volvo is to become the first car maker to sell models without keys.

The car maker hopes the technology will give customers greater flexibility and make the hiring and sharing of vehicles easier

From next year, buyers will be able to download an app to their mobile phone which replaces a physical key with a digital one.

In a ground-breaking move for the car industry, Volvo says its innovative Bluetooth-enabled digital key technology will offer customers more flexibility when using and sharing cars.

The new Volvo app enables the digital key on a customer’s mobile phone to do everything a physical key currently does, such as locking or unlocking the doors or the boot and allowing the engine to be started.

It will also offer customers the possibility of getting more than one digital key on their app, allowing them to access different Volvo cars in different locations, according to changing needs.

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Using the app, people could potentially book and pay for a rental car anywhere in the world and have the digital car key delivered to their phone immediately.

On arrival, a customer could simply locate the rental car via GPS, unlock it and drive away, avoiding those frustrating queues at airport or train station car rental desks.

Owners will also be able to send their digital key to other people via their mobile phones so they can also use the car. This may be to family members, friends or work colleagues.

Volvo’s Product Strategy Vice President Henrik Green, said: “At Volvo, we are not interested in technology for the sake of technology. New technology has to make our customers’ lives easier and save them time.

“Mobility needs are evolving and so are our customers’ expectation to access cars in an uncomplicated way.

“Our innovative digital key technology has the potential to completely change how a car can be accessed and shared. Instead of sitting idle in a parking lot the entire day, cars could be used more often and efficiently by whoever the owner wishes.”

Volvo will pilot the technology later in the year via its car-sharing firm Sunfleet, stationed at Gothenburg airport, Sweden. A limited number of commercially available cars will be equipped with the new digital key technology in 2017.

While some modern cars can be opened and started remotely, they still need the owner to have a key with them.

This new step by Volvo takes key-less technology to the next level.

Volvo is a pioneer with new digital key solutions. In 2015, it launched the world’s first commercial offer to have online shopping delivered directly to the car by providing a one-time digital key to a delivery company.

Now the digital key technology will also be made available for customers.

It said that under the new system physical keys will still be offered to drivers who want them.

The keyless car technology will be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week.