration, voice commands with Siri, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings, and connects directly to home Wi-Fi via the U home app.

    Photo: Allegion
    Allegion calls the UWB technology in its Schlage Sense Pro Smart Deadbolt 'Schlage Converge.'
    Allegion calls the UWB technology in its Schlage Sense Pro Smart Deadbolt "Schlage Converge."

    Schlage Sense Pro Smart Deadbolt from Allegion

    The Schlage Sense Pro Smart Deadbolt from Allegion features Matter-over-Thread and uses UWB technology to deliver a hands-free unlocking experience. Allegion calls it “Schlage Converge” technology, and it uses Ultra-Wideband and the user’s paired and authorized personal device to perform the necessary trajectory calculations and unlock the door. In addition to hands-free unlocking, the lock includes keypad access code entry, and tap-to-unlock and lock with NFC.

    Lockly Secure Pro Deadbolt Duet Series UWB Edition

    Only available as a demo at CES, Lockly’s Secure Pro Deadbolt Duet Series UWB Edition is also equipped with Ultra-Wideband technology for proximity-based automatic unlocking. The locks currently support Android UWB-enabled phones, and they are planned to also support Apple’s NFC+UWB in the future.

    Check out Lockly's full CES Demo!

    Advanced radar technology enables both the indoor and outdoor units to detect individuals, alerting users if someone is lurking outside when unlocking the door. The lock also features advanced power-saving capabilities, intelligently switching between stable manual and fully automatic unlocking based on remaining power.

    This was one of several new smart locks from the company. Additional locks in the Duet Series introduced motorized and manual thumb turns for added reliability, user confidence, and up to 200 percent more battery life than the industry average. Also new to the line are intuitive and responsive LCD touchscreens, enhancing the user experience with modern, high-performance displays.

    About the Author

    Paul Rothman | Editor-in-Chief/Security Business

    Paul Rothman is Editor-in-Chief of Security Business magazine. Email him your comments and questions at [email protected]. Access the current issue, full archives and apply for a free subscription at www.securitybusinessmag.com. 

    Email