Samsung Electronics announced that Samsung Wallet now supports Digital Key compatibility for select Toyota vehicles, starting in January 2026.
Samsung said compatible Galaxy phones could unlock, lock, and start supported Toyota vehicles without a physical key.
Samsung announced that the system utilizes Ultra-Wideband (UWB) for hands-free entry and will introduce Near Field Communication (NFC) support on additional devices later this year.
The company stated that UWB adhered to standards established by the Car Connectivity Consortium and was designed to minimize the risk of unauthorized access by enabling more precise proximity detection.
Samsung said Digital Keys were stored on-device and protected by Samsung Knox.
The company stated that the keys met EAL6+ certification standards and could be shared with trusted contacts, allowing access that could be updated or revoked.
Samsung said users could remotely lock or delete a digital key through Samsung Find if a device was lost or stolen, and that Samsung Wallet required biometric or PIN authentication for an added security layer.
Why This Matters Today
If you drive a supported Toyota model and carry a compatible Galaxy phone, this expanded smartphone-based car access beyond payments and passes in Samsung Wallet.
You could use your phone as the key and share access without handing over a physical fob, according to Samsung.
This also showed how automakers and phone makers were standardizing digital car keys around UWB and NFC.
Samsung tied its approach to Car Connectivity Consortium standards and positioned its security claims around on-device storage, Knox protections, and the ability to disable a key if a phone went missing remotely.
Rollout details mattered because availability depended on the vehicle and region.
Samsung said the first supported Toyota vehicle was the 2026 Toyota RAV4, with a rollout beginning this month in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, followed by a broader European expansion tied to Toyota’s launch timelines.
Our Key Takeaways:
- Samsung said Samsung Wallet added Toyota Digital Key support starting with the 2026 Toyota RAV4, enabling lock, unlock, and start functions on compatible Galaxy phones.
- Samsung stated that the feature relied on UWB for hands-free access and listed NFC support as an expansion, with security controls including key sharing, revocation, and remote deletion via Samsung Find.
- The initial rollout started in January 2026 in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, with Europe scheduled to follow as Toyota’s 2026 vehicle availability expanded.
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