Apple expands CarKey support to Tata, Hyundai, BMW, Mercedes and more with iOS 26 update

CarKey

Apple has announced a major upgrade to its in-vehicle systems with the rollout of the iOS 26 update at the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference 2025 event. The Cupertino-based tech giant has also unveiled new CarPlay features and expanded support for digital car keys across more vehicle brands. All of these enhancements and features are set to roll out globally later this year.

Apple expands digital CarKey support: Key details

Apple’s digital car key platform, CarKey, which allows car owners to unlock and start their vehicles using an iPhone or Apple Watch, is gaining wider adoption. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo, will now be available to Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo vehicles. In India Tata EV is the first carmaker to support Apple Wallet's digital car key feature.

This system works via NFC or ultra-wideband (UWB), depending on the vehicle. It allows remote access sharing with family or friends, and is part of Apple’s push into secure, smartphone-based convenience that’s becoming standard in the latest EVs. With an iPhone or Apple Watch, Apple CarKey users are required to authenticate themselves and then unlock their car. However, there is also an Express Mode, which will allow for quicker unlocking by bypassing the device’s authentication modes.

Further, CarPlay, which is Apple’s in-vehicle infotainment platform, has also received its biggest visual overhaul in years. The new ‘Liquid Glass’ design, introduced in all Apple ecosystem devices, now provides smoother transitions, a more refined layout, and subtle lighting effects to CarPlay. Moreover, iOS 26 also provides Live Activities and widget support to the CarPlay interface, allowing real-time updates to food deliveries or upcoming trips directly on the car screen.