Porsche Digital Key

[questionmillennium]

So the EV Cayenne will have this Porsche Digital Key which looks like it's the Apple Key that was mentioned a while ago. I highly doubt it will come to our Taycans, but it would be freaking awesome if it did, especially since the technology to make this work doesn't sound like it should be retrofitted or is complicated. The car key already can unlock the doors in proximity.

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[trycan]

especially since the technology to make this work doesn't sound like it should be retrofitted or is complicated

The current Taycan keyfob works by RFID (pretty sure).
This Apple digital key is going to work by either NFC or bluetooth. There are new sensors being added to the Cayenne to enable this capability.
Wishful thinking about a retrofit, but not going to happen.

My last car (Mach E) had the phone-as-key and I don't miss it because carrying the FOB around is no big deal to me. It took Ford a few years until they had the success rate reach an acceptable level. Nothing worse than standing next to the door and restarting apps to get the car to open.

 

[ferdiaz]

My last car (Mach E) had the phone-as-key and I don't miss it because carrying the FOB around is no big deal to me.

That's precisely what I fail to grasp. I have never used my phone as a key, but what is the net benefit of it? Not having to carry the fob around? Or is it more the safety net of being able to open your car in case the fob gets locked inside? The latter shouldn't be an issue, though, as the Porsche app already allows unlocking the car.

I ask this out of genuine curiosity.

 

[Sar]

That's precisely what I fail to grasp. I have never used my phone as a key, but what is the net benefit of it? Not having to carry the fob around? Or is it more the safety net of being able to open your car in case the fob gets locked inside? The latter shouldn't be an issue, though, as the Porsche app already allows unlocking the car.

I ask this out of genuine curiosity.

There isn't some magical reason to uncover - maybe it's something you need to experience to appreciate. Before buying my Taycan, I solely drove my Model Y for the last 5 years, and it felt like such a great quality of life feature to only need my phone anywhere I went (I have a phone wallet case, so no need for a wallet either). It just makes everything simple, and I don't need to have the annoyance of a key fob in my pocket (or forgetting it in the drink holder).

I find myself extremely annoyed by my Taycan key fob due to this experience.

 

[chun]

People that don’t understand the appeal of a digital key / apple key are people that don’t use their phone a lot.

My phone is something I always have within reach, charged and ready to go. My work, my bank, hobbies, contacts, identity documents, and online presence are all there.

Why would I want to carry a something extra when the key could just be a part of the “everything magic box that does everything”

 

[pjg03d]

That's precisely what I fail to grasp. I have never used my phone as a key, but what is the net benefit of it? Not having to carry the fob around? Or is it more the safety net of being able to open your car in case the fob gets locked inside? The latter shouldn't be an issue, though, as the Porsche app already allows unlocking the car.

I ask this out of genuine curiosity.

I have enjoyed reducing what I carry in my pockets to... my phone, a key fob and usually a pocket knife, and leaving the massive key ring of nonsense at home. Wouldn't mind also losing the key fob at some point too.

I also think pulling out my phone, unlocking it, opening an app, waiting for it to respond, waiting to see if the command went through, wondering why it's taking so long....are my doors locked? Did this work? etc etc is obnoxious, so don't mind the fob all that much either.

 

[moltenfire]

Before I got my Taycan, I drove a Model 3 Performance for 6.5 years. Tesla has phone-as-key, and since 2024, Apple Watch-as-key as well. In that time, I've only had to carry my phone with me and sometimes I only had my watch with me. It felt so free not having to search various pants for keys, and even if I forgot my phone at home, I'll have my watch on me and the car will always open and start for me. It's a huge quality of life upgrade.

 

[refazi]

This option exists for the MY26 Macan EV and now the Cayenne EV and will trickle to the rest of the cars eventually..
The Macan EVs without that hardware still has it as a hidden app (so far..)

I also had a 2021 i4 with Apple key, the iX got it too, BMW cheapened out (on a chip i guess) and only the iX had the "distance control apple key" that uses the UWB tech similar to what AirTags use..

Porsche seems to have the good implementation - "only" took 5 years

 

[Brombaer1971]

Just by judging the quality of the current key (hint: the proximity functions are not really good), Apple Key can only be much better. And even more, the security of its implementation is miles better. Current security recommandation regarding Volkswagen Group proximity Funktionality is to turn it off.

 

[chun]

I also think pulling out my phone, unlocking it, opening an app, waiting for it to respond, waiting to see if the command went through, wondering why it's taking so long....are my doors locked? Did this work? etc etc is obnoxious, so don't mind the fob all that much either.

It’s not how it works.
It works like Apple Pay

You don’t take your phone out, and then wait for your bank to fax you a mail with the check to pay your cucumber.
You just press a button and done.

 

[Wivenhoe]

The 2026 EV Macan also has it as a $ 250 option on comfort access. There are extensive posts on the MacanEV forum regards whether it could come as a software download on 2024 / 2025 cars - the knowledgable owners say it need additional hardware despite the Macan EV already having UWB.

 

[69Mach390]

That's precisely what I fail to grasp. I have never used my phone as a key, but what is the net benefit of it? Not having to carry the fob around? Or is it more the safety net of being able to open your car in case the fob gets locked inside? The latter shouldn't be an issue, though, as the Porsche app already allows unlocking the car.

I ask this out of genuine curiosity.

My last car had PAAK as well. Some people used it exclusively. I only used it sometimes (like when going to the beach or gym when I didn’t want to carry keys around).

Or, when just needing to grab something out of the car or put something in the car.

I ALWAYS have my phone with me. I don’t always have my keys.

Really it’s just one less thing to carry around.

 

[ferdiaz]

My last car had PAAK as well. Some people used it exclusively. I only used it sometimes (like when going to the beach or gym when I didn’t want to carry keys around).

Or, when just needing to grab something out of the car or put something in the car.

I ALWAYS have my phone with me. I don’t always have my keys.

Really it’s just one less thing to carry around.

I guess it's one of those things that I'd need to try out to feel the benefit of it first hand.

I just have the feeling that, in the greater scheme of things, carrying the fob around is the lesser of all nuisances. But hey, I certainly wouldn't say NO to my CT getting this feature OTA!

 

[Brombaer1971]

I would certainly pay some money to be able to add it to the car. I hate having the heavy bulky FOB in some trousers and having the possibility to „hand over“ the key to someone else would be great. And having the key on my watch is killer because I wear it all the time.

And loosing the FOB weight means improving my lap times significantly too

 

[chun]

The 2026 EV Macan also has it as a $ 250 option on comfort access. There are extensive posts on the MacanEV forum regards whether it could come as a software download on 2024 / 2025 cars - the knowledgable owners say it need additional hardware despite the Macan EV already having UWB.

It definitely needs some new hardware, since Macan EV MY26 got it and now the Cayenne.

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