Future Lynk & Co Vehicles Likely to Support Apple Car Keys

[MacRumors]

Apple's Car Keys feature appears to be coming to future Lynk & Co models, based on code changes discovered by MacRumors in Apple's Wallet app backend.

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.

2021 - 2024 Lynk & Co 01 vehicles already support Apple CarPlay. However, cars do not have NFC functionality by default, so this is a feature that would need to be implemented by the automobile manufacturer in future models.

The Z20 is believed to be Lynk & Co's next car launch – and the company's first electric vehicle – so support for Car Keys could well be introduced with this model, which is expected to launch in various European markets.

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: Future Lynk & Co Vehicles Likely to Support Apple Car Keys

 

[gumbyhw]

It’s impossible to search for which cars support the key service. Must be a vanishingly tiny number.

 

[GoodWheaties]

TIL that there is a car company called Lynk & Co.

 

[coffeemilktea]

It might be an unpopular opinion, but I really wish Chinese-owned car companies like Lynk & Co sold their EVs in North America... it'd shake up the somewhat stale EV market here. 😔

 

[Blackstick]

Man Car companies are glacial in their support of any new technology. And yeah, some will crap the bed and make their own key/app... a la Tesla.

 

[Rychiar]

good to know its coming to car companies I've never once heard of lol

 

[webkit]

Ford sued "Lynk & Co" in 2017 arguing that the name was too close to "Lincoln Company" but I guess it wasn't a strong enough case.

 

[DotCom2]

It’s impossible to search for which cars support the key service. Must be a vanishingly tiny number.

Click on the link. They are all there...LOTS of them.

 

[snebes]

Click on the link. They are all there...LOTS of them.

That link shows CarPlay enabled cars, most of which don't support the CarKey. These aren't many:

BMW:

2021 - 2024 1 Series
2021 - 2024 2 Series
2021 - 2024 3 Series
2021 - 2024 4 Series
2021 - 2024 5 Series
2021 - 2024 6 Series
2021 - 2024 8 Series
2021 - 2024 X5
2021 - 2024 X6
2021 - 2024 X7
2021 - 2024 X5 M
2021 - 2024 X6 M
2021 - 2024 Z4
2022 - 2024 i4
2022 - 2024 iX
2022 - 2024 iX1
2022 - 2024 iX3
2023 i3
2023 - 2024 i7
2024 i5

BYD 2022 - 2024 HAN

Genesis:

2023 - 2024 GV60
2023 - 2024 G90
2024 G70

Hyundai/Kia:

2023 - 2024 Palisade
2023 - 2024 IONIQ 6
2023 - 2024 Telluride
2023 - 2024 Niro
2024 Seltos
2024 EV9

Lotus:

2024 Eletre
2024 Emeya

Mercedes 2024 E‑Class

Dodge 2025 RAM 1500

 

[macduke]

It might be an unpopular opinion, but I really wish Chinese-owned car companies like Lynk & Co sold their EVs in North America... it'd shake up the somewhat stale EV market here. 😔

They can't, because I think the tariffs are so high, and otherwise they would undercut American EVs. So much for free market capitalism!

IMO EVs are one of the biggest scams in the US right now. You typically have to pay $10-40K more to get an equivalent electric version of a vehicle, usually with much less range than ICE or hybrid, with the prospect of maybe saving $1000 per year in gas and oil changes, from what I've seen actual owners post on reddit, and sometimes it's only half that, especially when compared to a good hybrid. Then you finally come across a charging station, and a lot of the machines are broken, or have been damaged by scrappers, or require you to install some app to use it that collects data about you, and then you have to sit there forever waiting for it to charge if you can find an open spot.

Sure, they're better for the environment, but that's why we should be pushing for better infrastructure and more competition, not less. But beyond that, there are way more polluting things out there than our cars, like the private jets that a lot of the executives at these large companies signing off on these environmental advertisements are flying around in. What we really need is a huge push for better hybrids to bridge the gap. I also think the tax credits for EVs has mainly gone to companies bottom lines. They figure "Oh, there is a tax credit, so we can just charge more." and now a lot of tax credits are drying up and so is the market for EVs. Nowadays corporations would rather sell fewer than lower the price on anything because that would put an end to the endless inflation they have inflicted on us and their record profits.

