Tesla adds support for Apple iPhone’s ultra-wideband chip to improve phone key performance

Tesla is one of the pioneers in using your phone to unlock your car instead of a key fob. As the importance of smartphones increases, it becomes necessary to always carry them with you, but why not use them to store your car’s digital keys? Early phone key implementations relied on the phone’s NFC chip and functioned like a card key. This is a safe way to unlock your car, at least much safer than using the relatively insecure Bluetooth protocol.

But Apple showed us a better way in 2019 with the launch of the iPhone 11 with Ultra Wideband (UWB) capabilities. A year later, the Apple Watch also featured his UWB chip, and Samsung also added his UWB chip to its flagship products in 2021. Ultrawideband is a wireless technology similar to WiFi and Bluetooth that enables high-bandwidth, low-energy communications using very little electrical power. radio spectrum.

A surprising benefit over previous Phone Key technology is that it provides precise location and tracking. This allows the car to know exactly where the driver is and whether the driver is moving away from or approaching the vehicle. It sounds like magic, but you’ve probably seen it in action when you use the Find My app on your iPhone to find your AirPods or Airtag.

The first automaker to announce UWB support in its vehicles was BMW in 2020, which partnered with Apple to develop the feature. Genesis first brought similar functionality to Samsung phones in 2021, and BMW rolled out his Digital Key Plus (UWB-based) to his Android phones in 2023. Sadly, Tesla ignored this technology for a long time and continued to use NFC. Phone key option. That is, until now. With software update 2024.2.3, Tesla also updated the phone key to use the Ultra Wideband feature.

However, this feature is not available on all Tesla EVs because UWB requires specific hardware (UWB chip). According to the Not a Tesla App, supported vehicles include the Model 3 Refresh, Cybertruck, and refreshed Model S and Model X. The original Model 3 and current Model Y don’t seem to have his UWB chip. You will not benefit from this update.

Adding UWB support to Tesla Phone Key should eliminate situations where your car doesn’t know your phone is nearby. Less often, owners may have to take out their phone to unlock it or open the Tesla app before the vehicle recognizes it. UWB technology can also improve or add functionality that relies on precise location. For example, a driver’s profile could be better determined based on whose cell phone is closer to the driver’s seat.

Based on the 2024.2.3 release notes, first[電話キー]>[アップグレード]and follow the instructions to enable UWB support in the Tesla app. After setup, your iPhone’s settings for Tesla nearby interactions must be turned on. This feature is available to anyone who owns an iPhone 11 or newer with Tesla app 4.29.5 or newer. Some Android phones also support UWB, but Tesla is only offering the new feature to iPhone owners for now. I hope Android support isn’t too far behind.