Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
Using your phone instead of a key fob is one of the slickest tricks in modern cars — and the feature is now spreading to many more driveways. General Motors will enable digital keys inside Apple Wallet for models from three of its best-known nameplates: Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC.
What digital car keys do
A digital car key lives in your phone's wallet app and replaces — or supplements — the traditional key fob. Walk up to a supported car with your iPhone in your pocket, and the doors unlock. Sit down, press the start button, and drive. You can also share the key with family members through a message, setting limits like a maximum speed or curfew for younger drivers.
The feature uses a mix of NFC and ultra-wideband depending on the car. NFC versions ask you to hold the phone near the door handle; UWB versions work passively while the phone stays in your bag or pocket.
How to add a car key to Apple Wallet
The exact steps vary by manufacturer, but the general flow is the same. In the car maker's app or on its website, look for the option to add your vehicle to Apple Wallet. You will usually need to be near the car with an existing physical key the first time.
On your iPhone, open the Wallet app and tap the plus button, then choose the car key option and follow the pairing prompts. Once added, the key appears alongside your cards and passes. Keep your phone charged — express mode lets the key work even when the battery is nearly flat, but it still draws some power.
Requirements and limitations
Not every GM vehicle qualifies. Support typically rolls out to newer model years first, and the specific trim matters — base models may skip the hardware. Check with your dealer or the owner's manual for your exact car before counting on the feature.
You also need a reasonably recent iPhone. Car key support requires the secure hardware found in newer models, and the sharing and passive-entry features need ultra-wideband, which arrived with the iPhone 11 and later.
Security notes worth knowing
Digital keys use encrypted communication between the phone and the car, and the credential lives in the iPhone's Secure Enclave rather than in the app. If you lose your phone, you can suspend the key through iCloud — the same way you would suspend a credit card.
One honest caveat: no wireless system is magic. Relay attacks are a known concern for all keyless systems, so parking in a garage and keeping the car software updated remain good habits.
With Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC joining in, Apple's car key ecosystem keeps growing — and the humble key fob edges closer to retirement.
Via: 9to5Mac.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
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