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iPhone's Car Key Feature Now Supports Select 2022 Genesis and Kia Vehicles [Updated]
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Leaving your phone in your pocket and have it autounlock is harder than using a keyless fob?
This literally replicates the same functionality yet lets you not have to carry a key. Does no one actually read the articles or do you just read the headline and jump to a conclusion?
You are correct, I didn’t read the article. My bad. But regardless until the phone can do everything the fob can do I’m not gonna waste my time with it.
Both of you should know that the car needs to support this. The only car that supports the UWB CarKey is the BMW iX. That's it. Not even the BMW i4 supports it. So technically you are both wrong. None of the Hyundais or Kia's support UWB at this time. The Genesis GV60 is not out yet, so I don't think there is any official documentation if it is supported or not.
Well thieves have been stealing even the most expensive cars apparently by intercepting the signals between key fobs and car, so would be interesting to know if the iPhone method uses similar tech, thr key fobs though send the signals out constantly.
My 2012 Prius c had a key fob that could stay in my pocket. Once I got within a few feet of the driver door it would unlock and let me get in. I only needed to push the start button to start the car and go. The keys never had to leave my pocket. When I got out of the car and moved a few feet away it would shut off the engine/motor if it was running and lock the doors. Apple’s BS feature is a decade later than that Toyota key fob, and not as good.
That makes sense, thank you. I was thinking of getting a BMW in October but changed to the two Hondas because I thought they were just better quality these days.
Honda...more reliable but cheaper components all around. BMW wins hands down in fun to drive category. Honda is like Lexus...quite boring. I just left the Lexus realm after many years of them. Driving is fun again.
I hear people say this sometimes, but as a Tesla owner who has the periodic misfortune of using CarPlay when I'm on vacation, why on earth would you want that?
Tesla has a better native music, texting, and maps than anything that CarPlay delivers - why would you want to subject yourself to using CarPlay?
It's like begging to get Windows on an M1 Mac just so you can use Chrome... it's already there without going through the hoops, so why would you want to make it needlessly more complicated?
If it's specifically Apple Music you want, Elon has said it'll come. I was pretty sure we would have a Tesla App Store by now... I figured Tesla would have Apple provide the app themselves instead of having their own internal team develop yet another music app...
You always hold your key fob? ? Mine goes in my pocket.
Also all those features should theoretically be able to be programmed into a phone. A phone should be able to do more than a fob. Watch too.
As the article says, it works while leaving the phone in your pocket. So it’s completely hands free. There’s also Apple Watch if you have one and don’t even want to bring your phone.
Is this because of the Tesla key fob or the card or Tesla phone app? If fob, then obviously the goal is to not have to carry that around. If card in wallet, then I hope to not have to carry around my wallet either, or at least slim it down as much as possible. If app, then how does it know when I’m near the car?
Yes to CarPlay (and wireless)
It can unlock/lock/start a car. The BMW fob can do more things than that and much faster. No brainer.
A phone or watch can be programmed to do that and much more. And the app should pop up when you get near your car via UWB chip, so it’s no more cumbersome than pulling out a key fob. Not sure if these apps exist already, but if not it’s only because manufacturers have chosen not to make them yet.
I use it daily on my 2022 BMW X6. It works good enough that I don't carry keys anymore, however it is less than pleasant to use due to a few factors:
- BMW X6 (even 2022 model) doesn't support the UWB feature, meaning I have to manually tap the phone every time. It would be 10x more convenient if they just added the UWB.
- The handlebar antenna is not good enough and sometimes I need to tap it a few times for it to unlock.
- Only the driver-side handle has the reader. Pax side, rear doors, or even the trunk don't have readers meaning if you want to put something in the trunk you have to: Unlock the passenger door, open the passenger door, hit either the unlock doors and/or trunk button, close door, and walk all the way back to the trunk. Want to take something from the passenger seat before locking and walking away? Get out of driver seat, close driver door, walk around, take stuff from the passenger side, close passenger door, walk all the way back, lock using the driver handlerbar, walk away. Very inconvenient and downright annoying. BMW could've just spent the extra $50 or so per vehicle to put the reader on all doors + near the trunk.
- To start the car you have to put the phone in the reader, which is awkwardly located in a tight spot. Why do I have to put the phone in the reader and wait for it to read so I can start when I literally just unlocked the door with it 10 seconds ago?
The app still has to be "open" and in the background. But since it uses Bluetooth LE it doesn't drain the battery and it works pretty reliably. Similar to many other Bluetooth devices like the August door lock. Although in my experience the Tesla works better than my August.
The Polestar 2 Phone as Key works brilliantly, also uses Bluetooth LE. Can easily handle multiple paired phones; i.e. my wife and I have different profiles and it is smart enough even when travelling together who is in the driving seat. I love it, one less thing to carry...