Volvo and Polestar integrate Samsung's digital key technology into their electric models

The Swedish manufacturer Volvo and its sister brand Polestar, both under the control of Chinese giant Geely, are set to take an important step forward to make their customers’ lives easier through the integration of Samsung’s digital key technology. In this way, owners of electric models from both brands will be able to lock and unlock the vehicle without needing a physical key, simply by using a Galaxy smartphone from the South Korean consumer technology and mobile phone manufacturer.

This Samsung digital key system will be available on the Volvo EX90 starting this very month in multiple regions around the world, including Europe, North and South America, as well as Asia. Likewise, the Polestar 3 will soon also have this technology in the same markets.

The Samsung digital key system is compatible with a wide range of Galaxy devices from the brand, from the S20 onwards, the Note 20, the Z Fold 2 onwards, and also all Z Flip devices.

How does this technology work?

The digital key that grants access to the vehicle is stored in the digital wallet of any of these compatible Galaxy devices and allows interaction with the vehicle through three different methods. The most convenient of these is using the ultra-wideband (UWB) chip included in some of these devices, the most modern ones, which makes it unnecessary to take the smartphone out of your pocket: the vehicle detects its presence when it is a few meters away and locks or unlocks access to the vehicle as appropriate.

Customers with a slightly older Samsung smartphone will also be able to use the Samsung digital key system, but in this case they will have to do so via its NFC chip, which requires holding the device close to a sensor located on the vehicle’s door. Additionally, it is also possible to use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to grant access, although this method is the least secure of the three.

Finally, it is important to clarify that Samsung’s digital key technology is designed solely to lock and unlock access to the vehicle and to start driving, but it does not allow other remote functions such as adjusting the climate control, for which the Volvo or Polestar app will still need to be used, as appropriate.

Samsung’s digital key is becoming increasingly widespread

Samsung’s digital key technology is already compatible with models from other brands such as Audi, BMW, Mini, BYD, Hyundai, Kia or Genesis, and now extends its availability to the electric models of Volvo and Polestar.