In a Smart City, Can Locks Stay Dumb?

A Lock. A dumb (yet cleverly designed) piece of metal that we use every day to keep unwanted persons out and ourselves safe. It protects our premises and loved ones even we're away from them.

This is the conventional meaning of a lock, but can smart cities and digital world work with conventional solutions?

A simple answer is no. As the world gets more digital and complicated, locks and locking systems need to adapt. This doesn't mean that their basic function disappears or becomes irrelevant, far from that. This means that they have to become smart. Recently the demand for smarter locks has grown enormously due to online shopping and multifunctional spaces in both residential and public buildings. Who enjoys waiting for an electrician at home for several hours while the sun is shining outside or travelling to the other side of the city just to get keys to a sauna reserved for one night? Smart locking systems will help us to use our time more efficiently and pleasantly. Getting/giving mobile access to reserved spaces, remote opening of doors to maintenance workers and much more is at our reach just now. It's just a matter of taking a step into the world of smart locks. In addition to easing up our lives, smart locks provide more peace of mind and safety. Who has never turned back home to recheck if the door is really locked? I know I have. Constant checking if the keys are still in the pocket is built in our behaviour. With smart locks, peace of mind is as close as our mobile phone. Online app can monitor locks and allow remote control and realtime status checks. For property owners smart locking will provide data of property usage and make the building more attractive for tenants or customers. Short-term leasing of different spaces becomes easier with less effort.