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BMW Announces Plans to Launch Ultra Wideband Version of Apple's Car Key Feature by Early Next Year
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I believe this may still be true for the Model S and X, but the Model 3 and Model Y use Bluetooth LE and do not require an internet connection to unlock/start driving since 2017.
No they are using an outdated Bluetooth connection that is neither very secure nor as energy efficient as ultra wideband. It also does not have the NFC fallback that even works when your phone is empty.
Well your boss is wrong. Just place the phone on the contactless charging pad inside the car ans drive off.
Misleading. Tesla can unlock passively via Bluetooth or keycard offline for the Model 3 and Y. You only need the app to unlock if you're outside bluetooth range. Plenty of owners can unlock their cars while underground in a parking garage with 0 internet access. Keyfobs for S and X don't need internet.
Have you used it? Works 95% of the time, but the other 5% doesn't unlock and requires me to launch the app to unlock manually. Bluetooth isn't reliable.
Even Linus experienced it when he filmed the Model Y review (1:20)
Also, CarKey will work even if your phone is at 0% battery (iPhone has some reserve for up to 5 hours)
And, if I lose my iPhone and wallet (which has happened when I was at the gym), my Apple Watch can be the backup.
Lastly, my brother was able to open my trunk without me knowing since my phone inside my room was close enough to the car. Doesn't seem too secure and would rather just wave my Apple Watch at the B-Pillar to unlock with 100% reliability.
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That horse left the barn decades ago, but it's not too late to don your faraday cage suit...
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You can do both.
BMW already does both, has been doing both for several years and will probably keep doing both.
They are only improving one of the options.
This way they can even do both better as the key can be kept simpler and leave weirder options for an app.
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not having to carry the fob in your pocket
I don't think you really understand how Digital Key Plus works. Read the story again.
Personal subscription is for the driver side door only. If you need to open more doors, there’s a family subscription. With BMW One you get everything from the family tier plus a larger fuel tank and you can use the car on all roads, not just one route.
Oh, another BMW Apple collaboration.
I’ve gone through a few of these:
- Apple OS update
- BMW feature stops working or has glitches
- Dealer says BMW needs to update software
- Functionality again becomes operative on newly introduced models
- Dealer says my prior-gen model probably won’t be updated.
- I got a year or 2's use out of this feature.
I’ve gone through a few of these:
- Apple OS update
- BMW feature stops working or has glitches
- Dealer says BMW needs to update software
- Functionality again becomes operative on newly introduced models
- Dealer says my prior-gen model probably won’t be updated.
- I got a year or 2's use out of this feature.
Given the technology available at the time, Tesla has done an excellent job on the 3/Y with the phone being a car key. But yeah, would be awesome if they could implement UWB at one point going forward.
This is true to an extent - especially when CarKey relied on NFC and you had to remove and tap you phone.
But with UWB and not needing to remove your phone from your pocket, the phone can be like the key, just in a passive state. Walk up, get in, start and drive off.
It doesn’t sound like much, but to those who have been able to use their cars like this for a few years now will tell you, its such a nice feattire.
The general app depends on the internet. The ‘phone key’ aspect of the app just needs the local BLE connection between phone and car.
I think the report you might be recalling is when something really odd happened with the app and it kicked users out, needing to log back in. Didn’t affect me at the time, but that’s a very rare occurrence. I also tend to carry my backup ‘key’, which is a credit card size card that uses NFC and can tap to unlock. I’ve never had to use it, just keep it in my wallet.
Great.
Except BMW will charge you $100 per year for the functionality.
Except BMW will charge you $100 per year for the functionality.
You don’t need your key anymore. Less things in your pocket. I use this now with my BMW, although you have to point your watch or iPhone to the door handle to open. No key needed either to start the car. Love it!
This upgrade will make it much better.
I cannot wait for this to expand to other car brands. I like the idea of not having to carry a normal key around. Instead either my phone, watch, or a backup key shaped like a credit card would be nice.
As a Tesla driver who has been able to use a similar feature for years, I can say that not having to carry a key fob is really, really great. This is an innovation that truly adds value.
I use the MagSafe wallet for my iPhone, so now I just carry one item that is my phone, wallet, and car key. I love it and could never go back!
I use the MagSafe wallet for my iPhone, so now I just carry one item that is my phone, wallet, and car key. I love it and could never go back!
They don’t. However an iPhone 12 Pro Max will not fit in the charging well unless you remove its case. Oops...
That’s incorrect. You don’t need to have the Fob once you set up the Digital Key. There is also a Digital Card (like a credit card) you can keep in your wallet as a backup. Suggest to your boss he go talk to a BMW Genius.