Hand-held scanner can copy car keys

The double-edged sword that is technology has, throughout history, produced some of the most remarkable inventions the world has ever known. And while most of them have been or are being put to good use, there are some inventions that, while pretty cool in their own right, poses an element of threat should they fall in the wrong hands.

Take this new Electronic Key Impressioner for example. The EKI is a small hand-held device that has the capability to electronically map the inside of car locks and remold a key that could open the car lock that it previously scanned. With the use of a USB port and a lock mapping software, users of the EKI can completely redesign and duplicate a set number of keys.

On one hand, this new device could end up becoming a locksmith’s new BFF – imagine how easy it would be for them to just scan a certain lock’s key codes and create a duplicate using a lock mapping software. On the flip side, however, the EKI – should they end up with someone with evil intentions – could also become a thief’s new favorite toy. Can you imagine how easy it would be for a lot of car thieves to boost a car simply by using this new contraption?

It may be a little far-fetched but in a time when crime rates all over the world are steadily increasing, we figured that this may not be an appropriate time to be releasing something that could potentially lead to trouble.

Sure, it could end up making the life of a locksmith a whole lot easier. But on the same token, you can also say the same thing for a thi , a car thief, at least.