Here’s a fun project that one owner of Saab 9-5 did to his Saab car. Actually, the project is not ready yet, but it’s really interesting. As he published on Reddit, this is Prototype Render for the new Ignition switch for his 9-5 – just like this, the switch should look at the end of the project (but it does not yet have to be a final look):
An ignition switch is located on the dashboard or the steering column of the car. It serves various functions such as activating the starter and the ignition system. It also routes the current to various car accessories like the radio, music system, door control mechanisms and lighting system.
in this case, in the case of the Saab 9-5 model – the idea of the author is to replace the initial (physical) key with an appropriate switch. Hard part is already done. He designed some custom electronics in concert with off the shelf stuff to securely convert the car to no longer require a physical key.
He Just finishing up final design. Now a few Saab owners have posed logical questions here: How and why? Do you just need the key in your pocket or something now?
Standard keyless entry fob. Needs to be unlocked/disarmed before it will start. If not started within a few minutes it arms itself again.
Here’s how the author explains this idea: “Fob can stay in pocket. Next stage will be Bluetooth authorization with passive approach unlock and disarm. I’m no software guy though so that one is a bit more difficult besides the security concerns of Bluetooth LE protocols…Active RFID for newer stuff AFAIK. Very complicated security algorithms are part of the system, not easily replicated by a hobbyist such as myself.“
And that’s not all, thanks to the interest of the Saab community, this author is developing a similar solution for the Saab 9-3 model: “I started working on a design for the 9-3 as I have a 06 SC Aero as well, but it’s definitely not easy. There one or two people who have figured out the system as part of the remote start process but I’ll need to do a lot more work to get it to do the same thing.“
We have to wait to see the final solution, and whether it’s possible a similar solution for Saab 9-3.
