5 fixes Android digital car key desperately needs

Summary

You can control your car with your Android phone outside of an app, using NFC, Bluetooth, and UWB.
Android digital car key is available in many car models, while Apple Car Key is limited.
Google should improve Android digital car key by ensuring smartwatch compatibility, simplifying setup, and expanding phone compatibility.

You’ve probably heard of using your car manufacturer’s mobile app to unlock, lock, or start your car without having to be in or near the vehicle. There have been commercials of astronauts locking their car from space or someone starting a car to get the heater going while they’re in a stadium. That kind of technology has become commonplace in many vehicles manufactured over the past eight or so years. What’s been less common is people using their phone outside of an app to control their car.

This tech, which relies on Bluetooth, near-field communication (NFC), and ultra-wideband (UWB), is prevalent in Apple Car Key and Android digital car key. These features are incredibly helpful for those who are in a rush or if you always forget your keys. With Apple Car Key and Android digital car key, you can unlock your car without the need for a key or a fob. Instead, your phone acts as the link between you and the car, unlocking, locking, and even starting your vehicle.

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These features connect through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well, giving you even more functionality once you’re inside the car. For those with Android devices, the Android digital car key is readily available in plenty of automobiles. It’s been around since 2021, but there’s still a ways to go before it’s perfect or is as widely utilized as it can be.

Here are some things that Google should do to improve its Android digital car key.

1 Become compatible with more vehicles

It’s light years ahead of Apple Car Key, but it could be better

An Android digital car key in Google Wallet.

Google / Pocket-lint

Android digital car key launched in 2021, a year after Apple Car Key first released. There are hundreds of cars that are available to use with Android digital car key, as Google has made it easily accessible for different manufacturers to include the technology in its systems. Apple car key is only available with a select few manufacturers and even fewer models of vehicles from those carmakers. Apple only works with BMW, Genesis, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, BYD, and Lotus.

On the other hand, Android digital car key is available with all of those brands plus the following:

Audi
Acura
Buick
Cadillac
Chevrolet
Chrysler
Dodge
Fiat
Ford
GMC
Honda
Infiniti
Jeep
Land Rover
Lexus
Lucid
Mazda
Mini
Nissan
Polestar
Porsche
Ram
Rivian
Subaru
Tesla
Toyota
Volkswagen
Volvo

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While that isn’t every car on the market, it’s available in a lot of makes and models. If you have an Alfa Romeo or a Maserati, you’re out of luck — maybe Google will think of you soon, but that hasn’t happened yet. That said, many vehicles that are set to be released soon will likely offer Android digital car key.

2 Allow for compatibility with smartwatches

Apple already does this, but Google doesn’t

Google makes some of the best smartwatches on the market. The Pixel Watch is the company’s standard-bearer for wearable technology, so why doesn’t Google make Android digital car key smartwatch compatible? It’s unclear, but you can’t unlock or lock your car with your smartwatch as of right now.

Apple made this possible with Apple Watch almost instantly when it was announced, but there’s no ability to use it in Wear OS.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is on a wrist held in front of a blurred blue background.

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3 Get rid of the need for a manufacturer app during setup

You still need an account with your car’s manufacturer

Using an Android digital car key with a Kia.

Kia

If you have a Mazda, you need to use the Mazda app to set up Android digital car key. If you have a BMW, the My BMW app is a must. The same goes for Hyundai, Jeep, and others. It can be frustrating to juggle multiple apps, including the Android digital car key feature on your phone, as you’re setting everything up.

You can put the digital car key in either the Google or Samsung wallet. So why should you need to generate the key from the manufacturer’s app? It should be easy enough to do if you plug your phone into the car. Maybe we’re just thinking ahead in time, but the fewer steps, the better.

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It’s only available for some cars

You can share your Android digital car key with a friend or family member if you want them to be able to access your car. There are multiple steps you need to take, and it can be achieved in several ways, such as authenticating a key through a code or using the car’s dashboard. You can also give someone access to your car for a set period of time and limit how long they can use it.

Hand holding digital car key in front of car console

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You can also give someone access to your car for a set period of time and limit how long they can use it.

But, sharing a key is not easy, and not only because of the steps. It doesn’t work on every model that I listed above. It’s up to the manufacturer to allow key-sharing. You may think your car is capable of sharing a key because it can utilize the technology, but that isn’t always the case. Google should have more say in what cars offer this and which ones don’t.

5 Allow all Android phones to have access

Many — but not all — can currently use it

Android widget picker on a Samsung Galaxy phone

In order to use Android digital car key, you need an Android phone capable of doing so — but not all of them are. Android has done a great job of using backward compatibility to transform older phones into ones that are capable of using it. But the current lineup that allows it includes Google Pixel phones from the Pixel 6 and newer, Samsung Galaxy phones from the S21+ and onward, and more.

If you’ve purchased a new Android phone that came out in the past three years, you should be covered.

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However, you may not know if your phone allows it until you look it up. If you have a Google phone that’s running Android 12, you’re probably in the clear. But if you’re still running Android 11 or earlier, you may not be able to use it. That includes a Google Pixel 5 or a Vivo X50. Google has the technology to upgrade older operating systems. Whether they want to do it is unlikely.

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