CarKey, a feature that lets you turn on your car without having to use your keys, is available on iOS 14. Here's how it works
During WWDC 2020 Apple unveiled many new features for iOS 14: widgets and App Library to better manage home screen apps, new fitness and real-time translation apps, and a completely redesigned Siri. Among the new features there are some that have gone under the radar, but in reality could represent a real revolution. One of these is CarKey, the new tool built into the iPhone and Apple Watch that allows you to open and close car doors and even start the vehicle without using the keys: just bring your smartphone and everything happens automatically.
The credit is NFC technology and the new function developed by Apple. CarKey is, for all intents and purposes, a digital key and uses very high protection systems to ensure maximum security. Moreover, CarKey allows you to share the key to open and start the car with friends and family: for example, if you need to lend your car to a friend, just send him the digital key by message.
CarKey, unfortunately, is not compatible with all Apple smartphones and even with all smartwatches of the Cupertino company. As announced on the official website, only the latest models will be able to use this feature: here's what they are.
How CarKey works
CarKey is a new feature developed by Apple that allows you to turn on the car without using the keys, but using your smartphone or smartwatch. The feature uses NFC and Background Tag Reading technology present only on some devices from the Cupertino company.
The operation of CarKey is quite simple. Dopo aver caricato la chiave digitale sul dispositivo tramite l’app Wallet, basterà avvicinarlo alla portiera per aprire l’automobile e posizionarlo sul tag NFC per accenderla.
CarKey permetterà anche di condividere la chiave con amici e parenti tramite le piattaforme di messaggistica. Tutto avviene nella massima sicurezza, senza nessun timore che qualche hacker possa in qualche modo rubarvi l’automobile.
Su quali iPhone e Apple Watch funziona CarKey
CarKey sarà compatibile sia con iOS 13 sia con iOS 14 e anche con watch OS 7. La lista dei dispositivi compatibili, però, non comprende tutti gli smartphone e gli smartwatch Apple che utilizzano questi sistemi operativi. Apple ha pubblicato l’elenco ufficiale dei dispositivi compatibili con CarKey:
- iPhone Xr,
- iPhone Xs,
- iPhone Xs Max,
- iPhone 11,
- iPhone 11 Pro,
- iPhone 11 Pro Max,
- iPhone SE di seconda generazione,
- Apple Watch Serie 5.
With which cars is CarKey compatible
The first car that will use CarKey technology will be BMW's 5 Series coming in 2021. In the coming months there are sure to be other manufacturers adopting the technology on their cars
.