Whether your car uses a traditional key or a remote key fob, you probably still find yourself worrying about losing your keys or them being stolen. Standard car keys can always be relied upon to keep your vehicle safe, but there is another kind of car key worth considering the next time you need copies: laser cut car keys. Today, you will learn all about the differences between traditional car keys and laser cut car keys, from how they’re made to their individual security benefits.

Traditional vs. Laser Cut Car Keys: How They’re Made

The first point of distinction between traditional and laser cut car keys that’s worth investigating is how they are manufactured. Traditional car keys are either made by a standard key-cutting machine or take the form of a key fob programmed to lock and unlock your car from a distance.

A unique manufacturing process is involved in producing laser cut car keys. Instead of a key-cutting machine, a milling machine removes the metal from the key so that the cut is along the center or edges instead of all the way through the key. There are two types of milling used for laser cutting keys: tracers and originators. Tracers duplicate laser cut car keys, while originators create the keys themselves.

laser cut car keys

Traditional vs. Laser Cut Car Keys: How They Work

The next question in trying to distinguish traditional and laser cut car keys is likely, “how do they work?” Traditional car keys can be used to lock or unlock a car and start the ignition. If your traditional key is of the standard variety, it will work like a conventional key that goes into a hole to unlock or lock. The way traditional keys are cut allows them to turn in one direction to open or operate your vehicle.

Laser cut car keys are distinct from their traditional counterparts in two ways: their directionality and programming. While traditional car keys are cut so they can only turn one way, laser cut car keys are cut with slits on both sides. This feature allows laser cut car keys to turn in either direction to lock, unlock, or operate a vehicle.

Where their programming is concerned, laser cut car keys are manufactured with transponder chips. These chips connect your keys to your car, so they will only respond to the electromagnetic signals from that specific key and will only work if it’s close to your vehicle in distance. We will now go into more detail about how including transponder chips in laser cut car keys improves security.

Traditional vs. Laser Cut Car Keys: Security

The major point of contrast between traditional and laser cut car keys entails their security capabilities. While you can take various precautions to keep your traditional car keys safe from theft, at the end of the day, they are still easy to duplicate, and their corresponding locks are more vulnerable to being picked.

In the realm of security, laser cut car keys possess three major advantages over traditional car keys. First, as described earlier, transponder chips create a unique link between your car key and car. If your vehicle does not detect the electromagnetic signals within range from your laser cut car keys, it will not operate, even when duplicated. A thief can copy the shape, but they cannot obtain the correct transponder chip to match your vehicle.

Speaking of duplication, laser cut car keys are also known for being more difficult to copy. It is more difficult to duplicate laser cut car keys because the equipment required to make those copies isn’t as widely available as regular key-cutting machines. Finally, while traditional keys can also be easily copied depending on the make and model of the corresponding vehicle, every laser cut car key is completely unique. These three qualities give laser cut car keys a huge security advantage over traditional ones.

ASAP Locksmith Is Here For All Your Key Needs!

We hope this blog helped build your understanding of the difference between traditional and laser cut car keys. Maybe stick to your traditional keys, consider getting laser cut car keys, or perhaps you are interested in a third possible alternative for increased vehicle security. Whichever route you go with your car keys, our locksmiths here at ASAP Locksmith in New Orleans will go beyond the call of duty to ensure your car is highly secure. Contact us today to unlock an array of options for car security.