Mahindra & Mahindra has teamed up with Samsung to bring Digital Car Key Support via Samsung Wallet to its electric SUVs BE 6 and XEV 9e in India.
The feature allows compatible Galaxy Smartphones to lock, unlock, and even start the vehicles without using a physical key. Mahindra becomes the first Indian carmaker to enable this functionality in collaboration with Samsung in India.
How It Works
- Your Samsung Galaxy smartphone supports NFC (Near-Field Communication) and, in some cases, UWB (Ultra-Wideband) where required.
- The digital key is added to Samsung Wallet on the phone, linked to your BE 6 or XEV 9e.
- To Unlock: bring the phone near an NFC sensor on the door handle. To start: place the phone in the wireless charger area inside the car where the sensor is located, then press the start button.
- Sharing: You can share digital-key access with friends or family for a defined period, directly from Samsung Wallet.
- Security: The system uses Samsung Knox security, biometric or PIN authentication for the phone, and if the phone is lost, you can remotely lock or wipe the key via Samsung’s Find service.
Why It’s Significant
- Convenience: You don’t need to carry a key fob. Your compatible Galaxy phone becomes the access tool, which adds a modern, smartphone-centric layer to vehicle interaction.
- Sharing Made Easier: Instead of handing over a physical key, digital keys make it simpler to give controlled access (e.g., a guest or family member) via the phone.
- Security-Oriented: With the backing of Samsung Knox and remote device-wipe capability, it provides a strong digital layer of protection over traditional keys.
- Market Move: As the first Indian OEM to adopt this specific Samsung solution, Mahindra signals a push toward connected, digital features in Indian EVs.
Important Details & Caveats
- At launch, only Samsung Galaxy smartphones (with the required hardware) are compatible. It doesn’t yet extend to all phone brands.
- The rollout is phased: Existing owners of the BE 6 and XEV 9e will receive the update gradually, while new cars delivered after a certain point are expected to be “digital-key ready”.
- Physical keys, NFC cards, and the manufacturer’s own app (in this case, the Me4U app) will remain available. This digital key does not replace all other access methods immediately.
What This Means For BE 6 / XEV 9e Owners
If you own or plan to purchase a BE 6 or XEV 9e and you also use a compatible Samsung Galaxy smartphone, you can expect:
- Add the digital key via Samsung Wallet once the functionality is live for your vehicle.
- Use your phone to unlock/lock the doors and start the vehicle—streamlining daily use.
- Share vehicle access digitally when needed—ideal for family or trusted drivers.
- Maintain the old key method as a fallback in case phone access is unavailable.
- If you lose your phone, you must act promptly to lock or revoke the digital key access using Samsung’s remote device management features.
Broader Context
This move fits into the broader global trend of vehicles supporting “mobile phone as key” capabilities—leveraging NFC/UWB technologies and integrating with mobile wallets. The standardised “Digital Key” specification by the Car Connectivity Consortium underpins such initiatives.
By offering this feature, Mahindra is aligning its EV offering with more premium connected-car expectations—especially as Indian consumers increasingly value technology features in EVs.
Summary
In short: Buying a BE 6 or XEV 9e and using a Samsung Galaxy phone? You’re now stepping into a more seamless, keyless future. With the digital key via Samsung Wallet, you gain convenience, shareability, and high-end security—all part of the next-gen vehicle ownership experience.