LIGHTS. CAMERA. IGNITION. (THE 1ST ANNUAL AUTOMOTIVE KEY AWARDS)
Posted by Ryan Barbin, AKS on Oct 20th 2026
Every year, Hollywood gathers to celebrate the greatest actors, directors, and films.
Tonight… We would like to recognize a different kind of star. These ones do not give acceptance speeches, so this should be less excruciating to watch and you won’t have to worry about any unexpected political rants or Will Smith slapping anyone.
Tonight’s stars are much more humble, spending most of their lives bouncing around in cup holders, being dropped in parking lots, or ultimately lost and replaced with the help of a few good locksmiths.
Ladies and Gentlemen… Welcome to the 1st Annual Automotive Key Awards!
Best Special Effects — BMW Display Key (2016)
When BMW introduced the Display Key for the 2016 7 Series, it completely pushed the limits of what a car key could be. Instead of a simple plastic fob with lock and unlock buttons, BMW created a key that looked and operated more like a smartphone.
With a full-color touchscreen display, the remote allowed drivers to monitor their fuel level, drive range, whether their doors and windows were closed, service reminders, and battery percentage. It even had remote control parking, allowing users to stand outside the vehicle and use the key to guide the car into tight parking spaces.
The BMW Display Key was the first key fob to function as a true information hub for the vehicle, rather than simply a remote. It was futuristic, functional, and fabulous.
There were, however, a few drawbacks. The key was bulky, expensive, and had to be charged to work. With the growth, availability, and affordability of smartphones, many of this cool key’s primary functions became available via a phone app, making it essentially obsolete, but not before leaving its mark and ushering in a new era of technologically advanced keys.
Best Costume Design — Aston Martin Crystal ECU (2009)
Aston Martin has always made selling emotion as much as performance a large part of their brand. When the company introduced its crystal Emotion Control Unit (ECU), it transformed the act of starting a vehicle into a ceremony.
Instead of twisting a key or pressing a plastic button, owners inserted a beautifully crafted crystal fob into the center console. As it clicked into place, the dashboard illuminated, gauges swept across the display, and the engine roared to life. The crystal was engraved with the Aston Martin wings and looked more like a luxury paperweight than a key, or perhaps something out of Land of the Lost.
Not only was it beautiful, but it was intentional. Aston Martin wanted every interaction with the vehicle to feel special, even before the wheels started spinning. Essentially matching the car and its key to the luxury and emotion of the brand itself.
Ironically, the crystal key became almost as famous for its fragility as its beauty. Dropping one could be a costly mistake, as replacements were quite expensive. But, such is the risk of choosing luxury over affordability and to be expected when purchasing a car and a key straight out of a James Bond film.
Best Action Sequence — Bugatti Veyron Top Speed Key (2005)
In the hip hop world, one often establishes their value by having two of something, most people only have one of…
“I got 2 phones…” —Kevin Gates
“2 chains!” —2 Chainz
“Double Cup” —Lil Wayne
…and the list goes on to include two Lamborghinis, two Maybachs, two private jets, two homes, two passports. Even DJ Khaled’s famous line, “Another one” tells the same underlying story that having one more of something is a flex.
Most cars come with a single key, but the Bugatti Veyron was a rapper’s dream—it came with two.
The standard key unlocked and started the car, but hidden inside the cabin was a special slot designed for a separate Top Speed Key. Inserting it didn’t simply unlock doors, it initiated a complete systems check. Tire pressures, ride height, suspension, and aerodynamic settings all had to meet Bugatti’s exact standards before the car would permit access to its highest performance mode.
Once all checks cleared, the suspension lowered, the rear wing adjusted, and the electronic limiter powered off. Suddenly, a car that already felt impossibly fast became capable of exceeding speeds of 250 miles per hour.
This key didn’t just unlock doors, it unlocked performance. It didn't just start the engine... it unleashed everything the engine was capable of.
Best Performance — Pagani Huayra Key (2012)
Horacio Pagani is obsessed with detail, and his obsession didn’t stop at carbon fiber and leather. It extended all the way to the key.
The Huayra’s aluminum key was sculpted to resemble a miniature Pagani, complete with flowing body lines inspired by the actual hypercar. Hidden inside was a USB flash drive that owners could use for music and data storage, making it one of the most unusual combinations of both luxury and practicality ever placed on a key ring.
Most vehicle manufacturers treat the key as an accessory. Pagani treated it as another work of automotive art. Many owners display the key almost as proudly as the vehicle itself. Part key. Part sculpture. Part collectible. Part media hub. This key wrote, directed, and starred in its own award-winning film.
Best Production Design — Koenigsegg Shield Key (2006)
Unlike manufacturers who covered their keys in chrome or crystal, Koenigsegg chose elegance through simplicity.
The Swedish hypercar company’s key is shaped like its iconic shield logo—the family crest of founder Christian von Koenigsegg. Made from sterling silver, it feels more like a medieval signet than a key fob. Its weight and craftsmanship reflect the same philosophy as the cars themselves: precision over excess. Understated, but unmistakably Koenigsegg. Branding, values, status, and style—what better way to start your engines.
