Wasn’t sure whether to put this under projects or support but I figured support was more fitting. I currently have an xNT and will soon add a NExT aswell. I know way too little about cars to attempt to setup an NFC unlock for my car by myself. What exactly could I ask of my mechanic to either A: make the process easier for me (what he could personally install for me) or B: Is there a stand-alone device I could just have him install? I know many of you out there already have your with an xEM access controller and arduino of some sort but I’m not quite knowledgable enough to attempt it myself. Any ideas?
A car stereo shop would me a much better choice. Most mechanics will give you a blank stare, but car stereo shops are used to interfacing aftermarket modules with the car’s power locks system.
There is no ready built module that I’m aware of… You will have to cobble together parts. Though if you just want unlock, you can do that with the DT access controller.
To help you best, I’d need some more info.
- What car?
- Do you just want to unlock? Anything else?
- Does your car us a key fob?
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My first thought actually.
Second thought, find a shade tree mechanic with an interest in electrical stuff. Show him the xAC and see if he can make a go of it.
Stay away from dealerships or larger mechanic’s shops. They ain’t gonna want to help you. Ask around, you might find a friend of a friend who can handle it for you.
Also, we want video when you’re done. 
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you don’t need to know anything about cars… just the technical/electrical side of things
as such, this is why a mechanic would not know how to do anything you’ll be asking of them. you’ll need a technician that might be able to help you find the appropriate wires you need to interface with… but honestly, you can probably do all of that yourself.
my approach would be to just wire up the XAC with the door lock/unlock mechanism in the door and running the antenna to an appropriate spot where you can scan.
We can help if you need, lots of people have done the lock and unlock (note the xac and xacv2 both use lf not hf/nfc) you can even pick up cheap rfid push button start kits from amazon.
@NoUsersLefft, out of curiousity, where are you located?
Might be a forum member near you who could physically help.
It’s a 2008 Buick LaCrosse, I do just want to lock/unlock. And yes it does have a fob but the one I have at the moment is broken
I am in Tennessee
If I go the XAC method what would that entail? I’ve thought about putting the antenna either on the windshield by the driver side or in the mirror if it’s thin enough right there. Personally I’m not even that worried about it being secure as I rarely lock my car anyway because of where I live. It would just give me a incentive to get the better habit of locking it.
Going with the xAC by itself, it’ll be best to control one thing only. In this case I’d suggest unlock. You just won’t be able to lock via swipe, but you should be able to do that while getting out of the car.
In a nutshell, hook up the unlock wires to the solenoid on the xACv2. Everytime you swipe it should unlock. You’ll have to mount stuff and extend some wires, but not that complicated.
There’s also this. If you wanna go all in on electrical.
You have a couple of options.
Ask the question here as you have done, and we walk you through it, and at the end we can move it to project
OR
Once its complete here you could put together a concise and condensed Project for others to learn from.
OTY but personally I like the 2nd option
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Yeah I’ll go with the second option
As you can see there are plenty of people here that are willing and able to help you out.
You now have a decision to make
OPTION 1
Pay a pro (agreed stereo installer or maybe auto-electrician your best options)
Positives are that it will be fast and safe.
Negatives, you will likely learn very little
OPTION 2
Get ready to learn, and do it yourself, I promise it is nothing difficult.
Positives is some “great” learnings for you and you will get our admiration and respect 
Negative, will likely take longer
OPTION 2.1
Do MOST of the work yourself (installation and wiring), get the pro to finish it off by picking up and connecting power
Positives same as option 2, will save money in labour from Option 1
Negatives, again likely slower
NOW I REALLY HOPE YOU GO WITH DIY OPTIONS, OR I AM GOING TO WASTE A LOT OF TIME WRITING THE NEXT BIT UP
What is wrong with your key fob? @turbo2ltr
May have another option for you ( The same one @ODaily linked to above )
If you choose to use xAC V2
REMEMBER, there is more than one way to skin a cat, but this is along the lines of how I would do it.
Start taking notes, electronic or written form, for your own reference ( and also to do a project write up at the end, and don’t forget photos 
, photos can also help if you start changing things around with wiring ets to get you back to a baseline if “you fuck things up” )
Make yourself a workspace to do a bench test and learn how it works check out this link for an idea
Get together some basic tools:
For this install, the list can be quite short, some things will be essential, you might need to do some sums, and the cost for a pro to install may be less/ ~same/ more and you might change your mind, bearing in mind, you will then own those tools and can do more projects in the future
Others you can get by without.
