Products
Car Transponder Keys
Bianchi supplied a wide range of car ignition keys for North American makes and models: standard metal keys, test blades, VATS keys, transponder keys and cloneable keys.
Key Types Explained
What is a non-transponder key?
A key with no electronics in the head. It is all metal or metal with a plastic head. No programming is needed; it only has to be cut correctly to operate the lock and ignition.
What were Bianchi non-transponder keys made of?
Nickel plated brass. The plating extends shelf life and keeps the key looking new for longer. Some were also offered with a plastic head.
What is a test key?
A plain metal blade used to test cut a key in a lock before cutting a more expensive key that may also need programming.
What is a VATS key?
VATS stands for Vehicle Anti-Theft System. The blade has a resistor (often called a pellet or chip) embedded in it, with one of fifteen possible values. VATS keys are used on GM vehicles. They do not need cloning or programming, only a reader to find the resistor value. They come in single and double sided versions.
What is a transponder key?
A transponder key has a small chip that sends, receives and responds to data by radio frequency. When the key is turned in the ignition it sends a unique code to the vehicle's computer. Once the code is recognized, the vehicle is allowed to start.
What is a cloneable key?
A replacement for some automotive transponder keys that contains a circuit board or transponder chip which can be cloned from the original with a transponder cloning tool.
How do cloneable keys work?
Once cloned, the chip or circuit board mimics the original transponder, sending the same signal to the vehicle's computer when the key is turned to the ON position.
What Does a Transponder Key Cost to Replace?
The price of a replacement car key comes down mostly to the chip inside it and how that chip gets matched to the vehicle:
- Non-transponder and test keys: cutting only, so the cheapest option.
- Fixed code transponders (early TI): can be cloned from a working key in minutes, which keeps costs at the low end.
- Encrypted transponders (TI encrypted, Philips Crypto): need a decryption-capable tool like the 884 or on-board programming, so they cost more.
- Smart keys and proximity fobs (BMW, Prius, Volvo): need clonable fobs or dealer-level programming, usually the top of the range.
- All keys lost: with no working original to clone, the new key has to be programmed to the car, which adds labour.
For a real-world reference, this licensed locksmith's published flat-rate price list shows a transponder key cut and programmed at $180 to $440 depending on the vehicle platform, car lockouts at $100 to $200, and broken key extraction from ignitions at $85 to $165. Cloning from a working key usually lands at the lower end of a range like this. Dealer replacement of smart keys often runs higher.
Cloning transponder keys?
See the 884 Decryptor Ultegra, the TK100 universal chip and the B7000 series key kits. More answers in the FAQs.