Now Use Apple’s Digital Car Key Without Taking Your iPhone Out Of Your Pocket

The updated function is on par with an upcoming feature to be offered with Google’s Android 12 update

• Apple introduced digital car key feature in iOS 14 update in 2020, though, limited to NFC (tap to use).

• iOS 15 uses ultra wideband that allows the feature to work through proximity, while the Apple device is still in the user's pocket or bag.

• New iOS also allows for remote car functionality such as door lock/unlock, climate conditioning, boot opening, and honking. 

• Car Keys already allowed users to turn the engine on and share vehicle access. 

• The new Car Keys features will work on iPhone XS and newer Apple devices.

• Apple is yet to reveal which brands it will be compatible with, other than BMW.

• The iOS 15 is expected to officially roll out in September 2021.

Apple’s iOS 15 update will bring new and improved features for a digitally connected lifestyle. While the ability to use one’s iPhone as a digital car key was rolled out in a previous update, the upcoming iOS 15 will allow users to do so using Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology.

The ‘Car Keys’ feature, which is part of the Apple Wallet, allows users to pair their device with a compatible vehicle and use it as a digital car key. When it was introduced in iOS 14, it only worked using NFC, meaning the phone had to be tapped against the door handle. However, with UWB, it works even when your phone is in your pocket or bag which means added convenience while accessing your vehicle. This feature works not only to lock/unlock the vehicle but also to start it using a wireless reader inside a compatible vehicle, usually after a user authentication via FaceID or perhaps a pin code.

Also read: Android 12 Could Turn Your Phone Into A Digital Car Key

The new Apple software also added remote vehicle controls for locking/unlocking doors, opening the boot, honking, or even preheating (or precooling in our case) the car from a short distance. It almost negates the need for a chunky key fob or having to install manufacturer-developed applications for some basic connected car features.

Apple’s Car Keys feature also allows users to share the digital car key with friends and family who use an iPhone. Another function that has likely been carried forward to iOS 15 is restricted driving, which can place electronic limiters on the vehicle for top speed, acceleration, traction control, and even speaker volume. This is likely to be a popular feature with parents of teen drivers.

Apple is yet to reveal which brands the updated Apple Car Keys will be compatible with, other than BMW. It is also unknown whether it will work with all cars that have UWB and connected technology. In terms of Apple’s own devices, the updated Car Keys functions will work on the iPhone XS and newer models.