New York Discovers Keyless Entry Systems
By MICHELLE HIGGINS

In the next few months, residents at a handful of buildings in the city will be able to walk up to their apartment doors and go inside without fumbling for keys. And if the dog walker or cleaning service comes by while they are out, residents can use an app to let them in remotely. Ditto for deliveries.

Keyless entry systems are starting to make their way to your apartment door. While smart locks have been available to individual homeowners for a few years, developers and property management companies have been hesitant to lose the key, citing the cost of upgrading hundreds of locks and the risk of losing money if the technology goes the way of Betamax.

Now that’s starting to change.

Latch, a new keyless entry system from a two-year-old start-up with the same name, is being introduced at a range of properties, from a four-unit East Village walk-up to a 431-unit luxury doorman rental in Chelsea, managed by real estate firms that have invested in the technology, like Corigin and Pan Am Equities. KISI, another keyless entry provider that has made strides in offices, is also turning its attention toward residences, with plans to roll out the system at a new 570-unit development on Staten Island in March.

For residents, especially those who make heavy use of on-demand deliveries, the pitch is control and convenience. Instead of doling out keys to your pet-sitter, contractor or houseguests, you can issue a virtual key. Instead of worrying about extra keys floating around that you lent out but never got back, you can simply disable access.

Landlords and property management companies can track the comings and goings of workers, guests and deliveries. If a tenant moves out, or doesn’t pay his rent, “keys” can be turned off. Access to health clubs, children’s lounges, pools and bike rooms can also be easily added or subtracted.

Designed by Thomas Meyerhoffer, a Swedish-born designer whose early career includes tenure at Apple, Latch is a contemporary take on the classic mortise lock. Perched above the traditional keyhole, a discreet camera sits behind a circular touch screen. Like an unblinking eye, it records who is at the door, so residents can determine whom to let in. Bluetooth technology allows Latch to communicate with your phone.

Once you register and download the app, there are a number of ways to open a door. You can use the app on your smartphone, input a key code on the circular touch pad on the door, or use an old-fashioned key. “We realize that not everyone will want to use it digitally,” said Luke Schoenfelder, the chief executive of Latch. The app can also be configured so that the door unlocks automatically upon sensing the phone in your pocket.

Access via key codes can be issued permanently, temporarily for deliveries or on a set schedule, as for a dog-walker. The system creates a record of every entry so you — and your landlord — can see who has been there and for how long.

Because your custom passcode always lets you in, you won’t get locked out if you leave your phone in a cab. You can also deactivate the code by logging into your account, if your phone is lost or stolen.

KISI, a cloud-based control system, is designed for buildings with doors that are electronically wired. Once it is installed, tenants can download the app to turn their smartphones into their keys. Depending on how the system is configured, tenants either tap a button on the app to enter the building or touch their phone to a reader as they would at an office turnstile. One drawback: Because your phone is now your key, you’ll need to find a workaround if your battery dies before you get home.

For now, most residential buildings working with KISI use the system for front doors, side doors and shared areas like the gym or parking garage. Over the last two years, the Ironstate Development Company, which owns and manages apartments in New Jersey, installed KISI on all but the individual apartment doors at the Shipyard, a 1,020-unit complex in Hoboken, N.J., allowing tenants to use smartphones to access amenity spaces and the garage.

紐約智慧門鎖 遙控開門

紐約一些建築物的住戶很快就不必再翻包包找鑰匙，就能進公寓大門。他們不在家時，也能用軟體遙控，讓遛狗的人或送貨員進門。

「紐約時報」1日報導，雖然個別屋主幾年前就開始使用智慧門鎖，可是房地產開發商和管理公司不敢率然捨棄鑰匙，因為要更換數以百計門鎖很花錢，而且如果這種科技很快就被淘汰，錢可能白花。

現在情況開始改變。兩年前成立的Latch公司提供的免鑰匙進門系統，正獲得紐約一些集合式住宅採用，從東村一棟四單位無電梯公寓，一直到雀兒喜地段共有431戶的豪華出租公寓。

提供類似系統的KISI公司打進辦公大樓後，也開始向住宅市場進軍，今年3月將在史泰登島一個共有570戶的新社區安裝系統。

業者宣稱，對於住戶，尤其是經常使用送貨服務的人，這種系統既能控制門戶又便利。他們不必把鑰匙交給保母或訪客，擔心這些鑰匙流落在外，只要遙控開門即可。

房東和管理公司能夠藉此追蹤工人、訪客和送貨員的進出，如有房客搬走或欠租，隨時可以取消其「鑰匙」。

Latch系統在傳統鑰匙孔上有個圓形觸控螢幕，後面隱藏著攝影機，能夠顯示誰在門口，以決定是否開門。

這種系統採用藍芽科技，住戶只要登記和下載軟體，就能用幾種方式開門，包括使用智慧手機上的軟體、在觸控螢幕上輸入門鎖密碼，或使用舊式鑰匙。他們也能利用軟體設定，讓門鎖感應口袋裡的手機並自動開門。

由於用密碼隨時可以進門，即使手機不在身上也不會被鎖在門外。如手機遺失，可登入帳戶取消密碼的效用。

KISI則採用雲端控制系統，智慧手機只要下載軟體就能變成鑰匙。根據系統設定方式，在軟體上敲個鍵，或是用手機碰一下掃描器，就能進門，但如手機遺失或沒電，可能吃閉門羹。

原文參照：
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/03/realestate/new-york-discovers-keyless-entry-systems.html

2016-01-02．聯合晚報．A4．國際．國際新聞組