If you own a BMW car, then one of the most exciting things that you can do is to use your Digital Key Card. This particular key card works precisely like all other traditional keys; however, it provides an elevated level of convenience and safety.
The most significant benefit of using this digital key is that you don’t need to carry the physical key with you everywhere you go. With just a simple tap on your phone or smartwatch app, you can easily unlock your car without any hassle.
But how does it work? What are the necessary steps involved in tapping in and unlocking your vehicle? In this guide, we will take you through some essential information on how to use the BMW Digital Key Card effectively.
“Gone are those days when you used to spend minutes searching for your lost car keys. With the BMW Digital Key Card, unlocking your car is as easy as tapping it!”
In this piece, you’ll learn about pairing your device with the digital key, setting up access permissions to others, troubleshooting tips, and drawbacks (if there’s any). It’s time to explore the world of effortless driving – let’s dive in!
What is a BMW Digital Key Card?
Overview of the BMW Digital Key Card
The BMW Digital Key Card is a modern, safe and convenient way to enter, lock or start your car. It was first introduced in 2018 as an option for new BMW models. Rather than using a traditional physical key, you use a digital card that’s stored on your smartphone through the BMW Connected app.
How the BMW Digital Key Card Works
To use it, all you need to do is approach your car with your smartphone, then hold the phone up against the door handle. The NFC (near field communication) technology in the phone detects the signal from the car and unlocks the doors automatically. Once you’re inside, you can place your phone in the charging tray and press the start button to get going, without needing a physical key at all. If you have friends or family members who also drive your BMW, you can share your digital key card with them too via the BMW Connected App.
Compatibility with BMW Models
The BMW Digital Key Card is compatible with most recent BMW models with comfort access and other necessary features such as wireless phone charging. You should confirm with your dealership whether your specific model supports the feature before attempting to use it.
Benefits of Using a BMW Digital Key Card
The benefits of using a BMW Digital Key Card are numerous:
- No lost Keys:With a digital key card, you don’t have to worry about losing keys anymore. Your smartphone has all the necessary credentials instead.
- Remote Access: With this feature, you can unlock or even start your vehicle remotely. This means that if someone needs to borrow your car, you don’t need to be there in person to hand over the keys.
- Simple: It is a simple process of downloading and registering for BMW Connected App and following the instructions provided to set up the digital key card. The app itself also provides numerous services like a direct line to support or even concierge service to help plan weekend activities!
- Safety & Security: If your phone is lost, stolen, or runs out of battery while using the digital key card, you can immediately revoke the access on that device via the BMW Connected app. Burglars will not have any way to get into your car without proper credentials, which they cannot access without your smartphone.
“The convenience of having a truly smart car enhanced by cutting-edge connectivity has now been taken to the next level with this innovative digital solution.” -Peter Henrich (President and CEO at BMW Group Asia)
How to Set Up the BMW Digital Key Card?
The BMW digital key card is a convenient and secure way to access your vehicle without having to carry a physical key. It allows you to lock, unlock, and start your car using only your smartphone. In this article, we will discuss how to set up the BMW digital key card.
Requirements for Setting up the BMW Digital Key Card
In order to use the BMW digital key card, you must have certain requirements fulfilled:
- Your BMW vehicle must be equipped with a compatible NFC reader or a Comfort Access system.
- You must have a smartphone that has an NFC chip and runs on iOS 13.6 or newer (for iPhone users) or Android 8.0 Oreo or newer (for Android users).
- You must download the BMW Connected App and register for BMW ConnectedDrive.
- Your smartphone must be connected to your vehicle via Bluetooth.
Steps to Set Up the BMW Digital Key Card
Once you have met all the requirements mentioned above, follow these simple steps to set up your BMW digital key card:
- Open the BMW Connected App on your smartphone.
- Select the “Digital Key” option from the app’s main menu.
- Tap the “Set up now” button.
- Read and accept the terms and conditions by tapping the “Accept” button.
- Choose whether you want to activate the digital key as the primary key or secondary key. The primary key can perform all functions, while the secondary key has restricted features as determined by the owner of the primary key.
- Hold your smartphone over the NFC reader or Comfort Access sensor located on the driver’s door handle. The digital key will be automatically created and stored in your BMW Connected App.
- You can now use your smartphone to access your vehicle by holding it close to the door handle, like you would with a regular key fob.
Please note that if someone else creates a digital key for your vehicle, you will have to delete it from your BMW Connected App before you can create another one.
“The digital car key is secure, easy to use, and available at all times: it has all the makings of an indispensable feature of a premium connected car ecosystem.”-Dieter May, Senior VP Digital Services & Business Models at BMW Group.
The BMW digital key card provides added convenience and security to BMW owners who are tired of carrying around traditional keys. Follow these simple steps to set it up and enjoy hassle-free entry to your vehicle.
How to unlock your BMW with the Digital Key Card?
The BMW digital key card is a new feature that allows you to use your smartphone, smartwatch, or even a plastic card to lock and unlock your car without having to use a traditional key. This innovative technology ensures you have full control of your car without carrying bulky keys around.
