Carrying the digital key only
Thread Starter
Pit Crew
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 128
Likes: 12
From: California
Carrying the digital key only
Just curious on how many of you exclusively use the digital key on your smartphones. I still have an active subscription.
Recently, I’ve been just driving around town with my phone only. I do not have the key fob or the wallet key With me. Just my iPhone.
I was skeptical at first. I thought I would try it first locally not too far from home. What is your confidence level like relying only on your phone as a key.
Recently, I’ve been just driving around town with my phone only. I do not have the key fob or the wallet key With me. Just my iPhone.
I was skeptical at first. I thought I would try it first locally not too far from home. What is your confidence level like relying only on your phone as a key.
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 266
Likes: 122
From: Oregon
Just curious on how many of you exclusively use the digital key on your smartphones. I still have an active subscription.
Recently, I’ve been just driving around town with my phone only. I do not have the key fob or the wallet key With me. Just my iPhone.
I was skeptical at first. I thought I would try it first locally not too far from home. What is your confidence level like relying only on your phone as a key.
Recently, I’ve been just driving around town with my phone only. I do not have the key fob or the wallet key With me. Just my iPhone.
I was skeptical at first. I thought I would try it first locally not too far from home. What is your confidence level like relying only on your phone as a key.
Advanced
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 645
Likes: 194
From: Pa
Just curious on how many of you exclusively use the digital key on your smartphones. I still have an active subscription.
Recently, I’ve been just driving around town with my phone only. I do not have the key fob or the wallet key With me. Just my iPhone.
I was skeptical at first. I thought I would try it first locally not too far from home. What is your confidence level like relying only on your phone as a key.
Recently, I’ve been just driving around town with my phone only. I do not have the key fob or the wallet key With me. Just my iPhone.
I was skeptical at first. I thought I would try it first locally not too far from home. What is your confidence level like relying only on your phone as a key.
Last edited by Sounds; May 2, 2026 at 04:26 AM.
Pole Position
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,222
Likes: 904
From: Ontario
Pole Position
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,895
Likes: 838
From: Idaho
I have found the digital key to be a little quirky. On rare occasion, I have to close the Lexus app and restart it to get it to unlock the car when I touch the handle. As a result, I do not have overwhelming confidence in the feature. I have taken to only using it when within walking distance or a short Uber ride from home. With that said, I have never been actually stranded when using it so I should probably have more faith. I dislike the bulk of modern key fobs in my pockets, so if not using the digital key, I favor the credit card key.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 1,130
Likes: 635
From: Niagara Falls, Ontario
I am sceptical of it's reliability as others have said. Phone dies, no cell service, app craps out. I mean here we are fussing this out and two of the worlds biggest companies haven't invested much of anything on this to solve these inherently week capabilities of this system. I'm sure they both are claiming technical safeguards are at the root of this, which interprets as Toyota doesn't trust Apple and Apple doesn't trust Toyota! However I can put a credit card on my phone and it works 99.99% of the time, no matter what happens to updates on my phone. Face ID is supposed to be extremely difficult to hack, so is fingerprints and Apple's encryption methods. Yet here we sit, concerned about it's ability to faithfully open our car door when we ask it too. I honestly think if a company like Toyota tasked Apple with theft prevention techniques for our cars they'd have it nailed pretty quick!!
Last edited by TheCDN; May 1, 2026 at 11:02 AM.
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Pit Crew
Joined: Aug 2024
Posts: 151
Likes: 65
From: Florida
...I'm sure they both are claiming technical safeguards are at the root of this, which interprets as Toyota doesn't trust Apple and Apple doesn't trust Toyota! However I can put a credit card on my phone and it works 99.99% of the time, no matter what happens to updates on my phone...
The first to UWB based CCC digital key was BMW I think in 2021, and it wasn't well standardized yet. Certification and wider adoption came couple of years later.
So you can see it in the new RAV4 2026 model but not in 2022+ NX.