 

[Dj64Mk7]

Perhaps it’s unwarranted with this particular brand (Lynk & Co), but one of my biggest concerns about the prevalence of Chinese technology (TikTok, TEMU, this car brand possibly, and probably others) is that it fosters a global dependence on the technology and investment of a world superpower that has been shown time and time again to not care what anyone else thinks, and to do whatever it takes in order for the reach of their government to expand.

Now, I’m not saying that the US or any other country are all good, just that the expansion of the CCP seems like a worse evil. That being said, do I earnestly believe that we’ll all go to sleep one night and wake up the next morning as Chinese citizens? No, of course not. But the slow, yet steady advancement of Chinese technology (following the well-established dependence on them for manufacturing everything) seems to be a warning sign.

 

[ant69]

whats the point to apple car keys? most modern cars have wireless access, push start anyway, in addition to connected apps. so I never have to take my key out of my pocket - i don't get what this feature adds?

 

[anthogag]

Is Apple Car Key like having another set of keys or does the vehicle's OEM key have to be in the driver's pocket to use the iPhone as a key?

 

[davide_eu]

whats the point to apple car keys? most modern cars have wireless access, push start anyway, in addition to connected apps. so I never have to take my key out of my pocket - i don't get what this feature adds?

It adds a feeling of "exclusivity", like the 3D tv... Just to show to friends...

 

[Alameda]

It might be an unpopular opinion, but I really wish Chinese-owned car companies like Lynk & Co sold their EVs in North America... it'd shake up the somewhat stale EV market here. 😔

It would destroy the EV market here.

 

[icwhatudidthere]

whats the point to apple car keys? most modern cars have wireless access, push start anyway, in addition to connected apps. so I never have to take my key out of my pocket - i don't get what this feature adds?

Not having the key at all.

 

[jjwwqq]

I won’t be buying a car from a China owned company. Among other things, too high a risk that slave labor is involved somewhere.

 

[gumbyhw]

whats the point to apple car keys? most modern cars have wireless access, push start anyway, in addition to connected apps. so I never have to take my key out of my pocket - i don't get what this feature adds?

I don't want to carry a key at all. I usually leave my house with just my watch -- no walley, keys, phone, etc. So havin the car key on my watch would be a win.

 

[alfonsog]

My Kia Niro plug-in hybrid works with it but I never use it

 

[mknelson]

good to know its coming to car companies I've never once heard of lol

Have you heard of Volvo or Geely? That's who's behind Lynk & Co

But, to be fair they're new to me as well, and I follow a lot of EV news!

 

[Supercyborgninja]

Perhaps it’s unwarranted with this particular brand (Lynk & Co), but one of my biggest concerns about the prevalence of Chinese technology (TikTok, TEMU, this car brand possibly, and probably others) is that it fosters a global dependence on the technology and investment of a world superpower that has been shown time and time again to not care what anyone else thinks, and to do whatever it takes in order for the reach of their government to expand.

Now, I’m not saying that the US or any other country are all good, just that the expansion of the CCP seems like a worse evil. That being said, do I earnestly believe that we’ll all go to sleep one night and wake up the next morning as Chinese citizens? No, of course not. But the slow, yet steady advancement of Chinese technology (following the well-established dependence on them for manufacturing everything) seems to be a warning sign.

Yeeahhhhh I’m not at all a fan of China.

But China is for sure not a bigger evil than we are, not even close I’d say. 😂

 

[Supercyborgninja]

I won’t be buying a car from a China owned company. Among other things, too high a risk that slave labor is involved somewhere.

We made children 17 years and younger working in factories legalized.

😐

 

[xpxp2002]

Ford sued "Lynk & Co" in 2017 arguing that the name was too close to "Lincoln Company" but I guess it wasn't a strong enough case.

I was even going to say, this sounds like some joke play off of "Lincoln".

 

[xpxp2002]

whats the point to apple car keys? most modern cars have wireless access, push start anyway, in addition to connected apps. so I never have to take my key out of my pocket - i don't get what this feature adds?

One less monstrous key fob to carry around. I can already unlock my car with their iPhone app, which has been super convenient compared to having to run to go get the fob every time I just need to grab something out of the trunk. It would be nice if I could do it with NFC rather than having to wait 30 seconds for the request to go through the cell network, though. And ultimately, be able to drive without the key fob.

Thanks to HomeKit, I've got a keyring with only my mailbox key and the car key fob. I'd love to be rid of the thing altogether.

 

[CrysisDeu]

TIL that there is a car company called Lynk & Co.

It’s a pretty large brand under Geely