Apple Set to Bring Car Keys Function to Toyota Vehicles

Group 1: Apple Car Keys Feature Expansion - Apple is expanding its car keys wallet feature with Toyota now supporting the tool, joining 13 other carmakers [1][2] - Toyota has been added to Apple's back-end database for vehicle brands that can support the car key feature, which allows drivers to lock/unlock and start their vehicles using their phones [3] Group 2: CarPlay and AI Integration - Apple plans to allow third-party AI chatbots to operate within its CarPlay interface, moving away from the current system where only Siri is available [4][8] - This change is in response to user demand for more versatile voice-control options beyond Siri's capabilities, which are limited to music, messaging, and navigation [8] Group 3: Mobile Wallet Adoption Trends - Recent research indicates a surge in mobile wallet adoption, with 31% of shoppers using them weekly, up from 14% in August 2024, largely driven by Apple Wallet [9] - Apple Pay has seen a significant increase, with 16% of shoppers using it in stores in the past week, doubling from 8% in 2024 [9] - Competitors like Google Pay, PayPal, and Cash App are rapidly increasing their in-store usage, narrowing the gap with Apple Pay despite it maintaining the largest user base [10]