CarBe demonstration · Omar Ahmad

Smartphone-Based Vehicle Access
In 2017, while still in high school, Omar developed CarBe: a way to unlock a vehicle using a smartphone, near-field communication (NFC), and biometric authentication. Inspired by smartphone payment technology, the concept aimed to replace physical car keys with digital access.
Potential Applications
Personal vehicles: share access with friends and family or support rentals when a car is not in use.
Rental and commercial fleets: reduce physical key management and let customers access a vehicle without a counter handoff.
Vehicle manufacturers: support subscription-based access and explore authentication for future autonomous ride-sharing services.
Patents and Intellectual Property
Omar authored U.S. utility patent applications in 2018 and 2019, both of which were granted by the USPTO. The second expanded the proposed implementations.
US 10,343,650 — View on Google Patents
“NFC system for unlocking a vehicle via smartphone biometric authentication”
US 10,604,115 — View on Google Patents
“NFC system for unlocking a vehicle via smartphone biometric authentication”
Development and Design
CarBe’s design focused on authenticating the person entering the vehicle. Omar explored several considerations when comparing approaches:
Network dependence: app commands routed through a server can introduce delays when connectivity is limited.
Proximity: wireless access needs to distinguish an authorized user at the vehicle from people nearby.
Biometric privacy: vehicle-mounted facial recognition would introduce questions about enrollment, data storage, and hardware integration.
Transferable credentials: physical NFC or RFID cards can be passed between people; the proposed smartphone approach paired access with biometric authentication.
Pitching and Commercialization
Omar has pitched CarBe to Fortune 500 executives, venture capital partners, accelerator and incubator directors, and pitch competition judges. He built many of these connections through cold outreach and subsequent introductions.
He has pursued commercialization opportunities for the technology, including discussions with a global smartphone manufacturer.