Transponder Technology is Rather Interesting

Here at Redlands Lock & Key, we talk a lot about our transponder key services. Transponder keys have literally changed the way that vehicles are operated and, as such, we thought we should take some time to delve into a bit of the technical aspects that make transponder technology possible. You see, we feel that in order to work with a technology, you should probably have at least a basic understanding of how that technology operates. For us, it isn’t enough to know that vehicles have transponder keys that communicate with the vehicle. We want to understand how the vehicle talks to the transponder key and why transponders were chosen over other forms of near-field communication. If you’re as interested in transponder technology as we are, continue reading below.

There’s More to a Transponder Key Than Meets the Eye

To understand transponder keys, you must first understand RFID technology. RFID, or Radio Frequency Identification Tag, are tiny, pill-shaped devices can be thought of like a barcode. They are loaded with a unique set of data that gets applies to whatever they are embedded in. RFID’s can be as small as a grain of sand and typically do not come with an internal battery. To break it down even further, RFID technology has two major components:

• Reader: The reader contains two parts, the transceiver and an antenna. The transceiver is responsible for generating a weak radio signal that has a range of a few feet to a few yards. The reader is responsible for waking the tag.

• Tag: The tag is what holds the transponder. When the transponder gets hit by radio waves produced by the transceiver, little coils within it start to produce power. When this power is produced, the tag starts sending out the information that it contains. Once the information has been transferred, the transponder once again goes to sleep.

In a nutshell, when you put your transponder key into your vehicle’s ignition, it picks up radio signals sent out by your vehicle, uses those signals to generate power, sends the information contained in the transponder back to your vehicle, which then allows your vehicle to start. All of this happens in just a few milliseconds but is a vital part of getting your vehicle to start.

Why Was RFID Chosen As the Preferred Method?

In today’s world, it might seem a little odd to choose RFID tags as the preferred method of key technology. After all, we have Bluetooth, wifi, and a multitude of other near field communication options available. So why stick with transponder keys at all? The answer is actually quite simple. How many times do you think you will start your vehicle over the course of you owning it? A few thousand times? Tens of thousands of times? Because of how often transponder keys are utilized, engineers had to come up with a technology that was not only durable but could also last for a very long time. RFID technology does not need an internal power source. This means that drivers do not have to worry about their transponder keys not having enough energy to communicate with their car. While Bluetooth and wifi may offer more security options, they would require an internal battery source. Imagine if your car key was just another device that you had to remember to charge.
We hope that this blog has given you a little more information on how transponder keys work and why RFID technology was chosen over other near field communication technologies. If you are experiencing issues with your transponder key, or need to have a transponder key replaced, contact the experts at Redlands Lock & Key. We have proudly served the Redlands area for years and will make sure that your replacement transponder key is properly cut and paired to your vehicle.