Catching up to Tesla: you can now unlock and start your Polestar 3 with an Apple Watch

• Polestar 3 just got a big Apple Watch upgrade
• It now supports car keys in Apple Wallet
• You can unlock and drive your car with just an iPhone or your Apple Watch

Polestar has announced a big upgrade for iPhone and Apple Watch customers that will allow drivers of its Polestar 3 to unlock and drive the vehicle thanks to car keys in Apple Wallet.

The company announced that it was pushing an over-the-air software update to the Polestar 3. Car keys in Apple Wallet support now means that drivers can automatically unlock their cars while leaving their iPhones in their pocket, simply by wearing an Apple Watch.

It's a big benefit that allows seamless, keyless entry to (and exit from) your vehicle. What's more, customers benefit from Apple Wallet's car keys sharing, so you can share keys through Messages, Mail, AirDrop, WhatsApp, and more with up to five other users, tweaking access between just gaining access to the vehicle or driving it as required. You can even use the iPhone Power Reserve feature to unlock and drive the car if your iPhone has run out of battery.

Polestar 3 gets car keys support

This is a welcome quality-of-life upgrade for Polestar 3 owners, and the company has confirmed the Polestar 4 should get support soon too. What's more, you don't even need the best Apple Watch or newest iPhone to take advantage, you just need an iPhone 11 or Apple Watch Series 6 or later.

It's also a welcome catch-up play for anyone casting a jealous eye over at Tesla. Tesla supports Apple Wallet car keys and also unveiled a new bespoke Apple Watch app for Tesla owners late last year. The latter lets users remotely lock and unlock their vehicle, adjust climate controls, and even open the front trunk.

While niche, Apple Wallet car keys is one of the coolest Apple Watch features going. The device's Wallet app and NFC tools can also be used to unlock the best smart locks for your home, access hotel rooms, and of course, make payments using Apple Pay.

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