iPhone owners who drive one of these 13 car brands recently got a brand new feature that not many will be aware of

If you’re an Apple iPhone user and drive one of these 13 car brands – it’s a long list and it includes Chevrolet, GMC, Rivian, Porsche, and Lucid – there’s a new feature that could make your life better.

For the record, the feature has already been available for other brands (BMW, Audi, Hyundai) for a while, and that list is growing by the day.

It’s a potential life-saver.

Mainly because it solves one of the most annoying things that can happen to a car owner.

These car brands are getting the new Apple iPhone feature

Back in 2020, Apple announced it was launching digital car keys that would allow iPhone users to open their cars without the need for a physical key. 

This feature uses two types of technology – Near Field Communication (NFC) and Ultra-Wideband (UWB) – that allow your iPhone to work as a key as long as it’s near the car.

When it was initially launched, it was only available on BMW vehicles before being introduced for other brands including Kia and Audi, albeit only for some specific models.

Then, not long ago, it promised an update that it would include Chevrolet, GMC, Rivian, Lucid, Porsche, and eight brands.

Now, 13 more marques are set to get the useful feature, bringing the total number of brands using Car Key to 33 brands.

The list now includes legacy American brands like Acura, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC; modern brands like Lucid and Rivian; and it also includes up-and-coming Chinese brands like Chery, Hongqi, Voyah, and WEY.

Porsche, Smart, and Tata Motors are also included now.

As well as the Apple iPhone, the new feature also works on Apple Watches.

This is how it works

How it works varies by manufacturer, but it will be one of three things: Passive Entry, Proximity, or Remote Entry.

With Passive Entry, the door will unlock as you approach your car and lock again when you walk away.

With Proximity, you’re going to have to actually hold your iPhone close to the handle or key reader to lock it and unlock it.

Lastly, with Remote Entry, you can use your iPhone remotely to lock and unlock your car (and use other features) regardless of where you are.

Obviously, it won’t work if you’re in Los Angeles and your car is in New York, but it will work if you’re sitting at a cafe that’s maybe a few feet from the vehicle.

Alongside your compatible car, you’ll also need to have an iPhone XS or later, or iPhone SE (2nd generation), with the latest version of iOS, or Apple Watch Series 5 or later, or Apple Watch SE, with the latest version of watchOS.