At this point, there is only one production vehicle that supports UWB communication â€" the BMW iX electric crossover, which is only available in a handful of markets overseas. BMW started rolling out NFC across most of its models abroad in 2020, and backwards compatibility could be one of the reasons for Google's Digital Car Key function to also utilise NFC, which isn't as hassle-free a solution as the one provided by UWB. That said, future BMW models are expected to feature UWB radios, and Hyundai and Kia are expected to offer this feature on their upcoming models, too.
Google has also confirmed users will also be able to securely share the digital car key with family members and friends, for when they need to borrow the car.
In addition to this, Google also announced most future vehicles from BMW and Ford will come with the 'Fast Pair' feature, which will enable users to pair their Android smartphones with their vehicle with a single tap. Android Auto â€" which is now active in over 100 million vehicles worldwide â€" will now function wirelessly in a 'vast majority' of upcoming vehicles from most carmakers, Google added.