Apple’s Digital Car Keys Are Going Mainstream And Your Car Might Be Next: Remember when losing your car keys meant panic and flipping couch cushions like you were on a treasure hunt? Well, Apple wants to put those days behind you. And this time, it’s not just for the BMW and Audi crowd.
Apple’s Digital Car Keys
At its annual WWDC event, Apple announced it’s expanding the digital car key feature inside Apple Wallet to a wider pool of car brands. That’s right, more drivers will soon be able to lock, unlock, and start their vehicles straight from their iPhones. No keys. No fobs. Just vibes and Bluetooth.
New Brands Joining the Party
Until now, the feature was mostly limited to fancy wheels from brands like BMW, Audi, Genesis, and Rivian. Hyundai and Kia were the only ones throwing a lifeline to budget-conscious folks. But that’s changing fast.
Acura, Chevy, Cadillac, and GMC are officially joining the club in the US. That brings Apple’s total to 13 automaker partners worldwide. The catch? Apple didn’t say exactly when you’ll see this in new cars. The timeline is a classic Apple “coming soon.” Translation: maybe next quarter, maybe next year.
No Apple Car, No Problem
In case you forgot, Apple spent nearly a decade trying to build its own car under the codename “Project Titan.” Billions went into the project, and then earlier this year… poof. Cancelled.
Instead of building a car, Apple decided it’s better to live inside everyone else’s. The company doubled down on CarPlay, the iPhone-powered dashboard system. It’s like Apple’s way of riding shotgun in your life, controlling your music, maps, and maybe your mood on the way to work.
CarPlay Gets a Makeover
Speaking of which, Apple also showed off the new CarPlay. It’s getting a fresh coat of paint with their sleek Liquid Glass design, interactive tiles, and new standby widgets. Now even your car’s idle screen will be flexing calendar events and stylish clocks like it’s got something to prove.
Not Everyone’s a Fan
But here’s the twist. Some automakers are starting to ghost Apple. GM, yep, the same one adding digital car key support is phasing out Apple CarPlay in its new electric vehicles. Instead of mirroring your iPhone, GM wants you to live in their custom software called Ultifi. It’s part of their plan to own the user experience and, more importantly, the juicy data that comes with it.
And GM’s not alone. Tesla and Rivian have never supported CarPlay. These brands are all-in on their own native systems. Why? Because they can offer features Apple simply can’t. Like when a Tesla maps your route to a Supercharger and preheats the battery automatically to charge faster, that’s tight integration you won’t get from an iPhone app.
The Road Ahead
So what’s next? Apple’s slowly becoming a digital co-driver, one Wallet feature at a time. And even if it doesn’t build a car, it sure knows how to make driving feel a bit more like scrolling through your phone.
One thing’s for sure, your keychain is getting lighter.
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