In 2017, Tesla Model 3 canceled the physical key, and used NFC card key and mobile phone Bluetooth key to achieve a breakthrough in opening and closing the car door without touching, allowing the world to taste the convenience of digital keys for the first time. In late November 2023, Yinji Technology released the ICS series of intelligent connection systems, announcing that it was the first to realize the integrated mass production of software and hardware for digital keys, thereby promoting the completion of the initial closed loop of the intelligent networked vehicle ecosystem with digital key connection as the core.
With a keen judgment on the trend of automotive networking and the advance layout of the digital key product ecology, Yinji Technology has become a technology enterprise focusing on the intelligent network ecology of automobiles, and is a new tier1 in the era of intelligent vehicles. In an interview with Auto Watch, Shan Hongyin, co-founder and CEO of Yinji Technology, said.
Create a full-stack solution for digital keys
The so-called digital key refers to the use of smart phones, smart watches and other networked devices as carriers, so as to realize the opening and closing of car doors, remote operation, multi-person sharing, human-vehicle interaction and other functions. It sounds simple, but in Shan Hongyin's view, a complete digital key system should not only cover the mobile phone and vehicle communication hardware modules, but also include the cloud software management platform.
Based on this development concept, Yinji Technology's ICS series products of intelligent connection system have broken out of the shell, taking the lead in realizing the integrated mass production of software and hardware of digital keys in the world, and creating a full-stack technical solution for digital keys.
The ICS series products of Yinji intelligent connection system include ecological connection platform (DK HUB), software and hardware integration system (DK system), tool kit (DK toolkit), etc., which can connect to the cloud, vehicle end, and intelligent terminals, and has three advantages: software and hardware integration, full-stack solutions and back-end ecology. While providing all-round enabling services for OEMs and industry ecosystem partners, it can also greatly reduce the complexity of system docking between OEMs, equipment manufacturers, and standards organizations, as well as the cost investment of all parties in R&D, testing, operation and maintenance, and continuous iteration, so as to accelerate the onboarding of digital keys.
Here's an example. In the past, mobile phone equipment was docked according to industry agreements, which required "one device and one docking", and the development situation was very complicatedNow, through the ecological connection platform as a "super middle platform", it can achieve undifferentiated and efficient docking, which greatly improves the output ratio of large-scale hardware investment of OEMs. The integrated software and hardware system not only improves the sense of technology and intelligence of the model, but also meets the diversified needs of the market in a more cost-effective way, thereby helping the industry accelerate the market penetration of digital keys and service ecology. The tool kit is a management tool that covers pre-sale, in-sale and after-sale to effectively improve the safety, reliability, stability and operational efficiency of digital key loading on the car. This product portfolio not only brings more penetration capabilities for travel application scenarios to OEMs, but also brings a nearly consistent user experience for users of different vehicle models.
According to Shan Hongyin, the ICS series of Yinji intelligent connection systems have been successfully applied on the VOYAH Dreamer. Of course, Yinji Technology is not the only OEM partner. Relevant data show that since the end of 2017 at the TCC ecosystem conference for the first time put forward the concept of digital key, the self-developed digital key products of Yinji Technology have exceeded 200 models, ranking first in the industry, and also with Toyota, Volkswagen, GAC, Great Wall, Lexus, General Motors, Ford and other more than 50 domestic and foreign OEMs have reached cooperation.
Aim to be the connector of the industry ecology
According to the "2023 China Automotive Digital Key Research Report" released by Zosi Automotive Research Institute, the number of digital keys assembled in China's passenger cars in 2022 will reach 45730,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 938% and the assembly rate is 230%, an increase of 114 percentage points. Digital keys are like a rising star, opening up more imagination space for the smart car market.
What is the market potential of digital keys?Shan Hongyin predicts that by 2025, the new car assembly rate of digital keys in the domestic auto market will exceed 60%. In contrast, because the pace of intelligent development is not as compact as in China, it will be one to two years later for foreign markets to achieve this goal. From the perspective of the global automobile market, from 2026 to 2027, the new car assembly rate of digital keys will probably reach 60%-70%, and by that time, the corresponding data in China should have reached 80%. As far as Yinji Technology itself is concerned, according to the plan, its market share will reach 25% in 2025, occupying the leading position in the industry.
While achieving its own goals, Yinji Technology is also interested in contributing to the growth of the industry ecology. "Just like the Panama Canal connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, we also hope to be a connector of the industry ecology and a catalyst for the development and growth of the digital key industry together with our ecological partners. Shan Hongyin said.
