Using iPhone as a key?

[timc3]

I have this feature on the 2021 BMW 330e we have and I have used it quite a bit so far, as I don’t always carry the key. It works better for me than others seem to be reporting.

walk up to the car, put my Apple watch next to the door handle - it unlocks, take my iphone 13 and just put it any old way as long as its not top or bottom first in the central cubby , it begins wireless charging and I can drive off. Has worked everytime.

I haven’t tried it with a phone the battery has died on, because I havent had the battery die on my phone since I have had it (somehow it lasts a day and a half), but the documentation talks about 5 hours after battery died - not after shutdown that would be different for the secure enclave system.

Its an excellent feature, and yes I wish Porsche had it.

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[daveo4EV]

@timc3 thank you for the detailed/factual update - I was wondering about the watch - having it work with the watch is kinda killer feature in my opinion - less cumbersome to present your watch to the door handle than the phone - also with the watch you don't have to mark it as an "express item" because if the watch is on your wrist it's unlocked - keeping the 'card' secure behind phone unlock on the phone…

having watch support well supported moves BMW up in my opinion to an even closer 2nd place to Tesla - and the watch should work if it's alive even when the phone is dead - so you in essense have two "keys" with you if you have a watch & phone - if one is dead use the other…super cool.

and yes I'd love it for porsche to support either of these approaches - I think they could do tesla's approach if they wanted to because it may be able to be done with existing blutooth hardware already in their cars - where as the BMW/NFC approache requires additional door handle NFC readers and some NFC reader inside the vehicle…

if porsche were sufficiently motivated they could probably make it work via Porsche App + bluetooth (like tesla) but would require new software for vehicle to "enable" this type of functionality via existing blutooth hardware in the vehicle. so I'm dubious that we'll see them pursue anything like that…

NFC/Phone as key support will probably come when VW/Audi/Porsche group have this worked out for their entire supply chain - 2024 MY would be the earliest I could envision that happening - 2026 is more likely _IF_ Porsche thinks they actually need it…I'm also dubious as to if they consider this something they even need to care about…

 

[daveo4EV]

Apple has enabled the iPhone and Apple Watch wallet to act as an electronic key for qualified vehicles. does anyone know if the Taycan qualifies? I know that when I was considering getting a BMW i4 M50, this feature would’ve been available.

answer no - Taycan does not qualify - LOL - I think we've covered it.

 

[tigerbalm]

However, if the phone is turned off (or dead I assume) neither works (or at least not the door lock so I couldn't test the start but no reason to think it would work if the door doesn't)

Turning off is not the same as battery dead.

To support the "express card" mode – the iPhone holds a small bit of battery in reserve. When the iPhone reports 0% battery – it will "shut down" – but in reality it just turns off most of the phone's hardware.

When in "power reserve" mode you have to press the side button on your device and that will "power up the NFC hardware" enough to open your car. The main idea of this is that you won't get locked out of your car because you didn't charge your phone.

Manually shutting off your phone does not cause it to enter the "power reserve" mode – that is enabled automatically by iOS when the phone hits "0%" battery.

https://support.apple.com/en-ie/guide/security/sec90cd29d1f/web

 

[Gwaihir]

More importantly, anyone found a good solution for carrying the alarm fob? I've been trying to find a little pouch to attach to my house keys, but all of the things on amazon that look like they'd do the trick turn out to be enormous. Not sure how long the fob will survive just rattling around in my trouser pocket.

I’m sure this is the one I’ve been using for the last 2 years.

 

[timc3]

@timc3 thank you for the detailed/factual update - I was wondering about the watch - having it work with the watch is kinda killer feature in my opinion - less cumbersome to present your watch to the door handle than the phone - also with the watch you don't have to mark it as an "express item" because if the watch is on your wrist it's unlocked - keeping the 'card' secure behind phone unlock on the phone…

having watch support well supported moves BMW up in my opinion to an even closer 2nd place to Tesla - and the watch should work if it's alive even when the phone is dead - so you in essense have two "keys" with you if you have a watch & phone - if one is dead use the other…super cool.

