But that is what Digital Key is.
It should allow you to use your Apple phone to open your Volvo. If Apple design their phone to stop you doing it, then Volvo can't make changes to yout Apple phone to allow it to happen. Apple phones are designed to be secure and prevent unauthorised software being installed on them - so they are specifically designed to prevent companies like Volvo modifying their software to do things that Apple have not authorised.
But Volvo have recognised that Apple is failing its customers and provided them all with a free key fob to allow them remote access to the car without Apple's permission by using the key fob instead.
The key fob was supposed to be a £140 optional extra, but is being given away free to everyone who would have been able to use Digital Key Plus to use to allow them to have the remote access that Volvo had hoped to provide but that Apple is delaying.
Like I said before, it's a pity Volvo didn't go the Audi route. Audi recognised that they couldn't force Apple to allow Apple users phone access to their Audi's, but they have provided that access to Android customers as Google is not limiting Android phones from using Digital Key Plus on some makes the way Apple is.
Apple allow Digital Key on BMW and Hyundai, but not Audi, Volvo, Polestar.
Key Card, Key Fob, Phone key
They key fob being an extra purchase shows you how cheap Volvo is with this car.
Imagine paying 55k eur for a ultra twin motor sometime in the future, having the latest Google Pixel 9 phone (non pro, so without UWB) and having to swipe the card on the pillar or pay another ~200 eur for a giant battery eating keyfob with no buttons when a 15k eur hyundai provides flawless keyless entry.
Before the great EX30 I had a 2021 Opel Mokka with keyless entry. In the 3 years I had it, every single time it locked and unlocked properly. They battery also held on for the full 3 years. In the 5 months with the EX30 I'm on my third remote battery and I still sit like a moron in front of my brand new car waiting for it to unlock.
Imagine paying 55k eur for a ultra twin motor sometime in the future, having the latest Google Pixel 9 phone (non pro, so without UWB) and having to swipe the card on the pillar or pay another ~200 eur for a giant battery eating keyfob with no buttons when a 15k eur hyundai provides flawless keyless entry.
Before the great EX30 I had a 2021 Opel Mokka with keyless entry. In the 3 years I had it, every single time it locked and unlocked properly. They battery also held on for the full 3 years. In the 5 months with the EX30 I'm on my third remote battery and I still sit like a moron in front of my brand new car waiting for it to unlock.
I am not defending the key fob.
I am saying that it is Apple, not Volvo, that is to blame for Apple users not being able to use the Digital Key technology.
On the other hand, it is Volvo who is to blame for Android users not being able to use the Digital Key technology.
I am saying that it is Apple, not Volvo, that is to blame for Apple users not being able to use the Digital Key technology.
On the other hand, it is Volvo who is to blame for Android users not being able to use the Digital Key technology.
2024 EX30 Ultra - single motor - extended range - Onyx Black (UK)
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andrewollason
- Posts: 388
- Joined: Wed Jun 26, 2024 3:43 pm
Could be Apple could be Volvo. Probably both of them. For me this mess is at the door of Volvo. I bought a car with (or so I thought) a digital key from Volvo not Apple. The contingency measure of the fob is all well and good but my expectation of the time it would take to supply what is a key feature for me has been exceeded now.
Last edited by andrewollason on Sun Nov 17, 2024 6:19 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Twin Motor Ultra
But apparently it's Volvo to blame instead, at least for the Android OS....
Audi just released the digital key for some cars using the Samsung Wallet, while Apple has not yet support for Audi digital keys.
https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung ... i-vehicles
Supported digital keys by Apple (look for the key icon, no Audi cars marked):
https://www.apple.com/ios/carplay/available-models/
Volvo EX30 Ultra Twin Motor cloud blue
I bought a Volvo, not an Apple. I’m not particularly interested in a digital key; it won’t do anything that the fob doesn’t do. The problem is the fob doesn’t work reliably and to be forced to used the app or the key cards isn’t acceptable, not for me anyway but others seem to think it isn’t a problem.
Thankfully Volvo no longer make aircraft.
Thankfully Volvo no longer make aircraft.
Twin Motor Performance Ultra - Vapour Grey/Indigo
This is not completely true...
A Digital Key Plus has no cost, while another key fob for a relative of mine has a high cost.
Moreover, the number of Digital Key Plus that can be used is larger, while theoretically only 2 key fobs can be paired with the EX30.
In my family there are 3 people that drive the car, but currently only one can take advantage of using the key fob...
Volvo EX30 Ultra Twin Motor cloud blue
Perhaps I should have said the Digital Key Plus will perform the same function as the key fob. You need a suitable phone for a Digital Key Plus and the cost of a phone is considerably more than the cost of a key fob.kildare wrote: ↑Sun Nov 17, 2024 1:52 pmThis is not completely true...
A Digital Key Plus has no cost, while another key fob for a relative of mine has a high cost.
Moreover, the number of Digital Key Plus that can be used is larger, while theoretically only 2 key fobs can be paired with the EX30.
In my family there are 3 people that drive the car, but currently only one can take advantage of using the key fob...
In my family there are two people that drive the car (one of those very reluctantly), but if anyone else wants to drive the car I’ll either give them the fob or more likely one of the key cards. I don’t need another fob and I don’t need a digital key. However, I do expect the key fob to unlock the car reliably, every time without touching the door handle or resorting to the app, the key cards or a digital key. And I don’t believe that is an unreasonable expectation.
