Notice Board
From Opening Cars to Auto Locksmith Innovator
How Simon Pilling built Auto Keys Ltd and why he’ s helping to shape the future of auto locksmithing, with his tinkerer’ s mind.
» WHEN YOU MEET SIMON PILLING, founder of Auto Keys Ltd in Somerset, it doesn’ t take long to realise that his story is more than just opening cars. He is a problem solver, an inventor, with a career stretching from working in the workshop at Vauxhall, to designing bespoke diagnostic kits now used by other locksmiths. A long-standing member of the Auto Locksmiths Association( ALA) and a committee member since 2018, Simon believes that the future of auto locksmithing is about embracing the future of electrics and sharing knowledge.
Finding My Way into the Trade
I went straight into the motor trade when I left school in 1988, starting out working in the Vauxhall workshop. Back then, you’ d have called me a mechanic, but really my focus was on the electrical side of cars. I dealt with airbags, ABS, immobilisers- I liked dealing with all the tricky things that involved wires and circuits. I never enjoyed gearboxes and clutches.
I preferred electrics because that made me think and problem-solve.
By 2003, I decided to take the plunge and start my own business. I called it
Auto Keys Ltd. I remember my first week when I only had one job to do, it was tough, but because I’ d built up contacts in the motor trade I went around all the garages I knew, explained what I was doing, and slowly things started to pick up.
Most of my early work came through recommendations. People trusted me because they knew me. I’ ve never relied on paid advertising like Google Ads- even to this day. Business success has always been about word of mouth and reputation for me.
Constant Change: from Auto Locksmith to Electrician
Auto locksmithing has changed massively over the years. When I started, things were a lot simpler, now, cars are rolling computers! That shift has been a challenge for me because I like being tested and finding solutions to problems that others struggle with. I suppose I must have a lot of patience!
In many ways, I tell people that we’ re not really auto locksmiths anymore, we’ re auto electricians as well! This job has become so electrical, and diagnostic based. That’ s what I try to get across when I run training class for the ALA. If you’ re not keeping up with the electronics side of things, you’ re going to get left behind.
Personally, I enjoy tackling immobiliser and remote locking faults and nonstarts.
They’ re harder jobs, but they’ re also the ones where I can make the most difference. Programming and cutting keys are fine, but I prefer the mental challenge of the problem-solving side. That’ s what keeps me motivated.
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SEPTEMBER 2025
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