Apple’s new iOS update turns the iPhone into a digital car key.
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• Function should come with a new update
• Share keys with other people
• Potential for rental and car sharing companies
The official announcement came with the WWDC on June 22nd. The idea of a digital car key is not new. BMW or Tesla have been working on a car key for smartphones for some time, but so far this function has only been used by AndroidDevices supported. Now Apple’s wallet should also be able to manage digital car keys – at least for one of the car manufacturers.
Apple brings the CarKey for BMW
With the iOS 13.4 update laid the foundation for Apple’s “CarKey”. It was speculated for a long time, with WWDC there was certainty: With the “Digital Key” technology, BMW drivers can open their vehicles with the iPhone. For the time being, the function vehicles reserved from July 1, 2020 will remain reserved for model series 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, X5, X6, X7, X5M, X6M and Z4. A BMW driver then needs an iPhone XR, XS or an even newer model. The function is also supported from the Apple Watch Series 5.
A new passage was added in advance in the new data protection regulations for Apple’s wallet, which fueled speculation before the conference, as the operators of the website “iphone-ticker” found out. It states that the “adding and sharing of car keys for certain vehicles” is possible through wallet.
In addition to opening and closing, it should also be possible to start the vehicle. In addition, there should be the possibility that the main user can set rules – such as maximum speeds for novice drivers or a maximum radio volume,.
Share car keys with others
Like a credit card, the virtual car key will appear as another card in the Wallet app. In addition to information about the Apple ID, the current location information is also transmitted, but this only happens when location services are activated.
In addition, iPhone users should be able to share their “CarKey” with other family members or friends. The key can then be sent via Apple’s messaging app iMessage. The company from Cupertino, California, emphasized that no data on the use of the vehicle is collected.
In addition to sharing keys, it should also be possible to deactivate or activate various authorizations. The authorizations are to be structured in three stages: firstly, access to the trunk, opening and closing the doors and, finally, total access to the vehicle.
In order to use the digital key, however, you need a vehicle that is equipped with an NFC reader. The new function could be of particular interest to rental and car sharing companies, as it should make it easier to manage the car keys.
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Image source: Anton_Ivanov / Shutterstock.com, Denis Kuvaev / Shutterstock.com, Arsenie Krasnevsky / Shutterstock.com, 1000 Words / Shutterstock.com
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