5 Trends in Electronic Locks You Should Know About
Take a look at five of the biggest trends in electronic and digital access that have the potential to change electronic access control as we see it today.
Whether you’re working with a residential or commercial facility, a comprehensive security strategy should be at the forefront of your priorities. As we move forward into adopting more future-focused door access control systems, how can we decide which products are passing trends and which are here to stay? In this article, we will look at five of the biggest trends in electronic and digital access that have the potential to change electronic access control as we see it today.
The History of Door Access Control Systems
Access control has a colorful history, progressing from the simple physical solutions that are walls and trenches to the mechanical lock and key systems we’ve used for centuries. While the average person still interacts with human-dependent mechanical cylinders, access technology has recently begun to evolve into digital access control systems that operate entirely on digital, software-based technologies. As the digital access and electronic lock market grows, a few innovations have stepped forward to lead the industry, so let’s take a look at a few of these trends you should know about.
5 Electronic Lock Trends Worth the Attention
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry has taken steps to further the innovation of electronic locks and continue to evolve technology that allows for public safety-minded touchless accessibility. In the past three years, companies have rushed to adopt new solutions that answer the public demand for better access control and accessibility needs.
1. Touchless Access
Touchless technology has been a part of our daily lives in the form of motion sensors in building entryways to hands-free dispensers in public restrooms, but the COVID-19 pandemic recently encouraged its implementation in electronic locks. This technology owes its popularity to the convenience it brings and its public health consideration, but when integrated with an access control system, it’ll be the extra level of security it adds to a facility that takes it from a trend to the new norm.
2. Multi-Factor Authentication
The rapid pace at which the internet has grown has led the business world as a whole to see security, cyber or otherwise, as an essential part of everyday life. While many of us are familiar with digital access multi-factor authentication (MFA) required to log into certain websites or software applications, this concept has also expanded into facility access. Multi-modal readers have become increasingly common, allowing for locks to read key cards or fobs, mobile devices, pin pad and even biometric input all in the same unit. In some industries, this has become a compliance requirement, including oil, gas, and power plants, due to industry security standards.
3. Mobile Access Control
Since the introduction of the smartphone, an overwhelming 86% of the population now carries a small computer in their pocket everyday. Countless manufacturers saw this growing figure and decided to turn these items into the access keys company facilities use. This is against the previous trend of relying on the physical keys that manual systems require or even the key cards and fobs that can be easily replicated due to a general lack of encryption.
With the growing expertise in access control application technology, employees can instead download an app on their phone that stores their credentials. This way, their phone can communicate their permissions and whether they have an active authorization in the system to electronic locks on the premises, like the BE467F Greenwich Control Deadbolt from Schlage.
4. Biometric Access
Thanks to decades of media and entertainment, many of us have continued to view fingerprints as the epitome of biometrics in a door access control system. However, individuals have familiarized themselves with facial recognition on smartphones and social media apps in recent years, making room for the technology to establish itself in commercial access settings.
While this type of access control is still more expensive, traditional facial recognition tools have been refined and now require less extensive installation costs. Additionally, some software options allow for self enrollment, allowing administrators to decrease the time and manpower needed to implement these systems. With built-in privacy policies in many of the most popular facial recognition tools, facility owners can feel confident knowing that private employee information and business data isn’t being exploited, as is the public concern with this type of technology.
5. Cloud-Based Access Control
Today, the majority of businesses have a basic understanding of cloud-based systems, and many more rely on a variety of cloud solutions for their everyday operations. Everything from email and CRM to website hosting and more run in the cloud. So, while the physical security of facilities has taken its time to adopt the technology of cloud-based access control, many early adopters have already seen the benefits:
- Ease of scalability
- Instant security software updates
- Minimal system downtime
- Consistent data back-ups
- Remote multi-building management
Whether a facility needs to revoke or update individual or bulk permissions, or needs to perform an access audit, it’s manageable from a remote location without potentially compromising the security of a building or business.
However you choose to implement one of these door access control system trends, know that you have a partner in Banner Solutions to help you find the ideal solution for your complex security projects. From industry-leading Schlage Electronic locks to Isonas access control products, there’s no shortage of innovative technology solutions to choose from in your next forward-focused project. . Contact us to get started with the latest products today.
