“Samsung Wallet is built to help users manage the digital essentials they rely on throughout their day in a single secure experience,” said Woncheol Chai, EVP and Head of the Digital Wallet Team at the Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics. “By expanding Digital Key support to select Volkswagen vehicles, we’re giving more Galaxy users easy access to connected experiences that make everyday mobility simpler and more convenient.”

“The Digital Key is an important step toward a seamless and connected vehicle experience for our customers,” said Dr. Axel Heinrich, Senior Vice President System Architecture, Concepts & Innovation, Volkswagen Passenger Cars. “Our collaboration with Samsung has been highly constructive and built on a shared commitment to innovation, security, and ease of use. We are pleased to bring this solution to Volkswagen customers and look forward to building on this strong foundation to deliver even more convenient digital experiences in the future.”

Samsung Wallet gives Galaxy users an intuitive way to access compatible Volkswagen vehicles using their smartphone, without the need for a physical key or even taking their phone out of their pockets. Digital Keys support multiple access methods, including ultra-wideband (UWB)^[3] technology for hands-free entry and Near Field Communication (NFC)^[4] technology for tap-based unlocking and starting the engine.

Digital Key extends beyond vehicle access, allowing the trunk to be opened through Remote Key Entry. Users can also provide Digital Key access to trusted individuals through Samsung Wallet, set permissions when sharing a key and withdraw access at any time with simple controls. This allows owners to accommodate multiple drivers or provide short-term access when needed.

Samsung combines multiple layers of security to help safeguard sensitive personal information saved within Samsung Wallet. Stored directly on the device and backed by Samsung’s industry-leading security platform, Samsung Knox,[5] Digital Keys meet rigorous EAL6+^[6] certification standards for advanced protection against unauthorised access.

UWB technologies, based on standards established by the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), support reliable vehicle access while helping reduce the risk of unintended entry attempts. If a smartphone containing a Digital Key is lost or stolen, Samsung Find allows users to remotely manage or remove their Digital Key, while biometric or PIN verification helps keep every interaction secure and private.

Samsung Wallet helps Galaxy users keep important digital credentials — including payment cards, identification cards, boarding passes, and digital keys — within easy reach. Built to work seamlessly across the Galaxy ecosystem, Samsung Wallet combines everyday convenience with trusted security in a single experience.

Availability

Digital Key functionality for select Volkswagen models equipped to support this feature, including the ID.Polo, ID.Cross, ID.3neo, ID.4, ID.5, ID.7, and ID.Buzz, begins rolling out in Europe^[7] on Aug.18 for vehicles running ID. software 6.0.1.

[1] Digital Key availability is limited to eligible Volkswagen ID. vehicles produced on or after April 27, 2026 and running ID. software 6.0.1 or later and equipped with the “Preparation for Digital Key” option package. Earlier vehicles are not supported due to hardware requirements.

[2] Samsung Wallet Digital Key support is available on select devices, including: Galaxy S20 Ultra/S20+/S20, S21 Ultra/ S21+/S21/S21 FE, S22 Ultra/S22+/S22, S23 Ultra/S23+/S23/S23 FE, S24 Ultra/S24+/S24/S24 FE, S25 Ultra/S25 Edge/S25+/S25/S25 FE, S26 Ultra/S26+/S26, Note20 Ultra/Note20, Z Fold2, Z Fold3, Z Fold4, Z Fold5, Z Fold6, Z Fold7, Z Fold8 Ultra, Z Fold8, Z Flip 5G, Z Flip3, Z Flip4, Z Flip5, Z Flip6, Z Flip7, Z Flip7 FE, Z Flip8, Z TriFold, A36, A56, A37, A57, and Xcover7 Pro (except in Korea).

[3] UWB support is available on select devices, including: Galaxy S21 Ultra/S21+, S22 Ultra/S22+, S23 Ultra/S23+, S24 Ultra/S24+, S25 Ultra/S25 Edge/S25+, S26 Ultra/S26+, Note20 Ultra, Z Fold2, Z Fold3, Z Fold4, Z Fold5, Z Fold6, Z Fold7, Z Fold8 Ultra, Z Fold8, Z Flip8 (only in Korea), and Z TriFold.

[4] NFC support is available on select devices, including: Galaxy S20 Ultra/S20+/S20, S21 Ultra/ S21+/S21/S21 FE, S22 Ultra/S22+/S22, S23 Ultra/S23+/S23/S23 FE, S24 Ultra/S24+/S24/S24 FE, S25 Ultra/S25 Edge/S25+/S25/S25 FE, S26 Ultra/S26+/S26, Note20 Ultra/Note20, Z Fold2, Z Fold3, Z Fold4, Z Fold5, Z Fold6, Z Fold7, Z Fold8 Ultra, Z Fold8, Z Flip 5G, Z Flip3, Z Flip4, Z Flip5, Z Flip6, Z Flip7, Z Flip7 FE, Z Flip8, A36/A56 (except in Kazakhstan, India, and Latin America), A37/A57 (except in Kazakhstan, India, and Latin America), and Xcover7 Pro (except in Korea).

