Residential Users Require User-Friendly Electronic Locking Solutions

ASSA ABLOY is creating a range of keyless digital door lock and electronic locking solutions that incorporate technologies such as NFC to ensure they suit the needs of the residential market.

Although electronic products are in daily use in both homes and offices, advanced door opening solutions have yet to take hold in residential markets. Tzachi Wiesenfeld, executive vice president of ASSA ABLOY and head of the EMEA division, believes this is partly due to the fact that no company had previously made a concerted effort to sell advanced door opening solutions to the residential market.

This is no longer the case, however, as ASSA ABLOY has accepted the challenge. ASSA ABLOY not only understands the needs of the market, but also boasts considerable strength in innovation and product development.

Gyucheol Na, managing director of iRevo, part of the ASSA ABLOY Group, said the secret lies in making digital door locks as user-friendly as possible.

“Electronic locks are more commonly used for commercial applications, but a digital door lock should be easy to use and control,” he said. “This is our philosophy: we see locks as convenient consumer appliances, rather than industrial products.”

The acquisition of the South Korean iRevo company in 2007 was the main trigger for ASSA ABLOY’s launch of digital door locks for the residential market.

“South Korea is characterized by a very advanced market and South Koreans are fast movers and first adopters in many areas,” Tzachi said. “I think we carry mechanical keys because we think that we don’t have a choice. One of the advantages of digital door locks is that they bring convenience without sacrificing security – we could call it ‘convenient security.’”

Looking ahead, near-field communication (NFC) will play an important role in door opening solutions, allowing people to open doors with their smartphones.

“I think in five years we will see a huge number of people using digital door locks, with mobile phones carrying the credentials. And these people won’t bother with mechanical keys,” Tzachi said.