Apple Car Keys was announced at WWDC 2020. For those who don’t know, Car Keys is a new iOS 14 feature that allows you to unlock your car with an iPhone.
Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority
There’s not a lot of support yet, but the features are really cool. You can send your car key through the Messages app and you can restrict some car functions with a shared key. It also works offline as it is NFC based. Future iterations may even use different wireless connectivity to unlock the car with the phone in your pocket.
Naturally, Android users are probably curious to see if there will be an equivalent for the best Android phones. With so many auto key apps available already, Apple’s unique approach is ahead of the competition. Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like the Apple Car Keys feature is something Android users may not eventually have as well.
Opinion: iPhone 6S running iOS 14 is like the Galaxy S6 running Android 11. Imagine that.
What makes Apple Car Keys that makes it special?
For starters, Apple’s solution challenges many trends. A lot of smart technology requires the cloud, and therefore a constant data connection. Apple Car Keys don’t need those things. NFC technology is available even offline so you can unlock your car anywhere, even if there is an underground garage or other places where there is an irregular connection. That already makes it better than some automaker solutions, as they all require server access.
Some other unique features include full Apple Watch support so you don’t even need to take your phone out of your pocket if you also have the Watch. You don’t need an iOS Car Keys app for it to work either – it can be in Wallet or just be activated as soon as you move your iPhone over your car lock (as long as it’s Apple Car Keys compatible, of course). Finally, Apple has an API for this and is not dependent on apps or services from automakers. Even Android solutions like the official Tesla app require a third-party app for everything to work.
The only downside is that the number of Apple Car Keys-compatible cars will be limited to a handful of BMW vehicles at launch. Support should improve over time.
Apple’s solution and execution are extra clean. Everything happens on or near your person without any access to the cloud or any special trick. Just touch your phone or look at a compatible car and boom, the car is unlocked. It’s hard to criticize that on any level. The good news is that this technology probably won’t be limited to Apple alone.
Now you can do this with NFC
NFC is a surprisingly robust platform. You can buy blank NFC stickers and blank NFC tags on Amazon. From there, you get an app like NFC Tools and go racing. You can toggle various settings, add multiple bits of information, and even make your own commands with something like Tasker.
The problem is that the barrier of entry is quite high. Playing around with tags and NFC apps is a little painful if you’ve never done it before. Those with more experience could easily create a custom NFC car unlocker with this method, but it requires a KeyDuino (an Arduino development board with built-in NFC), knowledge of open source code, and some DIY knowledge.
NFC technology in cars is still fairly new, but it definitely didn’t start with Apple and it definitely won’t end with Apple.
It really isn’t worth it for people who don’t know this, but the technology is already more accessible. Tesla was one of the first to address the issue as you can use NFC to unlock your Tesla through its app. In other words, this technology would come if Apple brought it or not. The question is whether or not Android continues with the integration at the operating system level or if it is up to the application developers to bring it to all of us. It’s not about if, it’s about when.
NFC is just an option
Many automakers, including the ones mentioned above, have apps that let you unlock your phone over a network connection. You can also get third-party components that do more or less the same task, like MoboKey and Viper SmartStart. Applications and services like those use Bluetooth Low Energy or a mobile data connection through a server to start your car and do all kinds of things.
Credit: Car Connectivity Consortium
At the bottom end, you can remotely unlock and start your car. High-end options let you activate climate controls, see the last place you parked, check diagnostics, and, if your vehicle supports it, even leave the parking spot and search for it. High-end options are much more difficult to find and much more expensive to install.
Many automakers, including Ford, Chevrolet, and Hyundai (via Blue Link) also have apps that allow you to unlock your phone over a network connection. However, NFC is definitely the best technology for an offline manual method. Simply touching your car in the right place to open it is a good trick, and it’s easier to pull out a phone than your keys half the time. However, with Bluetooth Low Energy especially, we will eventually get in the car and leave while our phones are with us. That is not a crazy assumption either. There are companies working on this technology at the moment.
The Car Connectivity Consortium
Enter the Car Connectivity Consortium, a group of technology and car companies. The group’s goal is to standardize the technology in each car so that everyone has a similar experience. The group was established in 2011 with the express purpose of using current new technology such as NFC, Bluetooth, etc. for use in cars. In fact, their announcement press release specifically mentions NFC.
Credit: Car Connectivity Consortium
The Consortium did not spend the last nine years doing nothing. They finalized Digital Key Release 2.0 last May, a secure and standardized method for vehicle owners to use their own mobile devices as a digital key specifically through NFC. We are relatively sure that Apple Car Keys uses Digital Key Release 2.0 because the specifications and usage are very similar.
Apple is likely to use a standardized method for Car Keys, which means other platforms should have it, too.
Android users are likely to have access to this technology eventually because it’s a standardization similar to USB-C or the headphone jack. It may not be in the operating system for Android users, but definitely as an app at least. The Consortium already has a website for application developers to integrate car technology independent of the operating system.
The most exciting news is Digital Key Release 3.0, which should include support for multiple connectivity methods, such as Bluetooth Low Energy and other connections. It should allow you to unlock your car without ever touching your smartphone. The two will communicate wirelessly when you’re close enough to unlock (and potentially even start) the car without your input.
Loading surveyIn other words, the technology won’t stop at NFC and it should also easily reach non-Apple devices. Between Bluetooth Low Energy and NFC solutions, you may never need a keychain again.
Apple Car Keys is definitely a game changer for car owners. It is much easier than using your keys unless you have those keyless entry systems. More automakers must support the technology, and of course Android must too. However, based on available information, we see no reason to believe that Android users won’t be getting something like Car Keys in the next year or two. It’s not about if, it’s about when.
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