Apple Car Key Support Coming to Future GWM Tank SUVs

[MacRumors]

Apple's Car Keys feature appears to be coming to TANK vehicles made by Chinese maker Great Wall Motor (GWM), based on code changes discovered by MacRumors in Apple's Wallet app backend.

GWM Tank is a dedicated off-road luxury SUV brand produced by the Chinese automaker.

Car Keys allows an iPhone or Apple Watch with NFC capabilities to unlock a vehicle through the Wallet app. A digital version of a car key is stored in Wallet, and unlocking can be done simply by holding an Apple Watch or ‌iPhone‌ near a compatible vehicle's NFC reader.

What can be done with Car Keys may vary by car manufacturer, but at a minimum, Car Keys can be used to unlock your car, lock your car, and start your car, which are the features available with a physical key.

Apple introduced Car Keys in 2022, and car manufacturers like BMW, Rivian, Kia, and Hyundai have all implemented support for Car Keys. Apple maintains a full list of vehicles that support Car Keys on its CarPlay model availability webpage.

Article Link: Apple Car Key Support Coming to Future GWM Tank SUVs

 

[springer7217]

I'd like to point out that Tesla does this flawlessly already and I don't think they're using `Wallet`.
As long as my Apple Watch is on my wrist, or phone in my pocket (with bluetooth on) I'm able to get into my car.

 

[I7guy]

Except Tesla’s phone key works flawlessly with its cars and yeah Apple Watch and nfc cars. This is a standard protocol I guess to support the same for many vehicles.

Apple should use teslas tech, lol.

 

[alexandr]

Except Tesla’s phone key works flawlessly with its cars and yeah Apple Watch and nfc cars. This is a standard protocol I guess to support the same for many vehicles.

Apple should use teslas tech, lol.

Is this about  using this tech, or other automakers?

 

[I7guy]

Is this about  using this tech, or other automakers?

I was just thinking why didn’t apple license tesla tech?

 

[alexandr]

I was just thinking why didn’t apple license tesla tech?

I have little knowledge on this, as Tesla's aren't something that interest me, but from what I understand —  didn't do anything to make this work, is this not correct? In other words: Tesla created the tech, so wouldn't it be up to automakers to replicate it?

 

[turbineseaplane]

I love this branding.

I'm surprised GM hasn't already snapped up the TANK SUV moniker, as they make several models that would qualify.

 

[KENESS]

Just came to say "Great Wall Motor" is a pretty dang cool name...

 

[alexandr]

I love this branding.

I'm surprised GM hasn't already snapped up the TANK SUV moniker, as they make several models that would qualify.

I bet Tesla's got a CYBER TANK in the works.

 

[alexandr]

Just came to say "Great Wall Motor" is a pretty dang cool name...

Sounds like it's talking about a car wall charger 😀

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I was just thinking why didn’t apple license tesla tech?

I don't think Tesla really did anything particularly special, did they? The phone (or watch) and the car connect over bluetooth. If the connection is successful and the device is a designated key, then the car is unlocked. When the connection is lost, the car locks.

I think on Tesla's side they can track the approximate distance and direction to the device, so they can be a bit more specific about making sure it's not a faint signal from too far away, or moving in a direction that suggests approaching the door or moving away vs just walking by.

 

[ifxf]

I would never use the apple car key for driving my car. Just yesterday when I wanted to move my car out of the garage, I discovered the key was gone out of my Apple wallet. Don't know if this was due to an upgraded car app or updating ios or just Apple's security rules since I haven't used the phone key in a while.

 

[springer7217]

I don't think Tesla really did anything particularly special, did they? The phone (or watch) and the car connect over bluetooth. If the connection is successful and the device is a designated key, then the car is unlocked. When the connection is lost, the car locks.

I think on Tesla's side they can track the approximate distance and direction to the device, so they can be a bit more specific about making sure it's not a faint signal from too far away, or moving in a direction that suggests approaching the door or moving away vs just walking by.

Bingo.
They use existing technologies, and build things that feel like magic.

Similar to how Apple operated prior to Tim Apple.

 

[I7guy]

Bingo.
They use existing technologies, and build things that feel like magic.

Similar to how Apple operated prior to Tim Apple.

It’s called innovation. Taking existing methods and combining them in such a way to feel magician is the essence of innovation.

And great job confirming Tesla is an innovative company, just like Apple after Tim Cook.

 

[springer7217]

And great job confirming Tesla is an innovative company, just like Apple after Tim Cook.

Thanks I7guy!

I appreciate your appreciation! With my super innovative mind I think I can answer your previous question too!

I was just thinking why didn’t apple license tesla tech?

Because Apple made the iPhone (key) that Tesla is using to unlock their cars.

Let me know if you have any other questions I7Guy! I'm here for you!

 

[Reason077]

Except Tesla’s phone key works flawlessly with its cars and yeah Apple Watch and nfc cars. This is a standard protocol I guess to support the same for many vehicles.

Apple should use teslas tech, lol.

They already do. At least for recent models: Bluetooth low-energy (BLE) with Ultra-Wideband (UWB). Apple Car Key can additionally use NFC on older vehicles, but UWB is the preferred technology. For older vehicles/phones that don't have UWB, Tesla's app uses BLE only, no NFC.

 

[Reason077]

I don't think Tesla really did anything particularly special, did they? The phone (or watch) and the car connect over bluetooth. If the connection is successful and the device is a designated key, then the car is unlocked. When the connection is lost, the car locks.

That's how it works on older vehicles, yes. More recently they upgraded to UWB for improved spatial accuracy, so it can tell things like specifically which door you're approaching or which seat your sitting in (so it doesn't confuse the driver's phone for the passenger's, and pull up the wrong driver profile).

Apple Car Key works exactly the same way with UWB.