Toyota Is Finally Getting iPhone Car Key Support (But There's A Catch)

Almost six years after its initial release, the iPhone's Car Key feature continues to get traction among carmakers, as Toyota seems to be rolling out support for its latest 2026 Toyota RAV4 vehicles. First spotted by a Redditor Healthy_Block3036 and then shared by MacRumors, Toyota is finally joining a list of other automakers that also support this feature, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, KIA, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and more recently, Rivian. While Toyota hasn't addressed which vehicles will support the Car Key feature, it seems the carmaker might start with its latest vehicles first.

Regardless, there's a catch with how Toyota customers can benefit from the new feature — the brand is putting the Car Key feature behind a paywall. Those who wish to use the feature will have to subscribe to Toyota's Remote Connect service, which costs $15 per month. While a Remote Connect trial is offered for a year when customers purchase a new vehicle, they'll eventually have to pay to use the service. The subscription offers the ability to remotely start/stop the engine, lock/unlock doors, turn on the A/C and headlights, check status alerts, etc., and even view the vehicle's last parked location.

With iPhone Car Key support, users with an iPhone XS or later can add a digital car key to the Wallet app — replacing the need for a physical key. With an iPhone 11 or later, excluding the iPhone SE models, drivers can even unlock their vehicles without taking the iPhone out of their pocket, thanks to UWB support. Usually, adding a car key depends on the manufacturer. In Toyota's case, for example, the company is now rolling out support for this feature under its Remote Connect subscription. That said, not all carmakers take the same strategy.

According to Apple, if a car supports Car Key, users need to open the manufacturer's app to set up the digital key inside the Apple Wallet. The features differ from car to car, and it all depends on what the manufacturer chooses. Another practical feature of digital car keys is the ability to share a car key via AirDrop or a messaging app. If you need someone to unlock your vehicle or drive it somewhere, you can just share your key with them for a short duration. Besides that, a digital car key works even if your iPhone recently ran out of battery.

In 2025, Apple announced that 13 new vehicle brands would get car key support. While a timeline hasn't been specified, a few brands have already brought this feature to their vehicles. The list includes Acura, Cadillac, Chery, Chevrolet, GMC, Hongqi, Lucid, Porsche, Rivian, Smart, Tata, Voyah, and WEY. Recent reports suggest that Tesla is also working on CarPlay and iPhone Car Key support, which is definitely promising.

While CarPlay seems to be coming slightly sooner, the EV company is also testing digital car keys support in China with Huawei. If tests go well, it's likely that the feature will expand to the West with Android and iOS support. Finally, a report suggests that even CarPlay Ultra — Apple's special take on car infotainment systems — is also coming to new vehicles this year, with Kia and Hyundai leading the efforts. This shows that manufacturers are continuing to work closely with Apple to provide better features for end users.