Now you can use your iPhone as a key for your BMW

KUALA LUMPUR: The tech giant, Apple, in association with German automaker, BMW has brought a solution for those who feel their car key is too bulky. During its Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple has officially announced its digital car key technology, a way to unlock the car with iPhone or Apple Watch wirelessly. The association made the BMW, first car maker in the world to offer customers a digital car key.

With the digital key in Apple Wallet, BMW owners just need to tap the iPhone to unlock their car. For this, the person needs to hold the iPhone from the backside up no farther than 1.5 inches away from the outside door handle, and it will unlock. To start the engine, the iPhone is required to be placed on the smartphone tray before pressing the Start/Stop button. 

With maximum security and data protection guaranteed, the digital key even functions when your phone’s battery is dead and it shuts off. The key will still work for hours, depending on the iPhone model.

The customers will be able to configure the digital key with the help of the BMW Smartphone app. The key’s access can be shared with a maximum of five persons via iMessage, including the car access option for young drivers, which limits top speed, horsepower, radio volume, and more. The access would be manageable from inside the car as well as through Apple Wallet. Moreover, one can revoke this sharing at any time.

The digital key is compatible with the iPhone XR, XS, XS Max, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, S, and the Apple Watch Series 5. It would be available in 45 countries for a wide range of models, including BMW Series 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, X5, X6, X7, X5M, X6M and Z4, to be built from July 1, 2020, onwards.

The technology is currently exclusive for BMW cars; however, it will be rolled out across other brands in the future.

Also read: Future BMW X8 likely to have a plug-in hybrid powertrain