HID Global, Yale Locks use smartphones as mobile keys at 2012 CES

Assa Abloy companies HID Global and Yale Locks & Hardware announced this week that they are demonstrating the access control benefits of Near-Field Communications (NFC) at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

According to a statement, the companies have partnered with Verizon Wireless to showcase how HID Global Mobile Keys can be used to open doors equipped with Yale Real Living locks. The CES demonstration, which will take place inside the Verizon booth (Booth #30259), will illustrate how a mobile key can be issued over the air to an NFC-enabled smartphone on the Verizon network and then used to open an NFC-enabled Yale Real Living lock.

"HID Global and Verizon Wireless have been working closely to extend the value of NFC technology so that smartphones can also carry mobile keys for opening doors," said Daniel Bailin, director of program management with HID Global. "Now, with our sister company, Yale Locks & Hardware, we are again collaborating with Verizon Wireless to demonstrate the improved security and convenience of this concept in residential applications."

Yale said that it expects to be the first U.S. brand to be able to offer residential locks that can be unlocked using NFC-enabled phones.

"From a residential perspective, the mobile phone is ubiquitous," said Jason Williams, general manager of Yale Residential. "We use it to make reservations, schedule our day, everything. By incorporating NFC technology into our Yale Real Living locks, we've extended the functionality of the mobile phone even further. What's more, we've created a highly secure product that capitalizes on Assa Abloy technology that is being extremely well received in other end-user markets. "