Apple inadvertently confirmed rumors that iPhones will soon function as car keys. Buried in the privacy information for Apple Wallet in the iOS 13.6 Beta is a lengthy description of the upcoming feature.
Called “Adding and Managing Car Keys,” the verbiage details how wireless keys can be added to Wallet and how they can be shared.
iPhones functioning as car keys confirmed
Details of Apple’s CarKey API leaked out this winter, claiming that iPhone and Apple Watch will soon be able to wirelessly lock, unlock or start cars that support this function.
But we’ve now gone beyond rumors. Anyone with iOS 13.6 Beta 2 can find where Apple says “Wallet allows you to add and share car keys for certain vehicles.”
That said, the feature doesn’t actually work yet. It’s just talked about extensively in the Privacy description of the Apple Wallet app.
It’s possible the feature is going to be part of iOS 14. If so, we’ll hear about it next week. Apple will unveil its new iPhone operating system, and other upcoming software updates, at the Worldwide Developers Conference on June 22.
Exactly what Apple said about car keys in Apple Wallet
Apple’s full description on using an iOS device as a car key from the Apple Wallet privacy settings says:
“Adding and Managing Car Keys
“Wallet allows you to add and share car keys for certain vehicles. You may add a car key by signing in to your vehicle manufacturer’s app or entering a pairing code in Wallet to claim the vehicle as your own and to pair your device with your vehicle. If successful, your device sends Apple a one-time owner redemption token. Apple uses the redemption token, information about your Apple account and your device, and your location at the time of provisioning (if Location Services is enabled) for fraud prevention purposes.
“To set up your car key, Apple shares a unique device identifier with your vehicle manufacturer. This device identifier is different for each vehicle manufacturer to help protect your privacy. Your vehicle manufacturer may connect this device identifier with other information it has about you and will process information it has about you according to its privacy policy.
“You may share car keys by tapping Invite on the back of your car key pass, selecting the access type that you would like to grant, and sharing the car key pass using iMessage. To help set up and manage car key passes, Apple forwards to the vehicle manufacturer information about with whom a pass is shared and what level of access was granted. Apple also shares a unique device identifier for the pass recipient with the vehicle manufacturer to enable them to manage your pass. For pass recipients, just as with owners, the vehicle manufacturer may connect the device identifier with other information it may have about the recipient and process such information according to its privacy policy.
“Apple does not collect or retain information on vehicle usage, such as when you use your car key pass to lock or unlock the vehicle. Your vehicle manufacturer may collect vehicle usage information according to agreements you have with them. We encourage you to review your vehicle manufacturer’s privacy policy for more information.”
Via: iPhone Ticker