Lexus adopted UWB in European market for current generation, but for keyfobs only because of mass theft, not for Digital Keys.
As for the current generation Bluetooth Low Energy digital key, I don't trust it too much either. Maybe for short trips if I am lazy to go back inside the house to retrieve physical key. The app is flaky and sluggish. And had lost digital key on me for whatever reasons couple of times before.
8th Gear
Joined: Mar 2026
Posts: 8
Likes: 5
I think there must be an embarrassment of riches on how to get into a Lexus. The other day, my wife pulls out a thick credit card-sized black plastic from one of her many purses and asks what it is. The dealer says it's a key and an expensive one at that.
Whatta ya' know. It works!
Whatta ya' know. It works!
Thread Starter
Pit Crew
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 128
Likes: 12
From: California
I agree with all suggestions made. Like my original post stated, I am using it for quick local trips, grocery store, gym, post office. They are all within 8 miles from my home. So I’m never far away from the actual key fob.
I really like the idea of just carrying my phone to the gym. I am a minimalist, and if I don’t need to carry a fob to the gym, I will not. Also to our local grocery stores where I use Apple Pay to pay for my groceries. I have to say while it’s risky, I’m kinda enjoying it. However, my wife has voted not to pick me up if I get stranded. 😂. I do check the percentage of my cell phone battery before I use it as a key.
This is my first plug in hybrid. Never owned a EV before and now learning new things about ownership of EV after four months of ownership.
I also have advanced remote park. This is where I am learning the nuances of operating this feature. For example, in the advanced remote park sequence, it will ask you to unlock the vehicle using the key fob before you can get to move the vehicle with your cell phone. This is one of the situations where a key fob and the digital key is required at the same time.
There may be more things that require digital key and a key fob at the same time. I don’t think it’s a long list of items since a lot of the Nx don’t come with advanced parking out of the box.
The learning continues ……..
I really like the idea of just carrying my phone to the gym. I am a minimalist, and if I don’t need to carry a fob to the gym, I will not. Also to our local grocery stores where I use Apple Pay to pay for my groceries. I have to say while it’s risky, I’m kinda enjoying it. However, my wife has voted not to pick me up if I get stranded. 😂. I do check the percentage of my cell phone battery before I use it as a key.
This is my first plug in hybrid. Never owned a EV before and now learning new things about ownership of EV after four months of ownership.
I also have advanced remote park. This is where I am learning the nuances of operating this feature. For example, in the advanced remote park sequence, it will ask you to unlock the vehicle using the key fob before you can get to move the vehicle with your cell phone. This is one of the situations where a key fob and the digital key is required at the same time.
There may be more things that require digital key and a key fob at the same time. I don’t think it’s a long list of items since a lot of the Nx don’t come with advanced parking out of the box.
The learning continues ……..
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 1,130
Likes: 635
From: Niagara Falls, Ontario
It isn't Apple own thing really. UWB automotive keys are from the Car Connectivity Consortium. Denso (Toyota's OEM) is also a member. It's just a new thing requiring UWB hardware and you won't find it in most cars developed at some time in 2018-2020 and released for 2022.
The first to UWB based CCC digital key was BMW I think in 2021, and it wasn't well standardized yet. Certification and wider adoption came couple of years later.
So you can see it in the new RAV4 2026 model but not in 2022+ NX.
Lexus adopted UWB in European market for current generation, but for keyfobs only because of mass theft, not for Digital Keys.
As for the current generation Bluetooth Low Energy digital key, I don't trust it too much either. Maybe for short trips if I am lazy to go back inside the house to retrieve physical key. The app is flaky and sluggish. And had lost digital key on me for whatever reasons couple of times before.
The first to UWB based CCC digital key was BMW I think in 2021, and it wasn't well standardized yet. Certification and wider adoption came couple of years later.
So you can see it in the new RAV4 2026 model but not in 2022+ NX.
Lexus adopted UWB in European market for current generation, but for keyfobs only because of mass theft, not for Digital Keys.
