For Tesla owners, they can now get the same senseless unlocking experience with some of OPPO's models as they can with iPhones.
For Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) owners, the most convenient way to unlock their Tesla vehicles is with an iPhone, which offers an excellent senseless experience. Now, for Chinese owners, they have a new option beyond the iPhone.
Chinese smartphone giant OPPO announced today on Weibo that it has entered into a partnership with the Tesla China team for digital car keys, and the OPPO digital key has been adapted to all versions of the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.
(Image credit: OPPO)
The feature is currently available on OPPO Find X5 Pro, Find X5, Reno7 Pro, and Find N models, but the version of the phone system needs to be ColorOS 11.2 and above, and the version of the Tesla app needs to be updated to 4.7.3-1022.
OPPO is working to get more phone models adapted to Tesla vehicles, and the company will also make its devices available for more vehicle models, it said.
For Tesla owners with these OPPO models, they can add a digital car key to their phone's "Wallet" app.
Once set up, the doors will automatically unlock when users bring their OPPO phones near their Tesla vehicles. When they leave with their phone, the vehicle will automatically lock, the same experience as an iPhone.
As one of the largest smartphone makers in China, OPPO has not entered the car-making bandwagon, but it has already made a lot of efforts in the smart car field.
In early July last year, OPPO disclosed a vehicle control-related patent, which can be used for different configurations of electronic devices and vehicles, based on different communication connections to achieve control of the vehicle.
The patent abstract shows that it relates to a target vehicle control method and device, electronic device, computer-readable storage medium, applied to electronic devices including pre-defined communication modules and ultra-wideband UWB modules.
The use of cell phones to achieve a senseless unlocking of Tesla vehicles seems to rely on the UWB module.
On October 27 last year, OPPO announced OPPO Carlink, a full-scene travel solution, at its developer conference.
OPPO said the solution works for two-wheeled electric vehicles and four-wheeled cars, offering features including digital car keys, vehicle management using a watch, and in-car screen casting.
The company said at the time that it already had more than 70 partners, covering car companies, two-wheeled electric vehicle makers, Tier1 suppliers and mobility service providers.
OPPO's plan at the time was to have the solution in more than 15 million vehicles by 2022. The company currently has partnerships with automakers including Nio (NYSE: NIO, HKG: 9866), Xpeng Motors (NYSE: XPEV, HKG: 9868), and Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI, HKG: 2015).
It's worth noting that in addition to cell phone makers' efforts to adapt their devices to smart cars, automakers are also starting to build their own phones in order to provide a better experience for users.
The cell phone company founded by Geely Holding Group Chairman Eric Li signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone on September 28 last year, officially announcing its entry into the cell phone sector.
At the end of February, several Weibo bloggers said that Nio entered the phone-making industry and the project is currently in the initial research stage.
At the end of March, William Li, the founder, chairman and CEO of Nio, said in an interview on a local program that Nio's phone-making project was still in the research stage.
Nio's customers want to see a phone that connects better with cars, which prompted the company to study the industry, Li said.
"We will look at this direction positively and are aware that getting the phone produced is easy, but building a good phone is challenging," he said.
Even when Nio makes phones, it's not thinking in terms of commercial success, but whether users want an Nio phone and whether it will enhance the owner's experience, Li said.
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