Innovations Shaping The Present And Future Of Access Control

Ram Nikhil Dodda is Head of Product Management for Amazon Key.

In many residential properties worldwide, gaining access to deliver a package or visit someone involves punching in a gate code, using a physical key or key fob or relying on an audio intercom. These solutions have been available and widely used for years but present significant security risks. A gate code and physical key can get passed around and into the hands of the wrong person. A bad actor can bypass an audio intercom with social engineering; they can convince a resident that they have a reason to be at the property.

Access-control experiences have remained relatively unchanged for decades. However, new innovations are providing alternatives to traditional technologies and reshaping the access control space. At the residential level, access control impacts property owners, residents, visitors and delivery drivers. As a matter of security, property owners and residents need the ability to control who can get inside their building at any time. Visitors and delivery drivers need the ability to get where they have to be without hassles.

Robust access control is arguably more necessary than ever. According to a 2024 study by the National Apartment Association that surveyed American renters, 60% of respondents indicated they “do not feel very safe in their apartment complex.” Additionally, 71% said they “believe that management should be doing more to provide a safer environment.” Innovations in access control can make entering residential and commercial buildings seamless and safe for all parties involved and prevent unauthorized access that could lead to theft or physical harm.

Recent Advances In Residential Access Control

The convergence of cloud computing and widespread smartphone usage is transforming residential access control. In the future, anyone with a smartphone will be able to manage access to a building.

The integration of Internet of Things (IoT) devices with cloud infrastructure creates an authentication framework that removes the need for people to use physical keys to gain access to a property. Using their smartphone, a resident can share a unique virtual key with a visitor that grants them access. When the visitor tries to enter the property using that virtual key, a command gets sent to the IoT device installed at the property. The system will run real-time verification checks to confirm that the person has the right access permissions. If everything is authorized, the system will send an unlock command to the building’s access control system.

Additionally, near-field communication (NFC) can play a role in enhancing the current access-control experience, powering a broad shift from audio verification to video verification while reducing implementation costs. Rather than dealing with a call box to find their friend or relative, a visitor can tap on their smartphone, load the resident directory, scroll to their friend or relative’s name and then video call them. The resident can easily visually authenticate the visitor, and the visitor can easily get in without the building’s security being compromised. Moreover, access control technologies that leverage NFC can be more cost-effective for property owners, as they don’t have to install expensive hardware.

Predictions For The Future Of Access Control

As these technologies continue to shape residential access control, they stand to replace traditional access control methods such as physical keys, key fobs, gate codes and audio intercoms.

Additionally, while most of the innovations in the access control space have centered on the residential space, they stand to transform access control in the commercial space as well. In fact, according to data from Future Market Insights, from 2023 to 2033, the global building access control security market is projected to achieve a CAGR of 14%, reaching a value of USD 44.2 billion—and the “increasing demand for smart buildings and infrastructure will be driving the demand for the building access control security market in the future.”

Specifically, I’ve observed that some small and medium-sized businesses are starting to use access control innovations. I expect that moving forward, more small and medium-sized businesses, such as dental offices and nail salons, will move away from old-school access control methods. By doing so, they’ll be able to streamline their operations (for example, no one employee has to open the office early in the morning) and improve safety by better tracking which employees and visitors are going in and out of their offices.

As for the corporate world, many companies housed in commercial office space rely on photo ID badges to verify whether or not someone should be let into a building, with some in high-risk industries leveraging fingerprint and face scanners. Corporations will likely be slower to adopt access control innovations, but with time, companies might start embracing innovations in this domain. For instance, smartphone-enabled virtual keys can help companies verify visitors faster, strengthening security.

How Companies Working On Access Control Technologies Can Mitigate Risks

As the demand for advanced access control systems grows, it’s essential for companies developing these technologies to mitigate the risks they pose. Companies developing access control technologies need to instill checks and balances on their authorization systems that ensure that the right person is there at the right time for the right reason. Time-limited access is one example of a security feature companies can implement to instill checks and balances—virtual keys can be configured with specific time parameters. If, say, a resident’s dog walker stops by every Tuesday and Thursday, the dog walker’s virtual key can be configured to only be valid on those days. Location-based access restrictions are another important safety feature. Companies should build tools that ensure that only users who are physically present at a given location can get access to that property.

Additionally, since new access control technologies run on the cloud, companies developing these solutions need to prioritize privacy and security to reduce the chances of cyberattacks that could compromise entry or leak sensitive customer information.

Technology, however, is only one part of the equation. No matter how advanced a solution is, human behavior is still at play. Where applicable, companies should conduct thorough background checks and create robust training programs.

Ultimately, access control technologies are becoming more sophisticated. In turn, they’ll become more widespread and affordable for users—and users will begin to view access control innovations as seamless, safe and reliable as other technological advancements.

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