TECH
Your Chevrolet key on your iPhone? Apple and GM are preparing
The promise of a future where wallets and physical keys become obsolete, replaced by your iPhone and Apple Watch, is getting closer and closer to becoming a reality. At its developer conference (WWDC) this year, Apple announced that 13 new car brands had committed to adopting its digital key feature, Apple Car Key. Now, new clues found in Apple's internal code suggest that one of the world's largest automotive companies, General Motors (GM), is about to "flip the switch."
The discovery, made by MacRumors, indicates that Apple has already prepared its infrastructure to support GM vehicles, meaning that in the near future, you'll be able to unlock, connect, and share your Chevrolet, Cadillac, or GMC using only the Wallet app on your iPhone.
For those unfamiliar, Apple Car Key is a feature that allows you to add a digital version of your car key to the Wallet app. In practice, your iPhone or Apple Watch becomes your key, offering a level of convenience and security that physical keys can't match.
The technology works in two ways, depending on the car:
-With NFC: In most compatible cars, simply hold your iPhone or Apple Watch close to the door handle to unlock it. To start the engine, place your smartphone on the car's wireless charging pad.
-With Ultra-Wideband (UWB): In more advanced models, the experience is even more magical. Thanks to UWB technology, which enables high-precision spatial location, you don't need to take your iPhone out of your pocket or bag. The car detects your approach and automatically unlocks, locking itself again when you walk away.
Besides convenience, the biggest advantage is sharing. You can send a digital key to a friend or family member via iMessage, with the ability to set restrictions, such as a speed limit—ideal for parents of young drivers. The recent discovery reveals that Apple added specific settings for General Motors vehicles to its "backend," the internal infrastructure that manages the Car Key feature. This is the equivalent of digitally "preparing the groundwork" for the arrival of GM cars.
The brands covered will be Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC, although it is not yet known which specific models will be supported. This is not an isolated discovery. In recent weeks, the same researcher found similar codes for other brands also announced at WWDC, such as Rivian, Smart, and Voyah, indicating that a large wave of new compatible vehicles is on the way.
A slow but increasingly inevitable adoption...The question many ask is: why has this technology, which has been around for a few years, seen such slow adoption? The answer lies in the complexity of the automotive world. Integrating a feature like this securely requires deep collaboration between the engineering teams at Apple and the car brands, and the development cycle for a car is much longer than that of a smartphone.
However, the fact that a giant like General Motors is taking this step, joining other brands like BMW, Hyundai, and Kia that already offer the feature, is a clear sign that the digital key is becoming an industry standard.
The final step, now that Apple has done its part, falls to GM. The company will have to release a software update for its compatible vehicles to activate the feature. While there's no official date, the presence of the code in Apple's system is the strongest sign yet that this update is coming. The future without keys in your pocket is getting closer.
mundophone