The Humanitarian Award — Volvo Care Key (2020)
Every year, a very special award is presented, not for what is done in film—but what is done behind the scenes. Awarded to those who go above and beyond, that give back, that are stars both on screen and off.
Almost every automaker advertises speed. Volvo did the opposite.
Introduced as part of Volvo’s commitment to safety, the bright orange Care Key allows owners to set a maximum speed limit before handing the car to someone else. Parents can lend the family car to a teenage driver, knowing the car simply won’t exceed the programmed speed. Effectively preventing accidents and saving lives.
It also proves useful when lending your vehicle to a valet or friend, allowing owners to limit how fast the vehicle can be driven while it's out of their hands.
Rather than encouraging fast driving, the Care Key encourages safe driving. Care for the car, care for the owner, and care for whomever is inside the vehicle. A rare and respectable philosophy within the automotive world, and an insurance claims agent’s dream. The unmistakable winner of this years Humanitarian Award.
Best Supporting Actor — Porsche Color-Matched Key (2010)
Porsche understood something many luxury brands overlooked.
If customers are willing to spend six figures choosing the perfect paint color, why hand them a generic black plastic key? Customization is a goldmine that people love to take every advantage of, even in the tiniest of details.
Many Porsche owners can order factory-painted key shells finished in the exact body color of their vehicle, down to the smallest details. Reinforcing the sense that every part of the ownership experience has been carefully considered.
For enthusiasts, it’s another expression of individuality. The car and the key are a matching pair—one big, one small, like Dr. Evil and his Mini-Me.
Best Plot Twist — Tesla Phone Key (with Key Card) (2021)
Tesla asked a question that few manufacturers had seriously considered…
“Do we really need a key at all?”
Most modern Teslas use a smartphone as the primary key. As the driver approaches, the car unlocks automatically using Bluetooth, and it locks again when they walk away. As a backup, Tesla provides a slim NFC key card that can be kept in a wallet, similar to a hotel key card.
It’s an elegant system that eliminates the need for a traditional key fob entirely. Though there are some downsides to how well the thin card key holds up with wear, especially for those who carry their wallets in their back pockets. As well as for those who love their sparkly keychains.
Whether people love it or hate it, it’s hard to deny that Tesla accelerated the industry’s move toward digital access and challenged the very idea of what a car key should be… or shouldn’t be. Tesla didn’t redesign the key. Tesla questioned whether keys should exist at all.
In Memoriam
The Square GM Key — Years Active: 1969—2006 (Depending on model)
For decades, if someone handed you a General Motors key, there was a good chance it was the iconic square-headed key.
Simple and reliable. No batteries. No buttons.
Just a brass key cut on one side that started millions of Chevrolets, Buicks, Oldsmobiles, Pontiacs, GMC trucks, and Cadillacs. It wasn’t flashy and up until the late 90s, it had no transponder technology.
Cause of Retirement: Replaced by remote-head keys and proximity fobs.
Chrysler Pentastar Key — Years Active: 1980s—Early 2000s
Before Chrysler embraced remote fobs and flip keys, nearly every Dodge, Jeep, Plymouth, and Chrysler product carried a key wearing a Pentastar logo.
If you were a locksmith in the 90s, you probably cut hundreds…maybe thousands of them. They represented a time when logos were simply stamped into molded plastic, before LCD screens and illuminated push buttons. If you encounter one today, it usually means that vehicle was well taken care of and still running after 300,000 miles.
Cause of Retirement: Electronic immobilizers, integrated remotes, and modern branding.
Ford Oval Head Key — Years Active: 1980s—Mid 2000s
Long before Ford’s Intelligent Access systems and smart keys, there was the unmistakable blue oval.
Every Ranger, Crown Victoria, Taurus and F-150 utilized it, making it one of the most recognizable keys in America. When Ford introduced the PATS (Passive Anti-Theft System) in the mid 90s, the key got an upgrade with a glass transponder chip hidden inside—quietly revolutionizing vehicle security.
Cause of Retirement: Smart keys and proximity systems.
The Humble Metal Key Blank — Years Active: 1900—Present (but rare)
No button, batteries, or programming. No pairing procedures—just steel or brass, cut and ready to go.
For nearly a century, this was all you needed. You put it in the ignition, turn, and go.
Today, an unchipped mechanical ignition key is a rare sight, but they aren’t completely gone. Many commercial vehicles, older cars, and emergency keys still rely on simple metal blades.
Cause of Retirement: Technology.
Closing Remarks
Every great automotive story begins the same way...
Someone reaches into their pocket...
...and hopes they grabbed the right key.
On behalf of everyone here at the American Key Supply Academy of Automotive Keys, we’d like to thank our nominees, our presenters, and the millions of keys that faithfully spend their lives rattling around on keychains, falling between seat cushions, surviving washing machines, and somehow always disappearing five minutes before you’re late for work.
Congratulations to tonight’s winners.
We’ll see you next year... assuming Tesla doesn’t eliminate keys entirely.
(Cut to Taylor Swift)
