Apple Releases 'Car Keys Tests' App for Licensed MFi Developers - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Releases 'Car Keys Tests' App for Licensed MFi Developers

by

Apple has released a testing app for vehicle manufacturers who are working on integrating its digital Car Keys software (via 9to5Mac).

car keys tests
Apple's digital car key feature allows users to unlock and start a compatible vehicle by bringing an iPhone or Apple Watch near the driver-side door. The car keys are stored in the Wallet app, just like a credit card. The feature is currently limited to select BMW, Kia, and Genesis vehicles.

Called "Car Keys Tests," the new app allows licensed MFi developers to test and validate their own integration of the digital car keys technology, which Apple announced in July 2022.

Apple describes the developer tool in the following way:

For use by MFi Licensees only. Use the Car Keys Tests app to test and validate connection, performance, and other key requirements for the certification process of the vehicles you develop that incorporate Apple digital car keys technology.

"Car Keys Tests" isn't listed on the App Store, but there is a direct link to view and download the app. However, only developers with MFi licenses will be able to get past the login screen.

Tag: iPhone Car Keys Guide

Popular Stories

digital car key iphone

Apple Car Key Support Coming to Future Mahindra Vehicles

Monday June 1, 2026 5:00 am PDT by
Apple's Car Keys feature appears to be coming to future vehicles made by Indian maker Mahindra, based on code changes discovered by MacRumors in Apple's Wallet app backend. Car Keys allows an iPhone or Apple Watch with NFC capabilities to unlock a vehicle through the Wallet app. A digital version of a car key is stored in Wallet, and unlocking can be done simply by holding an Apple Watch or ...
Read Full Article • 18 comments
Apple Wallet

iOS 27 Will Add Two New Apple Wallet Features to Your iPhone

Monday June 1, 2026 12:15 pm PDT by
Apple is set to unveil iOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote on Monday, June 8, and the update will reportedly include two new Apple Wallet features. First, iOS 27 will reportedly let users create their own digital passes by scanning items like movie tickets, concert passes, and gym membership cards. Many apps already offer Apple Wallet passes, but now users will be able to create a custom...
Read Full Article
HomePod mini and Apple TV Sage

New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Are 'Nearly Ready' to Launch, New Siri Remote Also Rumored

Sunday May 31, 2026 8:47 am PDT by
New models of the Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini are "nearly ready to go," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Both devices have been ready "for months," but Apple is holding off on launching them until the more personalized version of Siri is available, he said. "I am told the hardware for the next Apple TV...
Read Full Article • 141 comments

Top Rated Comments

CalMin Avatar
CalMin
43 months ago
I no longer need to take my wallet, house keys or camera with me. Looking forward to the day I can dump the car keys as well. (oh, and California please hurry with that digital drivers license!)
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
haruhiko Avatar
haruhiko
43 months ago

Add to that the fact that many users, myself included, don’t trust Apple software and third party companies enough to secure things like houses and cars. I use Apple Wallet a lot but there’s a big difference in a bank card and a car for instance.
Your digital key is designed to be only operated by you. A physical key however can be operated by anybody. It (in theory) can’t be as non-secure as the key it’s replacing. But of course if you think that Apple can impersonate you and authorise another person to download your digital key, it’s totally another issue and you should throw away your smartphone at once since it’s much more dangerous than a key to your house.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
B
bkaus
43 months ago

Getting auto manufactures to do anything quickly is an ordeal. Remember the CarPlay roll out? I mean Tesla just added it like a few months ago.
Tesla didn’t add CarPlay. They did add Apple Music.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
B
brian3uk
43 months ago
Getting auto manufactures to do anything quickly is an ordeal. Remember the CarPlay roll out?

(Edited to remove mention of Tesla)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
S
svish
43 months ago
Waiting for other car manufacturers to support this.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
T
TheLunaPark
43 months ago

Your digital key is designed to be only operated by you. A physical key however can be operated by anybody. It (in theory) can’t be as non-secure as the key it’s replacing. But of course if you think that Apple can impersonate you and authorise another person to download your digital key, it’s totally another issue and you should throw away your smartphone at once since it’s much more dangerous than a key to your house.
My issue is more to do with the p*ss poor reliability and stability of Apple’s software across the board, HomeKit being the most obvious example. I also wouldn’t want to rely on Apple software to power my car’s dashboard displays for the same reason.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments