Yale wants to smartify Europe’s locks with one simple gadget

Smart lock maker Yale has a simple solution for making your smart lock even smarter. 

Ahead of the IFA trade show in Berlin, the company launched the Yale Access module (known as Connected by August in the U.S., with August being Yale’s sister company that does smart lock software). It’s a simple Bluetooth gadget that can be added to existing Yale smart locks to give them several new features, including integration with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. 

Yale Access can be used to lock or unlock the door through the device’s app. Users can also send keys to family, friends, and visitors, track lock activity, set automatic locking, and connect with home security systems such as SimpliSafe and Alarm.com. 

Installing the Access module is simple enough for customers to be able to do it themselves. 

Yale hopes the smarter locks, which aren’t that common in Europe, will also open the door (pun not intended) for easier management of services such as delivery and cleaning. In fact, Yale partnered with UK retailer Waitrose & Partners in a pilot program which enabled customers to grant temporary access codes for deliveries. 

During a short demo in Berlin, Kate Clark, managing director of Yale EMEA, told me the reaction to the pilot program was extremely positive, with nearly all the users saying they want to keep the lock after the program ends. 

The company is also launching Yale Connect in Europe for the first time, linking the smart lock to a Wi-Fi router and enabling remote functionality, including locking and unlocking the door from anywhere in the world.