Motorists will have 24-hour access to the information needed to replace lost or stolen high-tech electronic vehicle keys under a bill sponsored by the Automobile Club of Southern California. 

Assembly Bill 714 sponsored by Assembly Member Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) will have its first committee hearing after the Legislature begins its new session this month. The legislation will require the establishment of a safe, secure method for motorists to obtain electronic code information necessary to reproduce many of today's high-tech vehicle keys.

"These high-tech 'smart keys' contain a computer chip that is recognized by the vehicle's ignition and lock system, providing improved security against car theft," said Ridley-Thomas. "However, motorists who lose these keys or have them stolen often face delays, inconvenience and added expense in replacing them."

Currently, many vehicle owners seeking replacement keys are forced to use a facility of the manufacturer's choosing, not the motorist's, leading to less competition and potentially higher costs of repair. These facilities may not be open on nights or weekends, causing a delay in obtaining a replacement. Sometimes, consumers have to wait days to obtain a replacement key.

Electronic keys recently became standard equipment on most automobiles sold in Europe after studies revealed that they caused a 90 percent drop in auto theft. U.S. car manufacturers are quickly and increasingly adopting the technology as well, particularly for mid-range and luxury vehicles.

"The Auto Club believes that when a motorist buys a vehicle, he or she also buys everything needed to operate it, including all the information necessary to make a replacement key," said Alice Bisno, the Auto Club's vice president for legislative affairs. "Every auto manufacturer should provide vehicle owners with a secure way to obtain this information whenever owners need to obtain a replacement key.

"Greater vehicle security is an asset for consumers, but security improvement should not come at the expense of placing motorists in an unsafe situation or forcing them to pay unnecessarily high prices to obtain replacement keys," Bisno said.