Car Keys

Car Keys is a digital key system developed by Apple for use with supported automobiles. It functions as part of the Apple Wallet app in iOS and watchOS.

Development history
The technology was secretly introduced into iOS 13.4 for testing with the 2021. It became publicly accessible on July 15, 2020 through the Apple Wallet app in iOS 13.6 and watchOS 6.2.8. iPads are not supported as they lack NFC technology.

Supported vehicles
The digital key specification for cars is maintained by the Car Connectivity Consortium. As of 2023, most implementations of the technology follow the Digital Key 2.0 standard. The first automobile to follow the Digital Key 3.0 standard was the BMW iX. Manufacturers can set limits on how many people a key can be shared with. For instance, Kia only allows 3, while Mercedes-Benz permits up to 16.

Some vehicles may need software or hardware upgrades to support a specific digital wallet. Also, not all trims for these listed models have the necessary hardware to support digital keys.

Keys that are compatible with Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet, and Apple Wallet can be shared across platforms.