Rivian, the electric vehicle manufacturer, has commenced the rollout of Apple’s digital car key support through the Wallet app on both iPhone and Apple Watch. This feature was initially announced over a year ago alongside the introduction of Rivian’s second-generation R1S and R1T models, but it has only recently been activated, as discovered by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris in an Apple configuration file.
While it’s not confirmed if all users have access to this feature just yet, Apple has activated support on their end, suggesting that owners of eligible Rivian vehicles should begin to see it soon.
The Apple car key feature enables users to unlock their vehicles using an NFC-capable iPhone or Apple Watch via the Wallet app. A digital key is stored within the Wallet, and unlocking the vehicle can be performed simply by bringing the device near the vehicle’s NFC reader. Furthermore, thanks to Ultra Wideband technology, vehicles can recognize the digital key even when the iPhone is kept in a pocket.
Previously, Rivian had provided a digital key feature through its app, but with the integration of Apple Wallet, iPhone users can expect a more streamlined experience, potentially including functionalities such as key sharing and an Express Mode that allows the key to remain usable for hours even after the device battery has drained.
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Notably, Rivian has yet to indicate any plans to support Apple CarPlay in its vehicles. CEO RJ Scaringe noted last year that integrating CarPlay would conflict with Rivian’s vision of delivering a fully integrated experience within their vehicles. Although CarPlay support remains absent, the introduction of Apple car key functionality complements Rivian’s adoption of other Apple features, such as integrated Apple Music with Spatial Audio support.
