The Key is a contactless ITSO-compatible smartcard developed by the Go-Ahead Group used on buses, trains and other forms of public transport across various areas of the United Kingdom. The Key uses near-field communication to electronically store and transmit information about rail and bus tickets for use on several operators across the UK. It was initially introduced in June 2007 by the Oxford Bus Company to simplify bus ticketing across their services. It has since spread to a multitude of other services, primarily run by the Go-Ahead Group, who are the parent company of the Oxford Bus Company.