[5] For more information, please visit: https://www.samsungknox.com/en/knox-platform/knox-certifications.

[6] Evaluation Assurance Level6+, for which a product must be evaluated for specific protection against side-channel attacks or other advanced attack vectors, plus additional, more extensive testing and verification of the product’s security functions.

[7] Supported markets include Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

About Volkswagen

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand has a worldwide presence and manufactures vehicles at 28 locations in twelve countries. In 2025, Volkswagen delivered more than 4.7 million vehicles to customers. These include bestsellers such as the Polo, T-Roc, T-Cross, Golf, Tiguan and Passat as well as the successful all-electric models of the ID. family. Last year, the company handed over around 382,000 all-electric models to customers worldwide. Volkswagen currently has a workforce of approximately 170,000 employees around the globe. With its BOOST 2030 strategy, Volkswagen is systematically advancing its development into the most desirable brand for sustainable mobility.

At Samsung, we constantly push boundaries to bring consumers groundbreaking new mobile experiences that address their needs and enrich their lives. Our long history of pioneering mobile technologies to transform the way people live, work and play is one of the main reasons why I love what I do — and 2020 has only amplified our drive to spearhead meaningful innovation that anticipates people’s needs and provides seamless solutions.

UWB Technology is the Next Big Thing in Wireless Tech

Technology is always evolving, but every now and then, a new capability emerges, and we instantly know it’s something special — like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Samsung believes Ultra-Wideband (UWB) is one such game-changing wireless communication tech, which is why we are working tirelessly to advance and deploy it as quickly as possible. Together with industry leaders, we are striving to accelerate UWB’s broad adoption and implementation across ecosystems.

What Is UWB?

Ultra-wideband (UWB) technology is a short-range, wireless communication protocol that operates through radio waves at very high frequencies. This enables enhanced, highly accurate spatial awareness and directional capabilities that allow mobile devices to better understand their surroundings. With UWB, it’s possible to have seamless, intelligent connections across devices that can assist with a wide range of needs, from making secure remote payments to locating a missing remote control. UWB also makes it possible to navigate large spaces with incredible accuracy, which means you’ll be able to use your smartphone to find what you’re looking for, whether it’s somewhere to eat at the airport or the location of your car in a parking garage.

Samsung is Driving UWB Forward

Samsung has been making significant investments in UWB technology because we recognize its vast potential to revolutionize the way we use our smart devices to manage our lives. In 2018, we established a full-time task force dedicated to integrating UWB into our products, and soon after, we teamed up with NXP and HID Global to initiate the creation of the FiRa Consortium, an industry organization that promotes the adoption of UWB technology for use cases such as access control, location-based services and device-to-device services.

In the last year, FiRa has grown by leaps and bounds. Its members now hail from over 45 organizations across a vast range of industries, from consumer and enterprise technology to universities and automobile manufacturers. We are developing use cases, defining industry standards and establishing certification programs for interoperability because Samsung is staunchly committed to open collaboration, as it allows us to accelerate the development of cutting-edge technology and bring it to everyone, not just a select few.

Samsung’s UWB Innovation and the Road Ahead

In August, Samsung made history when we released the Galaxy Note20 Ultra, the first Android smartphone to feature UWB technology. And our newly released foldable device, the Galaxy Z Fold2, is equipped with UWB as well. Thanks to UWB, owners of the Galaxy Note20 Ultra and Z Fold2 can enjoy incredible precision and accuracy when using Nearby Share, which allows users to connect to over two billion Android devices and instantly transmit photos and files to family, friends and colleagues. UWB has also enhanced our SmartThings Find feature by enabling the Galaxy Note20 Ultra and Z Fold2 to generate an augmented reality (AR) visual display that shows you the exact direction, distance and location of your other Galaxy devices.

And soon, UWB technology will negate the need for physical keys. With Samsung’s, forthcoming Digital Key solution, you’ll be able to use your Galaxy smartphone to unlock your front door as you approach it — so, you’ll never have to spend time digging through your pockets and bags in search of your house, office or car key again.

One of the greatest things about technology is that it offers limitless opportunities for innovation. We have only just begun to tap UWB’s potential, and that’s incredibly exciting. Samsung is on a mission to forge ahead and discover revolutionary uses and capabilities that — until now — have only lived in our imaginations. So, stay tuned… the best is yet to come.

I will be discussing UWB technology with NXP President and CEO, Kurt Sievers, and NXP CTO, Lars Reger, at the upcoming NXP Connects 2020 flagship virtual developer conference on Oct. 20. Tune in to see demonstrations of some of the use cases mentioned above and to learn more about Samsung’s vision for pioneering UWB to develop breakthrough innovations that enable a safer and smarter world. Click here to register for the conference.