BMW has just made its Digital Key Plus feature available on a handful of Android smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy S23+ and S23 Ultra, as well as the Google Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro.
The Digital Key Plus works similarly to the previous Digital Key, which essentially replaces the traditional key fob in day-to-day use, but now adds more convenient features. Thanks to the ultra-wideband technology (UWB), customers now no longer need to place their smartphones in specific locations in order to lock, unlock, and start the car.
For those who don’t know, UWB is a low-energy digital radio technology for close range with high bandwidth, which features very precise localisation with the maximum possible security. The precision of UWB is also able to eliminate the risk of relay attacks, where the radio signal is jammed or intercepted.
Digital Key Plus has already been made available for Apple iPhones since early 2021, but is now available for compatible Samsung and Google smartphones running Android 13.1 or later. These include Samsung smartphones like the Galaxy S23+, S23 Ultra, S22+, S22 Ultra, S21+, S21 Ultra, the Z Fold4, as well as the Note20 Ultra in markets that support Samsung Wallet. Google’s Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro are also supported.
Unfortunately, the feature is still not yet available in Malaysia.
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The Digital Key Plus feature is currently only available on BMW vehicles produced from November 2022 onwards. The German carmaker did however promise to expand the Digital Key Plus capabilities to more vehicles via a future remote software upgrade.
Moving forward, BMW aims to make the full range of comfort access functions available for Android devices as well.
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