As one of the earliest participants in the formulation of digital key industry standards, Yinji Technology has participated in 7 domestic and foreign digital key-related standard organizations such as CCC and ICCE, and has witnessed the technological changes of domestic digital key products along the way, and has achieved fruitful results. For example, it has become the first enterprise in China with the ability to produce digital keys nationwide, launched the first fully automated calibration platform for the digital key industry, obtained the industry's first digital key security certification, created the first digital key data production center with the Shanghai Branch of the National Internet Emergency Response Center, and launched the world's first digital key applet product and the industry's first digital key cloud service with Tencent Smart Travel.
Based on the unique understanding of "intelligent connection", Yinji is committed to building an automotive intelligent travel service ecosystem based on safety and intelligent connection, and promoting the implementation of more new travel service ecosystems.
At present, Yinji has joined hands with partners such as Tencent Smart Mobility, FAW Toyota, and Lexus to successively promote the implementation of innovative cooperation projects such as test rides and test drives, one-click valet service, and 'My Car Keys' WeChat mini-program. Shan Hongyin introduced, "Among them, the one-click valet service has covered more than 150 cities and more than 100 travel service providers, and the 'My Car Key' applet has realized the functional coverage of the front-installed and rear-installed digital keys." ”
In the future, Yinji will further expand the connection between digital keys and more smart devices around the car, such as smart watches, smart charging piles, smart parking piles, and smart ground locks, as well as the linkage with smart cockpits, so as to activate more personalized passenger experienceAt the same time, we will actively test new services such as fleet management, third-party valet service, and contactless car experience, and accelerate the exploration of innovative models and landing opportunities for travel ecological services.
Put the user experience first
With the rapid development of intelligent technology, users' acceptance of intelligent technology is rising. However, in the actual use process, the technology that looks cool and dazzling in the eyes of the main engine factory or the first manufacturer may not be comfortable to experience. Although 80% of Yinji Technology's products are in the pre-installation market, and the main customers are OEMs, the actual users of the terminals are still users. In view of the use preferences of end users, what homework has Yinji Technology done?
Faced with the question of "Car Observation", Shan Hongyin said: "All scenarios are for users, and making digital keys is to do user experience. ”
In the value stance of Yinji Technology, user experience is always put first. Shan Hongyin himself was the 'first person to eat crabs' (the first to throw away the physical key). In order to experience the product from the user's perspective and test the reliability of the technology, Shan Hongyin has to provide a usage report for the team every day.
Shan Hongyin is not alone, a considerable part of the R&D team of Yinji Technology comes from the Internet, and the genes brought from the Internet industry make them better at designing products from the perspective of users. For example, when designing the key switch, the R&D team found that OEMs usually use prompts such as "unlock" and "lock", but in fact, not all users can understand what these two words mean. In the process of user use, pressing the door when getting on the car is to open the door, and pressing it when getting off the car is to close the door, which is not as complicated as the OEM thinks. To this end, Yinji Technology took the lead in making changes, and it was not until two or three years later that the OEMs kept up with the rhythm and kept in line.
In the polishing of Yinji Technology's boutique digital key brand - Chengfun, it also attaches great importance to user experience. In terms of fun, users can customize a variety of mascots such as puppies, iron man, and kung fu pandas to make the interaction more interesting. Under the personalized attempt represented by this, the monthly activity rate of Chengqu has reached 95%, and the user renewal rate has reached 30%.
In the era of smart cars, how to protect data and privacy has become another difficult problem that affects user experience. According to Shan Hongyin, Yinji Technology started from the field of security and has rich experience in operational security, financial security, intelligent manufacturing security, Internet of Things security and other aspects. When the first digital key project was implemented in 2019, Yinji Technology had embedded a set of security chips into the car machine system, which can be imagined as having a corresponding security encryption system in the cloud car and mobile phone, which is enough to ensure the security of user data.
In addition, at the beginning of product design, Yinji Technology has fully considered the clear requirements of relevant national policy provisions such as the "Cybersecurity Law", "Data Security Law", "Personal Information Protection Regulations" on automotive data, and took it as the bottom line requirement, and Yinji Technology's digital key products have become the first product in the industry to pass the security certification of the three institutes of the Ministry of Public Security. At the same time, Yinji Technology has also reached close cooperation with the Shanghai Branch of the National Internet Emergency Response Center, and has been controlled and guaranteed in cross-border data transportation.
Security is the most important cornerstone of digital keys, and Yinji Technology has natural advantages in protecting the security of user data. Shan Hongyin emphasized.