Connected Cars Add Digital Keys to Personalize Driver Experience

A driver’s daily experience with a car starts just outside the vehicle — unlocking the door to gain access to the driver’s seat.

An increasing number of automakers are using technology to make this process frictionless by enabling their apps to play the role of a key or key fob. People generally have their smartphone with them, so why not equip it with a digital key?

On Thursday (June 9), automaker Rivian released a blog post and a video highlighting the four tools that drivers can use to lock and unlock its electric vehicles: app, key fob, key band and key card. The manufacturer delivered its first electric trucks in 2021, and has developed these keys for the R1T pickup and R1S sport-utility.

“When it came time to create keys and access for our vehicles, Rivian’s user experience teams researched, created storyboards, and lab- and field-tested ideas and solutions for all kinds of situations,” Rivian wrote in the blog post. “Whatever the scenario, our technology had to match the standards our Electric Adventure Vehicles set for design, capability and durability.”

Making the Vehicle Ready for the Driver

What does a smartphone-enabled digital key add to the experience? First, with the Rivian app, the vehicle senses the driver’s approach, unlocks the doors and automatically personalizes the driver settings such as the positions of the mirrors, steering wheel and driver’s seat.

“It’s not so much about unlocking the car; it’s about identifying yourself to the vehicle, and now the vehicle’s ready for you,” Rivian Vice President, Vehicle User Experience Eric Wood said in the video.

The automaker suggests drivers use the app for daily driving and any other times they’re comfortable carrying their phone.

Other use cases for the Rivian app employ secure connectivity to remotely lock and unlock the vehicle as well as share access to the vehicle with family and friends by giving them temporary or permanent use of the app on their own phones.

Sharing Vehicles in Consumer, Commercial Applications

Others, too, have noted these and other benefits of digital keys.

Read more: Digital Car Keys Help Enable Many Consumer, Commercial Use Cases

For example, some automakers note that those with Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology enable hands-free access to the car, allowing drivers to keep their phone where they carry it and freeing them from the need to even hold it near the door handle.

Digital key technology could also be used to share access to the car while disabling some functions. Use cases here include giving friends access to the vehicle while on vacation, giving a child access to the vehicle without the ability to start the engine and supporting commercial applications such as fleets, ridesharing and rentals.

Providing Different Keys for Different Purposes

The three other forms of keys offered by Rivian each have their own purposes, the automaker added. For example, the carabiner-equipped key fob can be attached anywhere, is waterproof and is suggested for use when drivers don’t want to carry their phone.

Similarly, the silicone key band is waterproof, can be worn like a wristband and is designed to be used in situations where the user is likely to go underwater and doesn’t want to be burdened with carrying anything else.

The fourth option, a credit card-like key card, can serve as a backup for the user’s phone — as in the case of battery failure — and provides an easy way to give access to the vehicle to valets and automotive service providers.

“We designed and built electric vehicles capable of taking you down whatever you call a road, and R1T and R1S deserved keys to match,” Rivian said.