Car Keys: A Feature That Lets You Unlock a Car With Your iPhone or Apple Watch

Seems useful in limited circumstances, so I’m not opposed to having options. But, at the same time, it fails too achieve what we all really desire, not having to carry around a key. Putting aside if your phone is lost, stolen, destroyed, malfunctioning, completely dead, a keyless entry key is more convenient 99% of the time.
 
rjohnstone said:
Why would they? They've had this capability for years. They have an NFC reader on the exterior for keycard use or low power BT connection to unlock and start from your phone.
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That NFC only works with keycards at the moment. It's pretty annoying whenever I run to my car and my car doesn't pick up my phone's BT so I can't open my door. So then I have to reach into my wallet, find the keycard, pull it out, and wave it. Would rather just wave my Apple Watch to unlock. Far easier.

Plus my bedroom (where my phone is) is very close to my car. One time my brother came by and opened my trunk without me knowing. If I can disable BT unlock and just rely on my Watch to lock/unlock, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
 
kmm333 said:
You use an Android and are worried about Apple snooping??

Also, CarPlay allows you to unlock your car even if your phone is dead, which isn’t otherwise possible. Not sure if Tesla ever updated their app, but previously you also could not unlock your car if in an area without cell service.
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No kidding! That’s funny bragging about android and then worry about Apple “snooping”. That’s laughable.
 
anson42 said:
Well, Express Mode would allow you to bypass security and would just allow you to carry just the phone and no key fob. That would seem to be a win right there. I think that's how I would use this feature at first while deciding when it might be useful to have security enabled.
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Love the idea of not having to carry my fob, but this is going backwards for me. Right now, i just keep my small fob in my pocket. When i reach for my door handle the door unlocks, when i press the button to start, the car starts. I don’t have to take my fob out for anything. With this, i need to take my phone out (even in express mode) to wake it up (hopefully they don’t expect you to do more than that like open the wallet App or press buttons). Then I need to put my phone in a specific spot to start the car. Definitely not better than what I’ve already had for the last 4 years. When spec 3.0 is ratified and We can keep our phones in our pocket and a car I want implements it (say 10 years from now because car makers are slow) then, let me know.
 
It’s good if you lose or forget your key but I’d rather use my key.Because I don’t even have to take it out of my pocket to get in my car
 
Do I have to wear my tin hat when unlocking/locking using the CarKey?
[This because I am worried that Apple servers will keep a log of my GPS locations forever and ever, and made them available to an ever-vigilant government.]/s
 
Altivec88 said:
Love the idea of not having to carry my fob, but this is going backwards for me. Right now, i just keep my small fob in my pocket. When i reach for my door handle the door unlocks, when i press the button to start, the car starts. I don’t have to take my fob out for anything. With this, i need to take my phone out (even in express mode) to wake it up (hopefully they don’t expect you to do more than that like open the wallet App or press buttons). Then I need to put my phone in a specific spot to start the car. Definitely not better than what I’ve already had for the last 4 years. When spec 3.0 is ratified and We can keep our phones in our pocket and a car I want implements it (say 10 years from now because car makers are slow) then, let me know.
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Or just wave your Apple Watch?

Altivec88 said:
to wake it up (hopefully they don’t expect you to do more than that like open the wallet App or press buttons).
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I've used express mode in Japan, no wake up needed. Just wave and go.
 
Smartphones have more holes than Swiss cheese when it comes to security then the companies are collecting, monitoring, and selling our data. NO THANK YOU I'm not putting all my life data on a smartphone from any company.
 
TroyBoy30 said:
already have keyless entry and remote start...but thanks
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When your keys are left at home? That's pretty neat.
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docbop said:
Smartphones have more holes than Swiss cheese when it comes to security then the companies are collecting, monitoring, and selling our data. NO THANK YOU I'm not putting all my life data on a smartphone from any company.
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You might want to deactivate your macrumors account too then while you're at it. You share your email with them, and probably then you prefer. They can reach out to you via written letter to ask about how your experience was as a user.
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Tesla already does this directly from their app. You're telling me that Apple's solution is one where the technology doesn't already exist within current vehicles? How many years and years did it take for cars to finally adopt Carplay? I'm expecting we'll maybe see this feature available in brand new 2028 vehicles. Useless
 
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It’s just plain cruel to note what Carkey 3.0 might accomplish with BLE LE and UW and then mention that iPhone 11 PRO has it. We all now Apple will be restricting this software feature to new phones due to “claimed” hardware incompatibility or limited ressources available in older phones.
 
TheShadowKnows! said:
Do I have to wear my tin hat when unlocking/locking using the CarKey?
[This because I am worried that Apple servers will keep a log of my GPS locations forever and ever, and made them available to an ever-vigilant government.]/s
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If someone's worried about this, then they shouldn't carry a smartphone at all. There's nothing about unlocking a car that wouldn't already be known simply by having the phone with you. (and yes, I saw the /s, just figured a straight answer still has some value.)
 
The question is whether existing cars will see an upgrade, those with Apple Carplay. But I am not that hopeful as a) firmware updates are a hundreds of dollar free-money affair for dealerships, and b) even with these firmware updates we rarely ever see new features - just bug fixes. For instance, I have one of the first Carplay GMC cars. It requires a wired USB connection with a useless 0.5A "charger" function. Although the car has BT and Wifi, even the latest firmware does not support wireless Carplay. Same with wireless charging that was non-Qi compliant in my car. Instead of offering an upgrade, they tell you to buy a bulky case. Although it was as simple as swapping the charging pad under the armrest with the one from the year later model, which I eventually did myself. Not to forget is BMW who attempted to charge a monthly fee for Carplay. I would not be surprised if we end up paying a fee every time we unlock our cars.
 
Hopefully Subaru updates the software for my 2020 Crosstrek. Would still carry my fob, but a having the backup would be nice. The texting to someone else's iPhone would really be useful.
 
I'm pretty sure that cars with NFC built in and functional (wife's 2020 Forester Touring) won't get this feature because car makers want to sell new cars, not add features to old models that are potentially capable of Carkey or even wireless CarPlay. Only Tesla does feature updates to some older models on a regular basis.
 
Williesleg said:
I've got a Tesla and can tell you their Android app is phenomenal! It's way beyond what a "key" does. Sure, it unlocks the car, but it also lets me control the car, see where the car is (including orientation), real-time, and it integrates with my Power Wall. I could care less about another proprietary Apple thing snooping on me.
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With the Ford app on my iPhone, I can start my car from anywhere in the world, unlock it and see where it is at currently. This has nothing to do with your phone or this feature. I can also unlock, lock, and start my car without ever taking my keys out of my pocket.
 
You could easily set this up aftermarket on any car with power locks and by installing a remote start system we just have to hope Apple opens it up to aftermarket providers as well.
 
And here I thought my husband was nuts for building basically this exact system into my truck 3 years ago with a couple RFID readers, relays and an old galaxy S7 phone. I need to show him this
 
DocMultimedia said:
Hopefully Subaru updates the software for my 2020 Crosstrek. Would still carry my fob, but a having the backup would be nice. The texting to someone else's iPhone would really be useful.
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You actually have a backup - take the actual key out of the fob and use that.

I really see no need for this - I also have a Subaru and I don't have to take anything out of my pocket to do what this really does. I really can't see not carrying the car fob - similar to although I use ApplePay I still have the credit cards in my wallet.
 
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