Door Industry Journal - Spring 2021

Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 124 THE door industry journal spring 2021 Locks & Building Hardware The Future of Smart Locks No one knows more about traditional lock and key technology than home security experts, Yale. After over 180 years, Yale is one of the most recognised security manufacturers in the world and has been at the forefront of advancements in the market every step of the way. In 2015, Yale released its first smart lock, the Keyless Connected, which was shortly followed by the Keyfree and then the launch of the Conexis L1; the first ever smart lock to achieve the BSI Kitemark standard TS621:2018. More recently, Yale announced the launch of the Linus Smart Lock, which has already been named in top smart home devices lists and been awarded for its sleek design at the Red Dot Awards 2020. In the six years since Yale launched its first smart lock, the market continues to grow significantly. In 2019, the global smart lock market size was valued at USD 1.2 billion, with more than 7million units sold, and is expected to register a CAGR of 18.5% from 2020 to 2027.1 There is a growing trend towards the Internet of Things (IoT), and as consumer awareness around the benefits of smart security solutions increases, the security market can expect to see the demand for smart locks rise and manufacturers, such as Yale, continue to develop innovative solutions. Here’s a look at some of the benefits of Smart Locks and why they are indeed the wave of the future. How Secure are Smart Locks The British Standard Kitemark for Smart Locks was developed in 2018, and smart locks that carry it, such as the Yale Conexis L1, underwent rigorous testing including quality and durability tests as well as physical attack testing. They are also required to undergo electronic manipulation and assessments designed to test the electronic security of the lock to ensure it is secure against advanced hacking methods. The Conexis L1 doesn’t require a cylinder, instead an actuator connects the outside mechanism to the inside thumb-turn handle, thwarting any attempts to pick, drill, snap or bump the lock. Encryption is built into the locks making it extremely difficult to hack into a smart device to gain access, and the authentication features on both the lock and the app makes it difficult for anyone to enter the property without the user granting entry. Another added benefit of smart locks is that access is granted via the owner of the lock and is controlled via an app, such as the Conexis L1. Here, keys can be granted, withdrawn and scheduled, allowing them full control over who has access to their home. Remote Access One of the most convenient benefits of a smart lock is being able to grant access to individuals remotely via an app. As consumers buying patterns shift to online shopping, this can be particularly useful for granting temporary access to delivery people. In 2019, Yale trialled the ‘While your Away’ service in conjunction with Waitrose. Using Yale smart lock technology, Waitrose & Partners became the UK’s first supermarket to deliver groceries to customers inside the home and put them away while they are out. The Yale Keyless Lock enabled the customer to grant access to a Waitrose delivery driver by setting a temporary access code for the lock, which was then sent to Waitrose via a secure app. The code is then sent to the driver’s device at the time the customer has booked the delivery for and is deleted once the delivery is complete.