CCC, FiRa Consortium Partner on UWB Technology Used in the CCC Digital Key

The Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) and the FiRa Consortium are have announced the formation of the Joint Ultra-wideband (UWB) MAC PHY Working Group (JUMPWG) to jointly develop and maintain the UWB technology specifications used in the CCC Digital Key and will be led by Chair Jinjing Jiang from member company Apple.

The CCC brings automotive and consumer technology industries together to develop industry standards for solutions to address the future of vehicle-to-smart device connectivity. FiRa is dedicated to transforming how we interact with our environment by enabling precise location awareness for people and devices.

“This collaboration between the two consortia is critical for maturing UWB in the CCC Digital Key,” says CCC President Alysia Johnson. “As the underlying IEEE 802.15.4 standards evolve, this new working group will ensure long-term interoperability and scalability of the advanced UWB technology developed for the CCC Digital Key, encouraging broader adoption of UWB technology for secure and accurate ranging for vehicle access.”

The CCC Digital Key uses Near-field Communication technology and UWB technology combined with Bluetooth Low Energy. UWB in the CCC Digital Key uses secure distance bounding with cryptographically secured Time-of-Flight (ToF) measurements. Distance measurements between the device and multiple transceivers in vehicles are combined to accurately localize the device to the vehicle and determine whether the device is in close proximity to authorize vehicle access or drive the vehicle.

“We’re excited to collaborate to advance the development of UWB as it is the most effective available technology for delivering accurate ranging and positioning in challenging real-world environments,” says FiRa Consortium’s Board Chair Clint Chaplin. “Including UWB in the CCC Digital Key is an essential layer of technology with real-world applications, making it highly convenient for consumers to consistently access their vehicles using their smart devices.”