Twin Motor Performance Ultra - Vapour Grey/Indigo
These problems very likely won't happen with the digital key plus...
No low battery, no slow reaction when the key fob resumes from sleep state for unlocking as the processor inside the key fob has a fraction of the power and speed of that inside a smartphone, and the smartphone is much faster to resume from its possible sleep state...
And hopefully there will be sensitivity options to fine tune the preferred distance for remotely locking/unlocking the car.
Volvo EX30 Ultra Twin Motor cloud blue
I can't resist sharing my experience with these key fobs and cards. My wife is using the ex30 on a daily basis so she uses the key fob. I use the card.
I'm tallish, 1m89, and my wife smallish, 1m55. I drive with the front seat slid all the way to the back, my wife drives with the seat as close as possible to the driving wheel. So we go somewhere together with my wife. I run to make sure I open the car with my card and the right profile is picked up so I can actually climb in to the car. That's ok, with an older car, I would have to manually push the seat back anyway. Still, it's a bit annoying because sliding the seat back is slooooow and I get wet under the rainy Belgian sky. But the real fun is when I forget to put the card in the basket and she needs to go out of the car because she forgot something. When she comes back, the car switches profile and I slowly get crushed against the front wheel and panel until I stop panicking and think about hitting the button on the left of the seat, which I never manage to do. So I hand up folded in half trying to find my way in those damned menus so I can change back to my profile again.
Then there's the problem of the card itself. I'm a musician. I play the piano and often brings a 25kg keyboards to gigs. With an older car, I'd put my hand in my pocket, hit the unlock button and open the trunk, all with one hand. with my 5 years old C3, I'd just hit the trunk's open button and the car would unlock too. I get to use only one hand and I can keep my keyboard case up on its wheel while opening. With the ex30 and the card, I have to let go of the keyboard (which means finding a dry and clean place to lay the 25kg, 1.50m long thing), open my wallet, take that stupid card out, press it against the door at the right spot (always fun under the rain at 2AM when you can't see the little white mark), open the door, put the card in the basket, put back my wallet in to my pocket, and then, finally, I can go over, open the trunk and load the keyboard. The unloading experience is as bad. Leave the card and go unloading the trunk, find a place to lay the keyboard down, go fetch back the card and put it back in my wallet so I won't loose it, shut down the trunk and lift again those 25kg. Where before, I'd just unload the keyboard and hit the fob's lock button.
I'm going to ask for a second key fob, but having to spend additional money to be able to open your car is a joke. And I'm not sure how it'll behave when two key fobs are detected. It'll probably be nicer/easier if/when opening with the phone is actually supported, but then I'll need to buy a new phone, still money to spend to be able to open your car... Anyway, I know I'm not the only one to complain here, but I'm a bit disappointed with the QA work on this car at Volvo. With all the other annoying issues, it really seems that nobody at Volvo ever used the car for one month every day. Thanks god it's good looking and fun to drive.
I'm tallish, 1m89, and my wife smallish, 1m55. I drive with the front seat slid all the way to the back, my wife drives with the seat as close as possible to the driving wheel. So we go somewhere together with my wife. I run to make sure I open the car with my card and the right profile is picked up so I can actually climb in to the car. That's ok, with an older car, I would have to manually push the seat back anyway. Still, it's a bit annoying because sliding the seat back is slooooow and I get wet under the rainy Belgian sky. But the real fun is when I forget to put the card in the basket and she needs to go out of the car because she forgot something. When she comes back, the car switches profile and I slowly get crushed against the front wheel and panel until I stop panicking and think about hitting the button on the left of the seat, which I never manage to do. So I hand up folded in half trying to find my way in those damned menus so I can change back to my profile again.
Then there's the problem of the card itself. I'm a musician. I play the piano and often brings a 25kg keyboards to gigs. With an older car, I'd put my hand in my pocket, hit the unlock button and open the trunk, all with one hand. with my 5 years old C3, I'd just hit the trunk's open button and the car would unlock too. I get to use only one hand and I can keep my keyboard case up on its wheel while opening. With the ex30 and the card, I have to let go of the keyboard (which means finding a dry and clean place to lay the 25kg, 1.50m long thing), open my wallet, take that stupid card out, press it against the door at the right spot (always fun under the rain at 2AM when you can't see the little white mark), open the door, put the card in the basket, put back my wallet in to my pocket, and then, finally, I can go over, open the trunk and load the keyboard. The unloading experience is as bad. Leave the card and go unloading the trunk, find a place to lay the keyboard down, go fetch back the card and put it back in my wallet so I won't loose it, shut down the trunk and lift again those 25kg. Where before, I'd just unload the keyboard and hit the fob's lock button.
I'm going to ask for a second key fob, but having to spend additional money to be able to open your car is a joke. And I'm not sure how it'll behave when two key fobs are detected. It'll probably be nicer/easier if/when opening with the phone is actually supported, but then I'll need to buy a new phone, still money to spend to be able to open your car... Anyway, I know I'm not the only one to complain here, but I'm a bit disappointed with the QA work on this car at Volvo. With all the other annoying issues, it really seems that nobody at Volvo ever used the car for one month every day. Thanks god it's good looking and fun to drive.
