Basic key entry means using keys to physically turn locks. These locks, found mostly on antique cars, operate without any electronic features like key fobs.

You’ll find basic key locks on doors, ignition, and trunks of older cars. Back in the 1920s, cars only had locks on their outside doors. Interestingly, cars in America before the 1920s didn’t have any locks at all! People who owned these early cars often had chauffeurs, making locks unnecessary.

Today, standard keys and locks are still around, but they’re usually a backup to modern electronic systems. One place you’ll still find them is in high-security locks for vans.

Electronic Locks: Modern Ways to Secure

Electronic locks have had ups and downs in popularity over the years. These locks include keypads, biometrics, touchscreens, and app-based systems. They overlap with keyless entry systems too.

Remote keyless systems first appeared in cars in the early 1980s. Keypads and other electronic locks became common in the late 1980s in the United States. Many cars then used unique technology, which was a challenge for locksmith Olympia WA. Cost was also a concern, and by the late 1990s, these systems were replaced by more standard security methods like GM’s VATS transponder key.

Recently, in the early 2020s, electronic locks have made a comeback. App-based systems, like those in Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y, offer great convenience but have drawbacks, like losing your phone or server errors. Because of these issues, many car makers now include physical keys as a backup to electronic locks.

Keyless Entry: Easy Access with Modern Keys

The most common type of car lock today is keyless entry, which blends electronic and physical keys. This includes key fobs like proximity keys, transponder keys, and those with physical keys inside, used to start the car.

Keyless entry systems with key fobs replace the need for a physical key to open doors, trunk, activate the alarm, or control windows. They can even start the car remotely. Fancy key fobs can also warm up the car and heat the seats on cold mornings.

Trunk Locks

Trunk locks are found on most new cars and can be opened with a key or remotely using a key fob. Some key fobs have a button specifically for opening the trunk, which is handy when carrying groceries, for instance.

Other Types Of Car Locks

The above mention locks are by far the most commonly used on just about all car makes and models in the USA nowadays, so most dependable automotive locksmith experts should have no difficulty working with these locks and their keys. This includes all manner of services such as emergency car unlock service, damaged key extraction, transponder key programming, and so on.