Google I/O 2021: Android 12 will turn your smartphone into your car keys

Google said that this feature will be available on select Pixel and Galaxy smartphones later this year.

Android Auto (Google)

Google, at its annual developers' conference, Google I/O 2021, released the first beta version of its upcoming mobile OS, Android 12. In addition to this, the company also gave us a glimpse of some of the features that will be available in Android 12 in the coming days. The list includes better personalisation features and stronger privacy measures among others. In addition to this, the company announced that soon Android users will be able to use their smartphones as their car keys.

The company in a blog post said that it is working with car manufacturers to develop a new digital car key in Android 12. With this feature, users will be able to lock, unlock and start their cars using their Android smartphones.

The company is using the Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology to enable this feature for its users. “And for NFC-enabled car models, it's as easy as tapping your phone on the car door to unlock it. Since it's all digital, you can also securely and remotely share your car key with friends and family if they need to borrow your car,” Google wrote in a blog post.

Google said that this feature will be available on select Pixel and Galaxy smartphones later this year. It is also working with BMW and other carmakers to bring this feature to their upcoming cars.