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Tesla is initiating native digital car key support that allows drivers to unlock and start vehicles directly from a phone’s system wallet. This move can expand Tesla’s access beyond the Bluetooth “Phone Key,” which requires the Tesla app to remain active in the background.
A teardown of Tesla app version 4.52.0 revealed code strings referencing “Harmony Wallet Key Cards.” This phrase suggests Tesla is now developing a wallet-based key framework that the operating system can manage at a hardware level.
Tesla’s Phone Key works through Bluetooth and background app permissions. When the operating system suspends the app, some drivers report delays at the door and use a physical key card. A native wallet key aims to reduce those access gaps by storing credentials in secure device hardware.
Apple’s Car Key feature suggests the type of smart-key functionality Tesla may try to build into iPhones. The tech giant stores car keys in Wallet and supports Express Mode, which can work without unlocking the device. Apple also documents “power reserve” behavior for Express Mode access keys on supported iPhones.
The Harmony Wallet references indicate early support for Huawei’s HarmonyOS and Huawei Wallet, a major platform in China. Tesla often pilots software features in China, where it also runs localized services and compliance workflows.
However, the same wallet-key architecture can support multiple ecosystems. Apple’s implementation relies on secure hardware, and its developer material describes Wallet-based car keys for iPhone and Apple Watch. This alignment suggests that Tesla can extend the framework to Apple Wallet and Google Wallet once validation is complete.
Competitors already ship native digital car keys. Rivian’s 2025.46 rollout adds a digital key that users can add to their iPhone and Apple Watch wallets for its Gen 2 vehicles. The update gives Rivian owners system-level access without requiring an app to run in the background.
Legacy automakers also increase wallet key availability. Porsche documents a Digital Key flow through Apple Wallet. At the same time, General Motors has confirmed plans to roll out Apple Wallet car key support across its brands, including Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac. Apple has also listed 13 additional vehicle brands that will support iPhone Car Key.
Tesla has not announced a timeline for the Tesla Wallet key. The available code does not name Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. However, Apple describes car keys that support passive entry and proximity use cases, including unlocking as the driver approaches. If Tesla adopts a similar wallet key behavior, a Tesla digital car key can remain accessible even after the Tesla app closes.
Also Read: Tesla Model Y Gets a Bold Makeover for China: Key Updates Revealed
