Samsung has officially announced the launch of digital car key support in India via Samsung Wallet, starting with compatibility on select electric SUVs from Mahindra. The announcement took place on Wednesday (October 29) at the Samsung Opera House in Bengaluru. With the latest update, owners of selected Mahindra electric vehicles will soon be able to seamlessly lock, unlock and even start their vehicle directly from their Galaxy smartphone, eliminating the need for a traditional physical car key. The feature is integrated into Samsung Wallet and comes pre-installed on supported Galaxy devices.
With the launch of the new feature, Mahindra becomes the first Indian car manufacturer to integrate Samsung digital car key functionality. Brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Hyundai already offer digital car key support with Samsung Wallet. However, it is limited to selected models and markets.
Here are five things you need to know about digital car key functionality:
- Supported Galaxy devices: Samsung Wallet’s digital car key feature is available on select flagship Galaxy smartphones and includes ultra-wideband (UWB) hardware and NFC-based connectivity. These include the Galaxy S25 series, Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy Z Fold 7, Galaxy Z Flip 7, Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6. UWB-enabled Galaxy S series and Z series phones launched after 2020 are generally eligible for keyless entry and ignition.
- Supported models: Samsung Wallet’s digital car key feature now supports Mahindra’s XEV 9e and BE 6 electric SUVs. With this update, Galaxy smartphone owners can lock, unlock and start these vehicles simply using their phone.
- Digital car keys can be shared: Users can share digital car key access with friends or family for a limited time and can restrict and revoke access at any time. Additionally, whenever the vehicle is started, the master device receives an alert to ensure control.
- security features: If a device with a digital car key is lost or stolen, users can use the Samsung Find service to remotely lock the device and delete all data, including the key. This feature is controlled via biometric or PIN authentication. This ensures that only authorized users can access the vehicle.
- What to do if your Samsung smartphone battery dies? Even if the phone is turned off, the digital car key can still be used. Samsung says the latest Galaxy devices retain enough battery backup to support NFC-based functions, including unlocking the car. This ensures uninterrupted access to the vehicle even when the battery is low.
Samsung Wallet’s digital car key support for Mahindra XEV 9e and BE 6 in India is fully in line with Samsung’s strategy to compete with Google Wallet in the growing digital car key segment.
While Google Wallet already supports digital keys from brands like Tesla, Volvo, and Polestar, these features are limited to certain countries. Samsung is steadily expanding the list of carmakers it supports, and with the addition of Mahindra, the South Korean company strengthens its presence in the Indian automotive space.
Samsung Wallet app launches in June 2022. In addition to digital car keys, the platform also allows users to securely store their payment card information, government ID cards and other documents on their smartphones.
