Keycafe has introduced the MS5 SmartBox, a sophisticated key management system tailored for the automotive industry, which is already gaining traction among businesses across the globe.
This solution is designed for teams handling from a handful to hundreds of vehicles and sets a new standard for key management, offering control and traceability for automotive operations.
MS5 SmartBox
Jason Crabb, CMO and Co-founder of Keycafe, highlighted the importance of effective key management, stating, “Every lost or misplaced key can disrupt workflow and damage customer confidence.”
The MS5 offers dealerships a secure method to manage key access, track usage, and enhance the overall experience for both staff and customers.
Security and accountability
MS5 SmartBox is equipped with a steel-reinforced enclosure and an advanced electronic locking system
The MS5 SmartBox is equipped with a steel-reinforced enclosure and an advanced electronic locking system, providing secure, tamper-resistant storage. Access is limited to authorised users through PIN codes, QR scans, or the Keycafe mobile app, with all activity being recorded in real-time on the cloud for extensive traceability.
The system features a 7-inch touchscreen, 5MP camera, and optical motion sensor, which improve usability and control, providing a visual record for verification and facilitating accurate audit trails.
Real-time management capabilities
Through the Keycafe cloud platform, managers can handle access in real time. The MS5 remains operational even during connectivity issues, thanks to its offline mode, fail-safe release, and battery backup, ensuring continuous access and operational reliability.
Purpose-built for dealerships
The MS5 system is crafted to meet the dynamic needs of automotive retail and service operations, capable of scaling to manage between 9 and 429 keys per base station.
This flexibility supports multiple dealership locations, allowing keys to transfer between departments seamlessly.
Automated features of Keycafe
Keycafe's MS5 incorporates smart, automated features to offer dealerships improved control and efficiency
Keycafe's MS5 incorporates smart, automated features to offer dealerships improved control and efficiency. Role-based permissions ensure that only the relevant teams access specific vehicles, and user access limits prevent staff from handling more keys than necessary.
Automatic return reminders aid in timely key returns, while field swaps enable direct key transfers using the app without needing to return to the SmartBox.
The integration with Zapier connects the system to various business tools, facilitating automated workflows, alerts, and data synchronisation, thereby enhancing daily dealership operations.
Wide adoption in the automotive industry
Many dealerships worldwide are adopting Keycafe’s technology to enhance process efficiency and security. Somerville Auto Group in Canada reported eliminating key loss after implementing the system.
Dean Earle, Director of National Fleet Operations, expressed satisfaction, saying, “The responsibility and savings that come with not losing your keys and knowing where they are at all times is fantastic.”
In Japan, the Nicole Competizione dealership improved management of new smart key fobs by adopting the Keycafe SmartBox, ensuring individual tracking and secure access. Akinori Sasaki noted a significant boost in operational efficiency.
Enhanced dealership operations
Traditional methods like pegboards and key hooks often fall short in dealership management, leading to increased risks and costs. Keycafe’s MS5 SmartBox provides a significant upgrade with digital tracking and full visibility over key inventories.
As automotive dealerships increasingly incorporate connected and data-driven practices, the MS5 SmartBox emerges as a practical and scalable solution. It assists dealerships in safeguarding assets, ensuring accountability, and maintaining efficient operations within a unified platform.
Keycafe, a pioneer in cloud-connected key management, continues to expand the success of its MS5 SmartBox, an advanced solution already trusted by automotive businesses worldwide.
Built for teams managing anywhere from a few to hundreds of vehicles, the MS5 has become a new benchmark for key management, control, and traceability.
MS5 SmartBox
“Every lost or misplaced key can disrupt workflow and damage customer confidence,” said Jason Crabb, CMO and Co-founder of Keycafe.
“The MS5 SmartBox gives dealerships an easy, secure way to manage key access, track usage, and build a more reliable, professional experience for both staff and customers.”
Security and accountability at the core
Constructed with a steel-reinforced enclosure and advanced electronic locking system, the MS5 SmartBox provides controlled, tamper-resistant storage for every vehicle key. Only authorised users can access keys using a PIN code, QR scan, or the Keycafe mobile app, and all activity is recorded instantly in the cloud for complete traceability.
The MS5 SmartBox includes a 7-inch touchscreen, 5MP camera, and optical motion sensor that enhance both usability and access control. Each interaction can generate a visual record, adding an extra layer of verification and supporting accurate audit trails.
Through the Keycafe cloud platform, managers can monitor and manage access in real time. Even during connectivity interruptions, the MS5 remains operational with offline mode, a fail-safe release, and battery backup, ensuring continuous access and workflow reliability.
Designed for dealership operations
The MS5 system was purpose built for the fast paced demands of automotive retail and service operations. The system can scale modularly to manage from 9 to 429 keys per MS5 base station.
The Keycafe key management system allows for multiple locations within a single dealership for keys to flow between different departments easily.
Automated features of Keycafe
Keycafe designed the MS5 to give dealerships precise control and greater efficiency through smart, automated features:
- Role-based permissions allow sales, service, and detailing teams to access only the vehicles relevant to their work.
- User access limits keep vehicles available by preventing staff from holding more keys than needed.
- Automatic return reminders alert users when a key is overdue, removing the need for manual follow-ups.
- Field swaps let staff transfer key custody directly through the app without returning to the SmartBox.
- Zapier integration connects the system to hundreds of business tools for automated workflows, alerts, and data synchronisation.
This combination of controlled hardware, cloud oversight, and automation gives dealerships an effective balance of access control and agility, improving both security and daily performance.
Proven results across the automotive industry
Dealerships around the world have already adopted Keycafe’s technology to modernise their processes and strengthen internal security.
At Somerville Auto Group, a multi-location fleet operator in Canada, the company eliminated key loss entirely after implementing the system. “The responsibility and savings that come with not losing your keys and knowing where they are at all times is fantastic,” said Dean Earle, Director of National Fleet Operations. “We couldn’t be happier”.
New smart key fobs
In Japan, Nicole Competizione, the country’s largest Ferrari facility, faced a growing challenge managing new smart key fobs that couldn’t be hung on traditional hooks. The dealership adopted Keycafe’s SmartBox to store and track keys individually with secure credential-based access.
“Operational efficiency has improved dramatically with Keycafe,” said Akinori Sasaki, who oversaw the implementation. “Each key is stored in its own compartment and available only to authorised personnel, giving us complete peace of mind”.
Smart key management
Meanwhile, Autohouse Kingston, a family-owned dealership in Canada, reduced lost keys and improved handoff speed between departments. “Since installing Keycafe, my key issues have disappeared,” said Tyler Burley, Digital Asset Manager. “It’s a simple way to keep everything secure and monitored, the best customer service of any third party I’ve dealt with at a dealership”.
These real-world results show that smart key management has become an essential part of dealership security and daily operations.
Advancing access control for dealerships
Traditional pegboards, key hooks, and manual logs have long been a weak link in dealership management. Lost or misplaced keys not only increase replacement costs but also expose businesses to risk and reduce customer confidence. Keycafe’s MS5 SmartBox delivers a clear upgrade by providing real-time digital tracking to give dealerships full visibility and control over their key inventory.
As automotive retail continues its shift toward connected and data-driven practices, the MS5 SmartBox stands out as a practical and scalable access control solution. It enables dealerships to protect assets, maintain accountability, and keep operations on track at all hours within a single, unified platform.
