Two years ago, in February 2017, Apple filed a patent application demonstrating vehicular unlock by mobile biometric authentication, which was published on February 8. This patent, entitled ‘System and Method for Vehicle Authorization,’ focuses on how mobile biometric authentication, possibly Face ID, can provide better security to cars.
Vehicles may be accessed and operated using a key or key fob. Typically, the key fob may provide a remote keyless entry system that provides access to the vehicle by unlocking the doors and additional functionality such as starting the engine. However, most conventional key fobs or keyless entry systems are single factor security systems that offer only a low level of security.
Moreover, some conventional remote keyless entry systems are vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks and other security issues. For example, the vehicle is unable to identify the person carrying the key or key fob, so anyone with the key fob can operate the vehicle – The Patent
If the car can recognize specific people who can unlock it, a shared family car, in theory, could be tailored according to respective music and driver settings, just like having separate user profile settings on a computer.
This prospect of face recognition or even fingerprint recognition might certainly be exciting, but in case of a faulty mechanism or poor cell service, things might just become a huge hassle.