Steps to Unlock Your BMW with the Digital Key Card
If you’re wondering how to use the BMW digital key card, here are some basic steps:
- Step 1: Open the BMW Connected App on your mobile device
- Step 2: Navigate to “Digital Key” in the dropdown menu for My Vehicle
- Step 3: Choose “Add digital key” and follow prompts to set it up
- Step 4: Tap “Unlock” button on your phone, smartwatch or card when next to door handle
- Step 5: Once inside, press push/start button to start the engine!
It’s as easy as that! However, there’s more you can do with this amazing gadget – read on for further instructions below.
Using the BMW Digital Key Card with Comfort Access
In addition to setting up your BMW digital key card, Comfort Access makes entering your car effortless thanks to sensors near each gateway. Following these simple steps:
- Approach the car with comfort access enabled (usually just walking up to it). The lights will automatically turn on
- Gently pull the door handle, which will be unlocked by Comfort Access
- To lock your car again, lightly touch the sensor on the door handle. You will then hear a confirmation tone
Using Comfort Access with your digital key means completely using no keys at all unless absolutely necessary!
Using the BMW Digital Key Card with Remote Services
The BMW digital key card is also compatible with remote services, which allows you to access functionality and data within your car from anywhere in the world. The BMW Connected App should be downloaded on a paired device.
- To initiate this process, open the app & look right below “digital key”, locate “Remote Cockpit” hyperlink & click it
- You can here view & monitor vehicle status, view location history, fuel range and much more!
- If alarmed by any issues concerning vehicle security or stability, use “Lock Car” function to lock the doors remotely if needed.
This feature gives owners instant access to the information they need about their car from anywhere – especially peace of mind when unsure whether you’ve locked the car or not!
Using the BMW Digital Key Card with ConnectedDrive
Your BMW digital key comes coupled with ConnectedDrive for added convenience and security features. This enables functions such as:
- Automatic emergency calling in case of an accident too severe*
- Convenient remote services including maps directions directly into screen display
- Parking timer; Time locking ability for friends or third-parties Borrowing your car temporarily? Also Set restrictions & limits via Connect Drive settings menu
In case of any emergencies, Simply hold down SOS button above rearview mirror inside the car until blue light flashes (if unable to speak). Direct communication between a human agent who speaks multiple languages will immediately be activated, and ambulance &/Or police will be alerted if necessary!
“The BMW digital key card is at the forefront of innovative technology in automobiles. Making car ownership even more convenient that it already is”. -Automotive Industry Expert
With the BMW Digital Key Card added to its array of ground-breaking technological advancements; owning one would leave you questioning how anyone could have expected anything less! Simply follow these instructions for an automotive experience as seamless as possible.
What to do if your BMW Digital Key Card is lost or stolen?
If you own a BMW with digital key card functionality, losing it can be a stressful situation. Fortunately, there are some measures that you can take to diminish the chances of someone misusing your car’s digital keycard and increase your peace of mind.
Report the Loss or Theft to BMW
The first thing that you must do if you lose your BMW digital key card is contacting an authorized dealership immediately. Report the loss or theft as soon as possible as they will assist you in remotely disabling access for unauthorized users who may try to use the missing card. This way, even if the thief has your electronic device, they won’t be able to drive your car as the card cannot operate alone – It needs the proximity of the ECU system too.
“If one wallet gets lost, BMW offers the option of disabling it via the cloud, thereby preventing any misuse.” -AutoCar India
Once you inform about the incident, the dealer will ask for details specific to your vehicle so they can de-register the current card information associated with your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). They also need to confirm whether the battery on the card is still active or has run out because once the battery is drained, the online authentication protocol fails, which effectively disables the card instantly.
Disabling the BMW Digital Key Card
If you opted to register more than one digital key with your cars’ onboard computer, then another important step that you should take is to delete all digital keys except for the physical key stored in your glove box. Doing this will stop anyone from gaining access to your car while giving yourself the ability to start your engine using the physical backup key. If you have no other registered keys, ensure to request the dealer to disable all previously authorized digital keys, including the missing one (or a group of missing ones) associated with your car’s VIN number.
When you buy a BMW electric vehicle or an iPerformance plug-in hybrid model, it contains Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) which encrypts the communication between your car and remote servers. The digital key card itself also has encrypted local storage for secure user data protected by PIN-based authentication, making hacking into both systems almost impossible without special access rights or precise encryption algorithms knowledge.
“BMW offers advanced security measures that mean losing your key shouldn’t prove too disastrous.” -TRUSTech
If you lose your BMW digital keycard, there is no need to panic; in fact, please don’t panic! Your car dealership can take care of deactivating any old cards from accessing the vehicle, creating new virtual keys, and ensuring that only authorized persons have control over the vehicles’ centralized information system. So when you get behind the wheel again, it’ll be as easy as starting up using the backup key provided, effective but less convenient than having a lost digital key replaced while maintaining eco-friendly fun at the same time!
