Digital car keys are still a concept suffering from lackluster adoption, mainly because the technology is expensive and phone makers only offer it on high-end mobile devices with a premium price tag.

Digital key—which enables smartphones, key fobs and other mobile devices to securely communicate, store, authenticate and share digital keys with vehicles—is one step closer to commercial realization ...

As automakers adopt iPhone car keys at a faster clip, we think it could become as standard as seat belts and touchscreens.