New Delhi: Tesla may soon let drivers unlock and start their cars using Apple Car Keys instead of relying only on the Tesla app. Signs of this change were found in a recent update to the Tesla mobile app, suggesting the company is preparing to support digital car keys that work at the system level of a smartphone, not just inside an app.
Version 4.52.0 of the Tesla app includes several code references to something called “Harmony Wallet Key Cards”, says a report from Not a Tesla App. This points to Tesla working on native digital keys that can be stored directly in a phone’s wallet, similar to how Apple Car Keys work on iPhones. This would be a shift from Tesla’s current “Phone Key” feature, which depends on Bluetooth and requires the Tesla app to stay active in the background.
How Tesla car may work with Apple’s key feature
At present, if the app stops running or Bluetooth has issues, the phone key may not work properly. A native wallet-based key would avoid this problem because the digital key would be stored in the phone’s secure hardware. This makes access quicker, as the system does not depend on the app being open.
The Tesla app’s code primarily refers to Huawei’s HarmonyOS, indicating that Tesla might initially release this feature for Huawei phones that use Huawei Wallet. In China, where HarmonyOS is widely used, Tesla frequently tests new software features before bringing them to other markets. While Apple Wallet and Google Wallet are not directly named in the code, the setup is similar to Apple’s Car Key system.
How this feature will help Tesla owners
Apple introduced Car Keys in 2020, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start their cars using an iPhone or Apple Watch. These keys can work through NFC, Bluetooth, or ultra-wideband technology. One major benefit is Express Mode, which lets users unlock their car without using Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode. The system can also continue working even when the phone’s battery is very low.
If Tesla adopts this system fully, owners could use their phones more like physical key cards, but with added reliability and security. Other carmakers are already moving in this direction. Earlier this month, Rivian added native support for digital keys in both Apple Wallet and Google Wallet. Companies such as Porsche, Toyota, and General Motors are also working on similar features.