The 2024.2.3 update for Tesla vehicles introduces support for Ultra Wideband communications, which should make it easier for iPhone users to unlock their electric vehicles.
As reported by AppleInsider, the update, which is slowly rolling out to vehicles, makes a significant change to the way Tesla Phone Key functions for users.
Due to Ultra Wideband’s ability to perform high-precision location tracking beyond the capabilities of Bluetooth, it should allow for the car to detect where the Phone Key-enabled device is in relation to it.
While Tesla already uses Phone Keys to unlock vehicles, Not a Tesla App reports that the car can occasionally fail to realize the driver’s smartphone is nearby. While the feature normally works automatically, it sometimes fails, requiring drivers to unlock their iPhones to access the Tesla app before being able to enter their vehicles.
Unlocking the vehicle via Ultra Wideband should reduce the occurrence of the problem while enhancing the entire process. Using Ultra Wideband, the vehicle can determine which of multiple drivers are closer to the driver’s side of the vehicle and loads the driver profile to match that particular driver.
Owners will receive a notification in the Tesla app once the vehicle’s firmware has been updated. They will then need to grant the app access to Ultra Wideband, which can be done on the iPhone under Nearby Interactions in the Settings app under Privacy & Security.
New Model 3 and the 2023 Model X models offer support for Ultra Wideband, while first-generation Model 3 and current Model Y models do not currently support UWB.