As for the current generation Bluetooth Low Energy digital key, I don't trust it too much either. Maybe for short trips if I am lazy to go back inside the house to retrieve physical key. The app is flaky and sluggish. And had lost digital key on me for whatever reasons couple of times before.
Pit Crew
Joined: Aug 2024
Posts: 151
Likes: 65
From: Florida
Too bad the US market was left behind.
I mean the Digital Key 2.0, no the theft rates 🤔.
Driver
Joined: Nov 2024
Posts: 56
Likes: 23
From: Colorado
Some of us depend solely on our the phones to operate our Tesla. There has been an average of once per year that the Tesla would not recognize my phone. While I carry a credit card-sized backup in my wallet, I've never used it. I sit there and re-log into the car's app and I'm good to go. Since the Lexus does not support "walk away lock", it is just a bit less convenient to depend on the phone, so we find the fob slightly more beneficial.
I spent a few months using just the Lexus fat credit card key and it worked more reliably than the Lexus phone app, but since I am used to the 'walk away lock' feature on Tesla, I find myself forgetting to lock the Lexus and have to walk back and touch the lock button. In those circumstances, I see myself preferring the phone app. Instead, I just carry the fob and can quickly hit the lock button, which saves some steps. OK, I mean it saves a certain amount of embarrassment walking back to the car.
I spent a few months using just the Lexus fat credit card key and it worked more reliably than the Lexus phone app, but since I am used to the 'walk away lock' feature on Tesla, I find myself forgetting to lock the Lexus and have to walk back and touch the lock button. In those circumstances, I see myself preferring the phone app. Instead, I just carry the fob and can quickly hit the lock button, which saves some steps. OK, I mean it saves a certain amount of embarrassment walking back to the car.
Last edited by BillRadio; May 4, 2026 at 07:51 AM.
Pole Position
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 3,159
Likes: 1,709
From: NC
I agree with all suggestions made. Like my original post stated, I am using it for quick local trips, grocery store, gym, post office. They are all within 8 miles from my home. So I’m never far away from the actual key fob.
I really like the idea of just carrying my phone to the gym. I am a minimalist, and if I don’t need to carry a fob to the gym, I will not. Also to our local grocery stores where I use Apple Pay to pay for my groceries. I have to say while it’s risky, I’m kinda enjoying it. However, my wife has voted not to pick me up if I get stranded. 😂. I do check the percentage of my cell phone battery before I use it as a key.
This is my first plug in hybrid. Never owned a EV before and now learning new things about ownership of EV after four months of ownership.
I also have advanced remote park. This is where I am learning the nuances of operating this feature. For example, in the advanced remote park sequence, it will ask you to unlock the vehicle using the key fob before you can get to move the vehicle with your cell phone. This is one of the situations where a key fob and the digital key is required at the same time.
There may be more things that require digital key and a key fob at the same time. I don’t think it’s a long list of items since a lot of the Nx don’t come with advanced parking out of the box.
The learning continues ……..
I really like the idea of just carrying my phone to the gym. I am a minimalist, and if I don’t need to carry a fob to the gym, I will not. Also to our local grocery stores where I use Apple Pay to pay for my groceries. I have to say while it’s risky, I’m kinda enjoying it. However, my wife has voted not to pick me up if I get stranded. 😂. I do check the percentage of my cell phone battery before I use it as a key.
This is my first plug in hybrid. Never owned a EV before and now learning new things about ownership of EV after four months of ownership.
I also have advanced remote park. This is where I am learning the nuances of operating this feature. For example, in the advanced remote park sequence, it will ask you to unlock the vehicle using the key fob before you can get to move the vehicle with your cell phone. This is one of the situations where a key fob and the digital key is required at the same time.
There may be more things that require digital key and a key fob at the same time. I don’t think it’s a long list of items since a lot of the Nx don’t come with advanced parking out of the box.
The learning continues ……..
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