AUTO LOCKSMITHS
MOVING WITH THE MODERN MOTOR INDUSTRY
Hickleys has been involved in the motor industry since their humble beginnings nearly 100 years ago . Like any long-standing business , Hickleys has moved with the motor industry as it has evolved and modernised . When remote locking systems became more prominent in vehicles in the early 2000s , the only people that were able to provide additional or replacement remote keys were the main dealers who sold the vehicles , often at great cost to the vehicle owners .
» THE EVER-ENTREPRENEURIAL Robin Huish , MD at Hickleys , saw an opportunity to develop a whole new market by creating tools for auto locksmiths to be able to not only gain entry to locked vehicles , but also program additional or replacement remotes and keys to supply to end users . Hickleys provided funding to Advanced Diagnostics to develop one of the original key programming devices .
Between that time and now , vehicles use ever more complex locking systems for entry and ignition and the sector has grown to be one of the major areas of business for Hickleys . They can support locksmiths with all the tools , training and technical support needed to provide keys and remotes to consumers and businesses , the key areas of which are detailed below .
Vehicle Entry
We don ’ t need to tell you that the first part of many bread and butter jobs for auto locksmiths is to gain non-destructive entry to a vehicle where keys have been lost or locked in . Hickleys supply a full range of wedges , reach tools , decoders and top quality , vehicle specific picks , all of which allow a locksmith to gain entry to a vehicle with little to no damage being caused . The art of lock picking is a degradable skill that you need to learn constantly practice , therefore our high-quality training in this area is a vital service .
Key Programming
Vehicle security systems have become immeasurably more complex in the 20 years since remote locking became the default system used on new vehicles and so the tools also become ever more complicated too .
Smart Pro from Advanced Diagnostics
One of the most comprehensive programming tools on the market today is the Smart Pro , which is still produced by Hickleys ’ original partner , Advanced Diagnostics . The Smart Pro communicates directly with vehicles via the now standard OBD port , allowing secure access to the vehicle electronics . Due to the huge variation and constant expansion in vehicle security systems there is specific software for most vehicle models . Access to this software can be gained through various purchase models . Access is gained via purchasable tokens for individual jobs , an ideal and financially viable option for low volume users . Subscription plans are also available providing unlimited software tokens for a set monthly or annual fee . Individual vehicle software can also be purchased for use without tokens , which is ideal for garages or locksmiths that only deal with specific vehicle manufacturers . The Smart Pro also has a range of optional extra cables and adaptors for nonstandard key programming requirements such as notoriously difficult Mercedes keys . The tool features a modern style touch screen interface for ease of use .
The latest accessory for the Smart Pro is the Smart Aerial Plus . This allows transponder reading and pre-coding like the previously available Smart Aerial . However , the plus now connects directly to Silca ’ s servers to enable the same levels of key cloning as the new Silca RW5 . This can be achieved by Wifi or Bluetooth via a mobile phone . This means you will always be operating with the latest software available and also negotiates previous software limits caused by limited memory capacity .
The range of Smart tools that Advanced Diagnostics supply is now supported by a versatile smart phone app called My Keys Pro . This app provides users with a full database of vehicle and residential key catalogues , a library of tutorial videos and step by step instructions for processes such as key cutting and programming .
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SEP / OCT 2022
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