Keycafe, a prominent provider of cloud-connected key management, has broadened the reach of its MS5 SmartBox, an innovative tool that is gaining traction with automotive businesses globally.
Designed for teams overseeing a range of vehicles, from a few to several hundred, the MS5 is redefining standards in key management, offering increased control and traceability.
"Every lost or misplaced key can disrupt workflow and damage customer confidence," stated 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
The MS5 SmartBox features a steel-reinforced enclosure paired with an advanced electronic locking system
The MS5 SmartBox features a steel-reinforced enclosure paired with an advanced electronic locking system to ensure tamper-resistant, secure storage of vehicle keys.
Authorized users can access keys through various methods such as a PIN code, QR scan, or the Keycafe mobile app, with all activities promptly recorded in the cloud for complete traceability. The SmartBox incorporates a 7-inch touchscreen, a 5MP camera, and an optical motion sensor, which collectively enhance usability and access control.
Each interaction can be logged visually, providing an additional verification layer and supporting precise audit trails. The Keycafe cloud platform allows managers to oversee access in real time. Even in the event of connectivity issues, the MS5 operates smoothly through offline capabilities, ensuring uninterrupted workflow.
Designed for Dealership Operations
The MS5 system is specifically developed to meet the fast-paced needs of automotive retail and service sectors. The scalable system manages between 9 and 429 keys per MS5 unit, facilitating key movement within a single dealership across various departments. Keycafe's system enhances dealership efficiency and control through smart, automated features.
It offers role-based permissions, restricting access to vehicles relevant to each team, prevents unnecessary key hold by staff, and includes automatic return reminders. Field swaps allow key transfers directly through the app, eliminating the need to return to the SmartBox. Integration with Zapier connects the system to numerous business tools, enabling automated workflows and alerts.
Proven Results in the Automotive Industry
Automotive dealerships worldwide are utilizing Keycafe's technology to upgrade their processes
Automotive dealerships worldwide are utilizing Keycafe's technology to upgrade their processes and bolster internal security measures. At Somerville Auto Group in Canada, key loss was eradicated 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," expressed Dean Earle, Director of National Fleet Operations.
Nicole Competizione, Japan's largest Ferrari facility, addressed challenges with smart key fob management by adopting the SmartBox, enhancing operational efficiency and security as key fobs are individually stored and accessible only to authorized personnel.
Autohouse Kingston in Canada also benefited, reducing lost keys and speeding up departmental handoffs. "Since installing Keycafe, my key issues have disappeared," shared Tyler Burley, Digital Asset Manager, praising its security and monitoring capabilities.
Advancing Dealership Access Control
Traditional methods like pegboards, key hooks, and manual logs have long been vulnerable points in dealership management, leading to increased costs and security risks. Keycafe's MS5 SmartBox offers a superior alternative with real-time digital tracking of key inventory, providing full visibility and control to dealerships.
As the automotive industry shifts towards connected, data-driven operations, the MS5 SmartBox emerges as a practical, scalable solution, enabling dealerships to maintain asset protection, accountability, and operational continuity.
Keycafe, a global 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.
“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 authorized 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. 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 synchronization.
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 modernize 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”.
Growing challenge
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 authorized personnel, giving us complete peace of mind”.
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.