Just a quick mind map ( some things you will be able to use alternatives / work arounds)
None of this needs to be expensive, but you often get what you pay for ( I have heard it mentioned many times on here, I am not personally familiar with it, but in my mind at least, harbour freight quality should be fine.)
Multimeter
Sidecutters / wire strippers
Soldering iron / solder ( could use crimps and crimp tool but personally think soldering is better general purpose )
Heat shrink (electrical tape)
Cable / wire a few meters of red and black ( ~24 awg )
Fuse and holder
12V load ( LED or lamp etc ) for bench testing 
Automotive relay(s) if you want to be able to unlock AND lock
A workshop manual for your car may be helpful, but Google and “common” wiring may help out here and can be tested with a multimeter
This list could keep going, but that SHOULD be enough to get you up and running.
Others will probably jump in with something I have omitted, to which there isn’t a safe workaround.
9-12v power supply (battery / wall plug) 12V Battery probably better for portability!?
I don’t have the V2, so hopefully somebody can confirm if a 9V battery will operate the unit for testing, personally I think the 12V will be better for this
From here, watch the xAC V2 video
Replicate on your bench, ( add a fuse on the positive wire between the power supply and the xAC) enroll your implant, ask here if you have any questions.
So what you will notice we are doing here is breaking things down into manageable bites
Now you are ready to get into the vehicle [pun] side of things.
Planning will help you out here
As you stated the windscreen or wing mirror are likely your best / easier options for antenna placement. but you will want to test them in situ, to make sure you can read your implant through the glass or plastic
Find a location to put the xAC unit within the length of the antenna cable run (in an enclosure eg. the 3d printed enclosure link by the dingo brothers @PulsarForce and @Compgeek), For everything else you can easily extend the cable length if required.
Put the fuse somewhere accessible, or if you can access it, pick up a spare fuse socket on your fuse panel
If you were to install up until this point and weren’t comfortable with the following steps, it would be a good place to get the pro in to finish it off and power it up. ( They will probably do something similar as described below )
Now the slightly more tricky part, mostly because at the moment we have some unknowns:
Your door locks and how they operate.
There are 2(3) main “types” Positive pulse, negative pulse and vacum ( unlikely )
If you had a workshop manual for your car this would help about now, otherwise, a multimeter can be used ( and should be anyway to confirm)
To identify
In the drivers door should be the master door lock switch, if you can pop that out, that will make things easier, otherwise you may need to remove the door card to get access to the wiring / underside of the switch.
Man, this could take a while to explain… Do you know how to use a multimeter?
I ( Or somebody else ) might find you a good youtube video if.you need one
I might leave it here for now, until after you have answered the few questions throughout my ramblings above and below
Plus there are a few things to cover, like fuse size, how to earth, does your car sit for extended periods of time
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I feel Option 2.1 will be most beneficial for me because it never hurts to learn but also I’d trust a pro more with the end bits.
My key fob is just old so only the unlock works which may or may not prove beneficial depends on what you guys think.
I already have most of the things you recommended for it but I will have to order a multimeter because the one I have is dirt old and no longer works. It may also be some time before I even get the xAC v2 as I’m buying a bundle so I either have to wait for my aid refund to come in or just to get the money from work.
I feel like unlocking will be sufficient enough since locking only requires a button press from the inside so that’s not too much trouble.
I will look on the internet for the workshop manual I’m sure I can find it somewhere.
Lastly and not as importantly I will be making use of that enclosure by the dingo brothers (I can finally use my printer for something functional) Thank you guys so much for the help!!!
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THIS would be your easiest Key fob + xAC = 
But we can help you through whatever you want
Have a read through this ( I dont think Amal will mind 
)
It is an excerpt from Amals RFID Toys… book ( That I own, by the way) I think it is out of print but you can still pick up 2nd hand copies from ebay / amazon
Where this refers to KL042, just replace that with xAC V2
key fob.pdf (342.4 KB)
We would need to look at voltages, but this is pretty much what you would be doing.
Now that’s a new one!
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Okay great so once I get the multimeter (might even buy a new fob since they’re cheaper and it’ll give me a backup if I fuck it up) I’ll be able to test where I’d need to solder the wires, and we can go from there.
Sounds like a plan
Not sure if a hijack or not, but has anyone adapter a keyed ignition to rfid?