and yes I'd love it for porsche to support either of these approaches - I think they could do tesla's approach if they wanted to because it may be able to be done with existing blutooth hardware already in their cars - where as the BMW/NFC approache requires additional door handle NFC readers and some NFC reader inside the vehicle…

if porsche were sufficiently motivated they could probably make it work via Porsche App + bluetooth (like tesla) but would require new software for vehicle to "enable" this type of functionality via existing blutooth hardware in the vehicle. so I'm dubious that we'll see them pursue anything like that…

NFC/Phone as key support will probably come when VW/Audi/Porsche group have this worked out for their entire supply chain - 2024 MY would be the earliest I could envision that happening - 2026 is more likely _IF_ Porsche thinks they actually need it…I'm also dubious as to if they consider this something they even need to care about…

I need to check whether I need to unlock the phone, because I thought it didn't but maybe I always have the watch on and that automatically unlocks the phone. I will try it at some point!

I think if VW Group checks out the competition regularly then they might be persuaded sooner but I am not holding my breath. In some ways the BMW is ahead of the Taycan, particularly I like the iDrive controller, the menus have a better UX, the rear camera is usable, the self drive works nicely - but the drivers display in the BMW is nowhere near as clear as the Taycan's. Overall we are really happy with the 330e but looking forward to picking up my own Taycan next week.

 

[BigBob]

I’m sure this is the one I’ve been using for the last 2 years.

Thanks- i await delivery! Hopefully quicker than a new Taycan....

 

[Superrat]

Am I a luddite as I am happy with the key in my pocket and being able to unlock the door simply by touching? What am I missing?

Here her how friggin hard is it to have a key in your pocket. we have become a very lazy society

 

[daveo4EV]

Here her how friggin hard is it to have a key in your pocket. we have become a very lazy society

why carry a 2nd FOB when your phone can do the job better and more securely - and people always have their phones and they are harder to lose - FOBs are single purpose, insecure, unfindable once lost, and expensive to replace...

it's not a matter of laziness it's a matter of consolidation - one device to rule them all - people always have a phone with them - why not leverage that?

the only thing lazy here is the fact that Porsche/VW/Audi don't yet offer this functionality - it's a reasonable ask given the capabilities of modern devices - frankly the fewer things I need with me to operate my life the better - and vehicle FOB's are an anachronism that need to die…they aren't really that good - better than mechanical keys - but only slightly.

 

[IrwinJ]

Here her how friggin hard is it to have a key in your pocket. we have become a very lazy society

not that at all, has nothing to do with being lazy. For those of us concerned about the key falling out of the pocket, especially that we're only given one key,. its more important than ever.

 

[hhf2]

i don’t consider the goofy car-shaped key “small”.

I liked Tesla’s app based key, with the credit-card key in the outside flap of my wallet. This way if my phone was dead I could just touch my wallet to the door, and wave it around the console to start.

Of course the Tesla’s smart enough to know when the driver has left and automatically locks the car as you walk away, so no thumb-jive on the door handle or need to fish around for the lock button in your pocket.

the Tesla phone key is really par for the course now, as far as I am concerned. The Taycan system is archaic by comparison and the welcome handles don't really work. When you walk around the car that's opened, it oftentimes re-closes. Snagged my two year old's hands more than once. Sucks. And what's with the 'touch the door handle' non-sense...either be old fashioned and use the key or arrive in 2022 and do it like Tesla.

 

[tigerbalm]

job better and more securely

One of the nicer features of Apple CarKey is you can send it via imessage to someone else – in a controlled manner – so they can access your car. Without having to get a physical key to them or "add them up to your account". It's simple but there are a few times I'm sure it is very convenient.

The only thing I like about my Porsche Key – is its the colour of my car – Neptune Blue.

 

[daveo4EV]

easier "sharing" is a really really nice feature and true with Tesla and phone as a key…

 

[timc3]

I tested again without the watch, and it works without unlocking my iphone.

For everyone that says that they don't need it and you have the key, fine but it works, and I find it useful. I remember stupid arguments against central locking back in the day along similar lines, and it's just as useful. if not more so than that to me - I don't keep the BMW key on me everyday as it's not my daily car but I can still unlock the car and drive it if I need to.

 

[KensingtonPark]

Now that I understand how it works (i.e., like the fob), I would absolutely love to have this feature on a future car of mine. No chance it will ever show up on a car that I already own, however…

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