Nissan Motor Company, NTT Docomo, and Sharp announced that they developed a mobile phone that can function as a smart key for automobiles. The handset will incorporate Nissan's Intelligent Key system, which is already standard on many of the company's vehicles such as the Altima Hybrid.

Nissan's Intelligent Key system, which the company claims is already installed in more than 950,000 Nissan cars manufactured since 2002, uses two-way wireless communication tech to automatically lock or unlock the car door and enable starting or stopping the engine. Nissan and Sharp together have now integrated this system into the new NTT Docomo handset. The three companies will demo the device at CEATEC Japan 2008, which begins September 30, with the aim of releasing a commercially available version by early next year.