BMW plotting keyless future
German car-maker primed to adopt Apple CarKey in a move that could make car keys redundant in the futureBMW could be the first mainstream car-maker in the world to adopt Apple CarKey, allowing owners to use an iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock and drive their vehicles.
According to
, a reference to BMW has been found in the beta version of Apple's forthcoming iOS 14 operating system, leading experts to believe the German car-maker is ready to incorporate Apple CarKey on its future models.First launched in February this year, Apple CarKey currently uses Near-Field Communication (NFC) to unlock a vehicle – but only after FaceID, a fingerprint pass or passwords has been used.
For it to work on a car, manufacturer authorisation must be granted to allow Apple CarKey to work.
Owners will be able to share their key with friends and family, giving them access to their car.
Usefully, Apple CarKey privileges can be individually calibrated, restricting some keys to only access the boot or interior, for example.
The same tech can remotely un/lock the vehicle, adjust the climate control or manage EV charging through Apple's software.
Concerns have long been raised over the security of digital keys, NFC technology and even keyless entry.
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