Tesla may be taking its first real steps toward supporting Apple Car Keys, according to new evidence found inside the company’s mobile app.
While nothing is official yet, the signs suggest Tesla is warming up to a more modern, system-level approach to digital car keys.
As reported by Not a Tesla App, version 4.52.0 of Tesla’s mobile app includes several code references to something called Harmony Wallet Key Cards. This is notable because it hints at Tesla moving away from its current Bluetooth-only Phone Key system toward native digital keys stored directly in a phone’s operating system.
Right now, Tesla’s Phone Key works by keeping the Tesla app running in the background and communicating with the car over Bluetooth. While convenient, this method can sometimes be unreliable. Native wallet-based keys work differently. They are stored securely at the system level and use dedicated hardware, which typically makes them faster, more stable, and accessible even when an app is not actively running.
The newly discovered code appears to target Huawei’s HarmonyOS, specifically integrating with Huawei Wallet. That makes sense, as HarmonyOS is widely used in China, a market where Tesla often tests new features before rolling them out globally. While Apple Wallet and Google Wallet are not mentioned directly, the underlying technology closely mirrors how Apple Car Key works on the iPhone.
Apple introduced Car Keys in 2020, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start compatible vehicles using Apple Wallet. These keys are stored in the Secure Enclave and support features like Express Mode and limited functionality even when the iPhone battery is nearly empty.
If Tesla is indeed adopting native wallet keys, Apple Car Keys support could finally be on the horizon.
