La Poste unveils a secure connected mailbox lock that works without electricity
This article was originally written and published by Clubic on June 12, 2025, and can be accessed here:
By Alexandre Boero, journalist-reporter and head of news.
At VivaTech, La Poste presented its prototype of a connected lock, intended to equip French citizens by 2027 with a more secure mailbox, without replacing existing ones.
Arnaud Dagès presents La Poste’s connected lock to Clubic © Alexandre Boero / Clubic
La Poste unveiled on Wednesday at VivaTech and to Clubic its first prototype of a connected lock, the result of a year and a half of development. Particularly well designed, the lock uses the NFC technology in smartphones to operate without batteries or any power supply. The project aims to secure parcel deliveries in existing mailboxes, without requiring their full replacement.
La Poste modernizes the mailbox with NFC technology and enhanced security
Speaking to us at the La Poste booth, Arnaud Dagès, innovation project manager at the postal operator, shared the following: “Our mailboxes have existed since 1899 in France. We can all have a mailbox at home. They have been standardized since 1979, and we are receiving more and more parcels, which are increasingly valuable.” In response to the growing issue of parcel theft, the company chose innovation over mass replacement. Here’s how.
The solution developed by the group retains the dimensions of existing mechanical cylinders. This digital lock incorporates asymmetric encryption and public key infrastructure (PKI). “This is typically what is used in bank cards, using Java Card technology,” explains Arnaud Dagès. The level of security provided here for our mailboxes is unprecedented.
“We have a system that uses no codes, and that’s a major leap forward in terms of security,” adds the expert. Unlike current vulnerable solutions, this connected lock exchanges data “in an encrypted way between two smartphones” to prevent malicious interception.
What sets La Poste’s solution apart is the autonomous functioning of the lock. Without batteries or electric connection, it captures the NFC energy from the unlocking smartphone to power itself, similar to contactless payment. “We reuse the energy we use when reloading a badge with a smartphone,” explains the innovation manager. A technical achievement that could ensure the system’s long-term durability.
“We capture this energy to power the device, and we’re working on two aspects,” says Arnaud. The first is the actuator, “the little component that unlocks the lock,” and the second is the ability “to perform all the certificate and cryptography processing within a very short time.”
La Poste joins forces with partners to create a European standard for connected locks
La Poste is not developing this innovation alone. Six industrial partners are now collaborating on the project. Euro-Locks brings expertise in locking systems, Spirtech in smart card technology, and UBI Solutions contributes its know-how in logistics traceability. DOM Ronis (access control), Édélen (mailbox manufacturing), and Urmet (electronics) complete the list.
With this expanded collaboration, La Poste aims to create “a market standard with certification criteria in terms of durability, security, and compliance for interoperability,” says Arnaud Dagès. This approach has already proven successful with Vigik+, where La Poste had partnered with market players. Tomorrow, these same partners will become competitors, each offering their own solutions based on this shared standard.
The project, which began a year and a half ago, already has European ambitions, despite being initially focused on France. “We have a European vision,” says the project manager, citing the example of GeoPost, La Poste’s express parcel branch, present in over 50 countries.
User experience at the heart of the connected lock
While the prototypes presented at VivaTech are operational, they still require some improvements before the planned industrial rollout in 2027. The goal remains to transform the user experience without making it more complex. “It should remain as simple as pressing a mailbox button,” insists Arnaud Dagès, despite the embedded technology.
Interactivity is a strong aspect of the ongoing development work. Users will be able to temporarily grant access to a neighbor via a mobile app, particularly handy during vacations. Even more innovative, the system will allow users to exchange virtual keys between smartphones without visible codes, eliminating vulnerabilities related to traditional code sharing.
Traceability also enhances security, without compromising privacy. At least, that’s what La Poste promises. GDPR-compliant, the system records activity without storing personal data. “Our systems are not tied to individuals. The mailbox doesn’t know the identity of the person, only the activity performed, such as parcel delivery, and the company carrying it out,” explains Arnaud Dagès. Residents will have access to the full history of mailbox openings, providing an additional layer of delivery security.