BMW iX electric crossover gets the Digital Key Plus with Ultra-Wideband

The gimmicky, yet cool BMW Digital Key gets a new upgrade. Ahead of the CES 2021, BMW has just unveiled a new iteration of their key – The Digital Key Plus. This latest incarnation of the service is based on Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology, the technology found on the U1 chip of iPhone. The BMW Digital Key Plus feature will be first launched with the all-electric BMW iX for iPhone.

The new, additional features enabled by the BMW Digital Key Plus are based on Ultra-Wideband technology. This is a short-range, high-bandwidth digital radio technology that is characterized by an exceptionally precise localization with the greatest possible security. UWB’s precision also ensures that relay attacks, where the radio signal is jammed or intercepted, are not possible. The press release says that Apple and BMW have been working closely with the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) to establish the Digital Key specification 3.0 for UWB, providing a global standard for the automotive industry.

The CCC has already been joined by several automotive constructor, so the further development of the future digital key technology will gain more traction and momentum, as it opens the gate to a very attractive, pan-industrial solution, which works suitably on a variety of digital devices such as smartphone, tablets, intelligent watches and other wearables.

Just like with the previous iteration, you will no longer need to position your smartphone in the close vicinity of the door handle. Opening the car will work simply by approaching the vehicle and keeping your digital device in your pocket.