BMW Digital Key Plus now lets Android users unlock their car with their phone

BMW has released the latest version of its Digital Key Plus feature to Android phone users – letting them unlock and drive their car with just their smartphone. Owners can now approach their connected BMW, open, start and lock the vehicle without having to take their mobile phone out of their pocket. The tech means the physical car key becomes redundant. It only works on the latest phones because it requires ultra-wideband radio functionality (UWB) to enable precise geolocation. BMW says: ‘This is a digital radio technology for close range with high bandwidth, which features very precise localisation with the maximum possible security. The precision of UWB also ensures that the risk of relay attacks, where the radio signal is jammed or intercepted, is virtually eliminated.’ Android compatibility is available in BMWs offering the feature that were built since November 2022. The company promises ‘a future remote software upgrade will expand the capability to Digital Key Plus-capable vehicles produced before November 2022.’ Devices that work with the BMW Digital Key Plus include the latest iPhones and Android devices such as the Galaxy S23+, S23 Ultra, S22+, S22 Ultra, S21+, S21 Ultra, Z Fold4, Z Fold3, Note20 Ultra and Pixel 6 and 7 Pro models. Source: Car Magazine