Pairing Cell Phones to Cars with a Wave

The same near-field communication (NFC) technology that enables iPhone 6 users to pay for goods by waving their phone near a special reader at the checkout counter could be used to pair phones to cars, Automotive News reports.

The newspaper says NXP Semiconductors NV, the Dutch chipmaker, plans to begin supplying such chips for cars in about 2016. The company also is a big supplier of wireless chips used in remote-entry key fobs.

Car-share services such as BMW's DriveNow and Daimler's car2go already equip their short-term rental vehicles with NFC chips. Customers wave their membership cards near the windshield to gain entry to their rental.

NXP Semiconductors points out that such chips also could enable car owners to use their smartphones to unlock the doors, adjust the seat, start the engine and adjust the climate control system.