Tesla may finally be laying the groundwork for long-requested Apple Wallet and Google Wallet car key support, according to new evidence uncovered in the company’s latest mobile app update.
A teardown of Tesla mobile app version 4.52.0 by Not A Tesla App has revealed several new code strings referencing something called a “Harmony Wallet Key Card.” While the wording itself points squarely at Huawei’s HarmonyOS ecosystem in China, the implications could extend far beyond Tesla’s largest overseas market.
At a high level, the discovery suggests Tesla is experimenting with native, system-level digital car keys rather than relying solely on its existing Phone Key system. Today, Tesla’s Phone Key depends on Bluetooth communication between the vehicle and the Tesla app running in the background on a smartphone. While generally reliable, it can occasionally fail if the operating system suspends or closes the app to conserve battery.
By contrast, a native wallet key lives at the operating system level and is stored within a device’s secure hardware. This allows a phone to function as a digital key card using NFC, Bluetooth, or ultra-wideband, even if the vehicle app is not actively running. In some implementations, it can continue to work for hours after a phone’s battery has died.
The Harmony Wallet references in Tesla’s code strongly suggest an initial integration with Huawei Wallet on HarmonyOS devices, which dominate the Chinese smartphone market. That strategy would be consistent with Tesla’s past behavior, as the company has frequently introduced new software capabilities in China before expanding them globally.
Even though Apple Wallet and Google Wallet are not named in the app code, the functionality described aligns closely with Apple’s Car Key implementation. Introduced in 2020, Apple Car Key enables drivers to use NFC, Bluetooth, or UWB to access and start their vehicle.
The timing of this discovery is particularly notable given recent developments from Tesla’s competitors. Earlier this month, Rivian rolled out native Apple Wallet and Google Wallet digital key support as part of its 2025.46 Holiday Update, using the Car Connectivity Consortium standard. That approach enables secure key sharing, smartwatch support, and continued access when a phone’s battery is nearly depleted. At the same time, other major automakers are also moving in the same direction.
For years, Tesla owners have asked for native wallet key support from Apple and Google. The appearance of Harmony Wallet support now confirms Tesla is technically capable of building these deeper integrations. Whether this remains a China-only experiment tied to Huawei, or points to a broader global rollout, remains the key question.