The BMW Digital Key Card is a virtual card that allows you to unlock and start your vehicle using only your smartphone. This feature is available on BMW models fitted with the latest ConnectedDrive services.
If you want to share your BMW Digital Key Card with someone else, follow these simple steps:
- Open the BMW Connected App on your smartphone.
- Select “Digital Key” from the menu.
- Choose the key you want to share and tap “Share.”
- You can choose to share the key via email or text message by entering the recipient’s phone number or email address.
- Your recipient will receive an encrypted message containing a link that will allow them to download the BMW Connected App (if they don’t already have it) and access the shared key.
Once your recipient has received the shared BMW Digital Key Card, they should be able to use it to unlock and start your car as long as they are within range.
Limitations and Restrictions on Sharing the BMW Digital Key Card
While sharing your BMW Digital Key Card can be convenient, there are some limitations and restrictions you should be aware of:
“The BMW Digital Key Card is designed for personal use”, says BMW. This means that while it’s possible to share your digital key with family members or trusted friends, you shouldn’t share it with anyone who might misuse it or try to gain unauthorized access to your vehicle. It’s also important to note that not all smartphones support this feature yet. Additionally, make sure your vehicle supports the Digital Key Card app before trying to use it.
Finally, if you lose your smartphone or want to revoke access to the shared key for any reason, you can use the BMW Connected App to delete the key from your list of shared keys. This will prevent anyone else from being able to use it to unlock your car.
In conclusion, the BMW Digital Key Card provides an innovative and convenient way to replace traditional car keys. With its sharing feature, you can give trusted individuals access to your vehicle with nothing more than their smartphones. However, always take precautions and consider all limitations before using this technology.What are the benefits of using a BMW Digital Key Card?
Convenience and Flexibility
The first benefit of using a BMW Digital Key Card is convenience. It eliminates the need for traditional key fobs or physical keys, allowing you to use your smartphone as the key to unlock and start your car. This can be especially useful in situations where you forget your keys at home or misplace them somewhere else.
Furthermore, the digital key card offers great flexibility because it allows you to give access to other drivers without physically handing over the keys. You can share temporary access with a friend or family member if they need to borrow your car, for example. This can all be done through the BMW Connected app on your phone, making it very easy to manage and monitor who has access to your vehicle.
Enhanced Security Features
Besides providing convenience and flexibility, BMW Digital Key Card also comes equipped with enhanced security features. The key’s encryption and tamper-proof design make it more difficult to copy than a traditional key, meaning that your car is better protected against theft. In addition, since the key relies on your unique biometric data stored on your mobile device, only authorized users have access to the car.
Another security feature is that once you create the BMW Digital Key Card, it is securely transferred into your Apple Wallet or Android Device Storage. It means that you will not have to worry about losing or forgetting the physical card, reducing the chances someone could find it and gain access to your car.
Compatibility with Various BMW Models
An additional benefit of the BMW Digital Key Card is its compatibility with various BMW models; currently, this technology supports most recent Series 1-8, X5, X6, X7, iX, and i4 vehicles equipped with the BMW Operating System 7.0 or newer.
This compatibility makes it even more convenient for BMW car owners to use the digital key feature since they are not required to upgrade their entire vehicle’s system before hitting the road. Also, if you have two or more eligible cars, you can manage all of them from a single smartphone, making the user experience effortless.
“The ease of having a digital key that is stored in the wallet is simple, secure, and seamless for our customers.” – Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG
Using a BMW Digital Key Card offers several advantages, such as convenience, enhanced security features, and compatibility with various BMW models. If you are looking for a practical and modern solution to access your car, then this digital key technology may be the perfect choice for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I activate my BMW Digital Key Card?
To activate your BMW Digital Key Card, you first need to download the BMW Connected App and register with your BMW ID. Then, follow the steps to add your vehicle to the app and enable the Digital Key Card function. Once activated, you can use your smartphone to unlock and start your car without needing a physical key.
What are the steps to lock or unlock my BMW using the Digital Key Card?
To lock or unlock your BMW using the Digital Key Card, simply approach your vehicle with your smartphone in your pocket or bag. The car will automatically detect your phone and unlock the doors when you touch the handle. To lock the car, press the lock button on the door handle or use the BMW Connected App on your phone.
Yes, you can share your BMW Digital Key Card with up to five people, including family and friends. To do this, open the BMW Connected App and select the vehicle you want to share. Then, choose the people you want to invite and send them an invitation. Once they accept, they can use their smartphone as a Digital Key Card for your vehicle.
What should I do if I lose my BMW Digital Key Card?
If you lose your BMW Digital Key Card, you can use the BMW Connected App to disable it and prevent unauthorized access to your vehicle. You can also order a replacement card from your BMW dealership or use the app to add a new smartphone as a Digital Key Card.
How can I disable or delete a BMW Digital Key Card from my vehicle?
To disable or delete a BMW Digital Key Card from your vehicle, open the BMW Connected App and select the vehicle you want to manage. Then, choose the Digital Key Card function and select the card you want to disable. You can also delete the card from the app entirely if you no longer need it.