Smart phones key to the future?
![](https://www.bodyshopmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/130916-smart-phone.jpg)
New research has found that three quarters of car buyers intend to use their phone as a digital key.
According to a survey of more than 1,300 people carried out by Assurant, 75% of respondents would be happy to use their phones to lock and unlock their vehicles.
Among the 18-34 age bracket, 88% would consider using a digital key for their new car, while the same applies to 80% of the 35-54 bracket and 61% for those over 55.
However, there are obstacles, with more than half (53%) of respondents have either damaged, lost, or had their mobile phone stolen, while one in eight respondents don’t know where to get their phone fixed or replaced. The top three concerns for people interested in digital keys are the mobile phone being damaged, lost, or stolen, with around 40% of people feeling most concerned for one of these reasons.
Meanwhile, 90% of respondents interested in using their smartphone as a smart key would seriously consider buying mobile phone insurance, with 41% of those aged 18-34 saying they would buy mobile phone insurance through a car dealer. Of those surveyed, 47% are not currently covered by any form of mobile phone insurance, representing a significant number of potential new customers.