Apple plans to expand its support for digital car keys to Volvo, Polestar and Audi vehicles, giving more car owners the ability to easily unlock their cars using their iPhone.
While the extended support hasn’t been officially announced yet, code pointing to it has apparently been discovered MacRumors. The site claims to have spotted the code in Apple’s Wallet app, which is used to store digital car keys.
MacRumors didn’t elaborate too much on this revelation, other than to say that “certain” cars from Volvo, Polestar and Audi would be supported.
That implies that the feature won’t be available for every vehicle made by these companies – for example, cars must have an NFC key reader, which not every model has – although we don’t yet know which specific cars will be supported. .
We also don’t know when this support will be added, and it may still be some time before we see these brands join Apple’s car key list. Still, the new code at least suggests that Apple is working on integrating these cars into the system.
How it works
Using the Wallet app to unlock your car is quite simple and straightforward, although the exact method varies by manufacturer and model.
With your phone in your pocket, some cars unlock and start as you approach and enter the vehicle. Others do this when you hold your iPhone close to the door handle or key reader. And some can also be unlocked or locked remotely from your device.
Some manufacturers even let you share your digital car keys with other users, and you can stop sharing them at any time via the Wallet app. And the feature doesn’t just work on your iPhone: if you have a compatible Apple Watch, you can also use it to lock, unlock, or start your car.
Currently, Apple’s digital car key system works with vehicles from BMW, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia, Lotus, Mercedes-Benz and more. You can check which specific models are compatible on Apple’s website.