Rivian Adds Native Apple Car Key Support for iPhone and Apple Watch

Rivian is rolling out support for Apple digital car keys today, allowing owners of its Gen 2 vehicles to unlock and start their truck using only an iPhone or Apple Watch. The integration adds full passive entry to the Apple Wallet app, letting drivers access their vehicle without needing to carry a physical fob or open a separate app.



Once a key is added to Wallet, the vehicle automatically unlocks as the driver approaches and locks when they walk away, providing haptic feedback on the device to confirm the action.


The update highlights the specific line Rivian is drawing with the Apple ecosystem. While the company is embracing system-level features like Wallet keys and Apple Music, it remains steadfast in its refusal to adopt CarPlay. Just yesterday, CEO RJ Scaringe described Apple's projection interface as merely a "life raft" for automakers with bad software, arguing that handing over the in-car experience to a third party is "extremely risky."

Under the hood, the system uses Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology to pinpoint the driver's location, ensuring the passive entry triggers accurately. There is also NFC support as a backup, so users can still tap their phone against the driver's door handle to unlock if needed. Because the feature integrates natively with iOS, it supports Power Reserve, meaning the key will work for up to five hours even if the iPhone battery dies.



The move to Apple Wallet also simplifies key management. Owners can share up to eight digital keys with friends or family directly through apps like Messages, Mail, or WhatsApp. Rivian says the feature is built on the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) standard and requires the Rivian app to be updated to version 3.8.0 or higher.

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