[jamesinaz]

I just got a new BMW and discovered this feature. I was thinking, "what a great idea." So I activated it, and it works. But honestly, having to remove my phone from my pocket and hold it right next to the door handle to unlock is a step I don't have to do with the actual key. And I don't need to remove my phone from my pocket to start the car with the real key either. And locking the car when I leave it is easier with the real key than opening the app.

At this point I don't think it replaces the concept of - a real key. Am I missing something with this or is it one of those neat ideas that doesn't really solve a real world problem?

[MOTOP]

Yes, NFC sucks for usage in cars.
New tech will come in MY22 with Apple’s W1 chip (i may be wrong with its name). It will work from your pocket…exactly as you wish.

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by fe03h20

Yes, NFC sucks for usage in cars.
New tech will come in MY22 with Apple’s W1 chip (i may be wrong with its name). It will work from your pocket…exactly as you wish.

Aha, Well so long as I can just replace my 2019 iPhone instead of my 2021 BMW I'm OK with it.

[TAZ007]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

Aha, Well so long as I can just replace my 2019 iPhone instead of my 2021 BMW I'm OK with it.

LOL. First world problems indeed. For my money, I'll use the key for my car and leave my phone as it is, I paid a hefty price for that key afterall.

[ntg44]

Sounds like another half baked feature. Like my wife's RX350 allowing you to put your hand over the rear emblem to open the trunk when the actual latch is 4 inches away from it. Makes no sense.

Unless the feature is better than the old way of doing things, it's not even worth including it in the finished product. A good example was the switch from physical keys to lock/unlock the doors to a remote fob. Objectively faster and more convenient. A smartphone as a key introduces more problems than it solves in my opinion.

[TAZ007]

Originally Posted by ntg44

Sounds like another half baked feature. Like my wife's RX350 allowing you to put your hand over the rear emblem to open the trunk when the actual latch is 4 inches away from it. Makes no sense.

Unless the feature is better than the old way of doing things, it's not even worth including it in the finished product. A good example was the switch from physical keys to lock/unlock the doors to a remote fob. Objectively faster and more convenient. A smartphone as a key introduces more problems than it solves in my opinion.

couldn't agree with you more.

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by ntg44

Sounds like another half baked feature. Like my wife's RX350 allowing you to put your hand over the rear emblem to open the trunk when the actual latch is 4 inches away from it. Makes no sense.

Unless the feature is better than the old way of doing things, it's not even worth including it in the finished product. A good example was the switch from physical keys to lock/unlock the doors to a remote fob. Objectively faster and more convenient. A smartphone as a key introduces more problems than it solves in my opinion.

Well if the phone actually worked as well as the fob it would be nice cause I am a creature of the modern era and my phone is tethered to me wherever I go. One less thing to hold. But, as it stands now yeah it's not even as good so I'll still carry the key.

[TAZ007]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

Well if the phone actually worked as well as the fob it would be nice cause I am a creature of the modern era and my phone is tethered to me wherever I go. One less thing to hold. But, as it stands now yeah it's not even as good so I'll still carry the key.

good idea, especially when the phone battery dies.

[ntg44]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

Well if the phone actually worked as well as the fob it would be nice cause I am a creature of the modern era and my phone is tethered to me wherever I go. One less thing to hold. But, as it stands now yeah it's not even as good so I'll still carry the key.

That's fair. I understand.

For me one less thing to carry does not outweigh the risk of my phone's battery dying, or getting lost, stolen, or damaged accidentally, leaving me annoyingly stranded for the price of something the size of a tic tac container in my pocket. I suppose you can lose your key too but nobody really takes their key out of their pocket with the same frequency as their phone. I don't recall ever losing my car keys while outside my home.

And my other issue is that it'll never work as well as a real key because a real key has a real physical key in the fob in the event the battery dies so you can get in your car no matter what. Until they integrate reliable biometric readers in the vehicle like a fingerprint scanner in the door handle, it'll never be as good. If your phone is dead or gone you're SOL. But incorporating that type of technology has its own issues that I have concerns with.

I'm a techie myself. I just don't think technology necessarily needs to be integrated into every facet of life, like something as simple as locking and unlocking my car. I don't see what practical problem it solves, but i see many new problems it introduces.

But for what it's worth, I hope the feature gets better with time to the point where those who want to use it consider it satisfactory I'll just never be one of them.

[DanG]

Since I never have to take the fob out of my pocket, I see no use for the digital key.

[MMnut]

Everything needs to have a work of concept and there will be an improvement along the way. Since it is included with new car platform and not sure about everyone else, but for me, I'm more than welcome it. At least we extra way to operate the car and the phone is always with me going out anyway, plus a huge benefit coming with it should I misplace the key somewhere.

Another benefit I can see now is that if I park the car at the station and go to work, should a family member or friend in need of accessing it, I just share them the key on their phone without physically asking them to see me and get the actual key. So it is a big plus for those who share their cars.

[TAZ007]

Originally Posted by MMnut

Everything needs to have a work of concept and there will be an improvement along the way. Since it is included with new car platform and not sure about everyone else, but for me, I'm more than welcome it. At least we extra way to operate the car and the phone is always with me going out anyway, plus a huge benefit coming with it should I misplace the key somewhere.

Another benefit I can see now is that if I park the car at the station and go to work, should a family member or friend in need of accessing it, I just share them the key on their phone without physically asking them to see me and get the actual key. So it is a big plus for those who share their cars.

Would agree until someone steals or you lose your phone. Now they get a free car.

[LogicalApex]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

Aha, Well so long as I can just replace my 2019 iPhone instead of my 2021 BMW I'm OK with it.

Sadly, the U1 chip that's required to enable the additional functionality will be added in MY2022 and BMW hasn't confirmed exactly which cars either except the new iX I believe. Either way, your car will need to be "upgraded" to the next MY to get the "better" version.

It is another one of those really odd choices over in Munich when it comes to technology. They wanted to be the first to announce support for Apple's CarKey functionality so they can get the headline, but waiting one year would have made the feature actually useful. Instead, they give you a car that feels out of date pretty much as soon as you get your hands on it.

They are still very far behind Tesla on this front. They need to be thinking of their cars more akin to platforms that they are supporting and adding features to over a few years, at least the 4Y factory warranty period, and not treating them as one offs.

[Vivek.]

This seems more useful in a pinch--forgot your key, etc--rather than a permanent daily solution for the 'problem' of carrying a key fob

[LogicalApex]

Originally Posted by Vivek.

This seems more useful in a pinch--forgot your key, etc--rather than a permanent daily solution for the 'problem' of carrying a key fob

Probably laying the ground work for fleet stuff more than anything where you can use your phone to drive off the rental lot or rent the car on Turo.

[Mason Hatcher]

Even if the phone would work from my pocket, I'd still carry the fob because of the Valet key

[MMnut]

Originally Posted by TAZ007

Would agree until someone steals or you lose your phone. Now they get a free car.

You have to think again on that. Losing phone / physical key etc... is a different entity.

Also if your phone lost, there are many security levels to get it unlocked and also in the app as well, and then locate the car etc... . So the chance your car gets stolen before going back to your car location is slim, or not even possible.

[hdahman]

I love the digital key, not as functional as a key fob. but as some said you lose the key fob and thief can take the car easily. though phone they need your fingerprint or face ID ==> impossible

[TAZ007]

Originally Posted by hdahman

I love the digital key, not as functional as a key fob. but as some said you lose the key fob and thief can take the car easily. though phone they need your fingerprint or face ID ==> impossible

Not as impossible as you might think.

[jamesinaz]

Dayum. (slap my own forehead icon)

It just occurred to me what that little credit card thing is they left in my console. It is the digital key. All this time if someone got into my car and moved it over to the charging part of the console they could have driven away in my car. Why in the world would the dealer put it there and not mention I should not leave it in the car?

[Gossypiboma]

Originally Posted by DanG

Since I never have to take the fob out of my pocket, I see no use for the digital key.

Exactly

[TAZ007]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

Dayum. (slap my own forehead icon)

It just occurred to me what that little credit card thing is they left in my console. It is the digital key. All this time if someone got into my car and moved it over to the charging part of the console they could have driven away in my car. Why in the world would the dealer put it there and not mention I should not leave it in the car?

Glad you realized it before watching someone drive away in your car.