No More Keys – Infrared SmartKey on All New Mercedes-Benz

Walk up to your locked car, pull the door handle, and the door unlocks even though your key is still in your pocket or purse. Hit the “Start” button and off you go. No longer science fiction, it’s a real-world option on many Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

Low-power radio transceivers in the doors sense the presence of the SmartKey (Keyless-Go version) and the doors unlock when a button on the door handle is touched. With or without Keyless Go, all Mercedes-Benz vehicles come with a standard SmartKey, which is a fully electronic key that’s integrated into the remote locking unit. One end of the remote unit fits in the “key” slot. With this technology it is nearly impossible to unlock the steering column or start the engine without the owner’s remote unit.

SmartKey uses a dual-mode remote system; radio- and infrared-frequency. The unlock button can operate the driver’s door only, all of the doors, the trunk and/or the gas filler door. Another “cool” feature is the “summer opening” feature that lowers all windows and opens the sunroof to clear hot air trapped inside your car.