GM spent years building vehicles that support hands-free phone calls and wireless charging pads. On September 23, it took the next logical step: the physical key fob is now optional. Starting with select Cadillac EVs, owners can load a digital key into Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, or Samsung Wallet and leave the fob in a drawer indefinitely.
The rollout opens with the 2025–2027 LYRIQ, the 2026–2027 OPTIQ, and the 2027 VISTIQ. GM says delivery to eligible Cadillac vehicles runs from mid-September through mid-October. In December, the same capability expands to the 2026–2027 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, the 2026–2027 GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, and the 2027 Escalade, Escalade IQ, Escalade IQL, and CELESTIQ.
Setup requires the vehicle’s mobile app, an OnStar-connected vehicle, and the physical key fob present during initial pairing. After that, ultra-wideband handles proximity authentication and Bluetooth manages the connected controls. Owners can share access with up to seven additional devices over AirDrop, Messages, WhatsApp, or other platforms. The account owner can revoke any individual key through the app or the vehicle itself; a lost or stolen device can be deactivated immediately by calling OnStar.
Beyond unlocking and locking, the digital key lets owners open the trunk and adjust climate controls before they get in the car. GM has been deliberate about what comes next, noting that ultra-wideband technology is capable of automatically adjusting vehicle settings as a recognized device approaches, though that personalization layer is described as forward-looking rather than shipping now.
GM is not early to this space. As of Apple’s 2025 developer keynote, more than 20 brands already offer digital car keys through Apple Wallet alone, with more committed. BMW, Genesis, Kia, Hyundai, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz are among the brands that have already implemented similar wallet integrations. GM is the largest American brand to roll out the feature at scale across its consumer lineup, which distinguishes the move even if the underlying technology is familiar territory elsewhere in the industry.
The security architecture follows the Car Connectivity Consortium standard, a shared framework that governs how vehicles and consumer devices authenticate each other. Credentials live in the device’s secure element, the same hardware that stores payment cards, which means they are not exposed to the phone’s general software environment. GM has not announced whether the digital key feature carries a subscription requirement tied to OnStar or is included with existing connected-services plans.
Owners will see a notification in the “What’s New” section of their vehicle app when digital key becomes available for their specific model. Compatible hardware spans a meaningful portion of current Android and Apple ecosystems: iPhone 11 or newer, Apple Watch Series 6 or newer, and Apple Watch Ultra; Pixel 6 Pro through Pixel 10 Pro Fold on the Google side; and Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G or newer, Galaxy Note20 or newer, and the Galaxy Z Fold and Z TriFold lines.
The feature arrives at a moment when GM’s EV lineup is trying to build the kind of ownership experience that keeps buyers from looking elsewhere. A Cadillac LYRIQ owner who can tap their Apple Watch to unlock the car and pre-cool the cabin has one fewer reason to wonder what a BMW iX or Mercedes EQS SUV offers. It is incremental convenience, not a product reinvention, but incremental convenience compounds over a lease cycle.
Source: General Motors. Images courtesy of General Motors.
