When I got my Ariya at the dealership I added on some accessories, including the Virtual Key option. T99K1-6TA01 - Virtual Key - Genuine Nissan Accessory
This seems to be a relatively new option for most Nissans, or at least it was for my Dealer, as it was the first install they had ever done. All Ariya trims are supported and many Nissan vehicles from 2015 onward are also supported. The install manual was posted a while ago, and you can find the details here:
www.ariyaforums.com
The Install
They took a couple of hours to do the install and the service department needed both key FOBs to program everything. Based on the instructions the "Virtual Key" is first assigned to the dealership and then the salesperson is supposed to open up their app and "transfer" the key. My sales person couldn't figure out how to do that and when she did get the app open, we couldn't find the key or car listed. She tried reaching out to their regional training person who didn't have any idea, and another sales person was on the phone with Nissan support but not getting anywhere. At this point I want to stress I am in no way complaining about the dealer, but Nissan really seems to have dropped the ball here with their lack of support and training for their dealers.
Finally we figured out that the Manager of the dealership had to install the app, login, and viola, there was my "key" and it was a simple barcode scan to get the key assigned to my account.
The App
Unfortunately the app and account are completely separate from the MyNissan/Nissan Connect. It's a standalone app called VirtualKey and supports Android, Apple iOS and Apple Watch. I have a Google Pixel so this review will cover the Android version of the app. The app itself seems to be custom skinned for Nissan but is made by Continental (Continental Mobility Services) You'll first need to create an account with some basics like name, phone number, email address.
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The uses Bluetooth to connect the car and so has a slightly lower range than a normal key. I got about 10-20 feet before the app would disconnect. You get pretty much the same buttons as the standard key. Lock and Unlock, Hatch Release, and Panic for the alarm. There is also a Enable Start that allows you to start the car. This is not a remote start, and it gives you a 1 minute timer to start the vehicle before you have to push the button again.
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While a remote start would be nice, I found it wasn't really necessary since the range via Bluetooth was pretty limited.
The app will also keep track of your history and note times and dates where you (or other users) used the Virtual Key features.
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One of the great features is the ability to share your "Virtual Key" with other users. This is helpful for my wife (who has her own vehicle) to use the app and unlock/drive my Ariya without having to carry around another bulky FOB key. Her vehicle, a Hyundai, also supports this feature, so I use it for her car so I don't have to carry around a Hyundai FOB as well. You can add up to 7 additional users using the app, but they of course would all have to download the app and create an account. Apple seems to have a little better support here and integrates with Apple wallet but as I don't have an iOS device or watch I am unable to test.
You also have the ability to set permissions on what other users can do, such as only allowing door lock and unlock, or set a schedule or limited period of access. This I think would be useful if you have family visiting that need use of a vehicle for a short period of time.
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A word on security
I found the app a little lacking in security. With the Hyundai app for my wife's car, it required a login (either password or biometrics) before you can connect to the car. With the Nissan VirtualKey app, there is no login or password needed to open the app or to connect to the car. There also seems to be no issue with adding new drivers and sharing the key. So if a threat actor was able to get ahold of your unlocked phone for a few minutes, they could easily add their account and get ahold of your key. At least the MyNissan app requires password or biometric login.
Conclusion
Overall the use of a virtual key is a nice feature and something I think most newer vehicles are starting to come with. The ability to unlock or drive using the key is great and for secondary users not needing to carry around another FOB is really nice. While lending out your vehicle to others is great, it may or may not be a feature you use often. Unfortunately Nissan seems to be one of the few manufacturers that doesn't include this as standard option on their higher trims unlike Hyundai, Tesla and VW. The part itself will run around $450-470 plus the additional installation fees charged by the dealer. I think it may be hard for most to justify the expense for the limited feature set. I went with it because I use the same feature on my wife's Hyundai and I find it very useful, especially since I almost always have my phone with me, but I'm not always carrying my keys. The other concerning thing for me is the lackluster approach to security with the application. I hope that Continental will continue to update and do better in protecting users from bad actors as vehicle security is becoming more and more important, especially when it comes to insurance rates.
The Good:
Thoughts, comments, questions? Leave 'em below!
This seems to be a relatively new option for most Nissans, or at least it was for my Dealer, as it was the first install they had ever done. All Ariya trims are supported and many Nissan vehicles from 2015 onward are also supported. The install manual was posted a while ago, and you can find the details here:
Virtual Key for Nissan Ariya, Installation Manual
Virtual Key for Nissan Ariya, Installation Manual
www.ariyaforums.com
The Install
They took a couple of hours to do the install and the service department needed both key FOBs to program everything. Based on the instructions the "Virtual Key" is first assigned to the dealership and then the salesperson is supposed to open up their app and "transfer" the key. My sales person couldn't figure out how to do that and when she did get the app open, we couldn't find the key or car listed. She tried reaching out to their regional training person who didn't have any idea, and another sales person was on the phone with Nissan support but not getting anywhere. At this point I want to stress I am in no way complaining about the dealer, but Nissan really seems to have dropped the ball here with their lack of support and training for their dealers.
Finally we figured out that the Manager of the dealership had to install the app, login, and viola, there was my "key" and it was a simple barcode scan to get the key assigned to my account.
The App
Unfortunately the app and account are completely separate from the MyNissan/Nissan Connect. It's a standalone app called VirtualKey and supports Android, Apple iOS and Apple Watch. I have a Google Pixel so this review will cover the Android version of the app. The app itself seems to be custom skinned for Nissan but is made by Continental (Continental Mobility Services) You'll first need to create an account with some basics like name, phone number, email address.
The uses Bluetooth to connect the car and so has a slightly lower range than a normal key. I got about 10-20 feet before the app would disconnect. You get pretty much the same buttons as the standard key. Lock and Unlock, Hatch Release, and Panic for the alarm. There is also a Enable Start that allows you to start the car. This is not a remote start, and it gives you a 1 minute timer to start the vehicle before you have to push the button again.
While a remote start would be nice, I found it wasn't really necessary since the range via Bluetooth was pretty limited.
The app will also keep track of your history and note times and dates where you (or other users) used the Virtual Key features.
One of the great features is the ability to share your "Virtual Key" with other users. This is helpful for my wife (who has her own vehicle) to use the app and unlock/drive my Ariya without having to carry around another bulky FOB key. Her vehicle, a Hyundai, also supports this feature, so I use it for her car so I don't have to carry around a Hyundai FOB as well. You can add up to 7 additional users using the app, but they of course would all have to download the app and create an account. Apple seems to have a little better support here and integrates with Apple wallet but as I don't have an iOS device or watch I am unable to test.
You also have the ability to set permissions on what other users can do, such as only allowing door lock and unlock, or set a schedule or limited period of access. This I think would be useful if you have family visiting that need use of a vehicle for a short period of time.
A word on security
I found the app a little lacking in security. With the Hyundai app for my wife's car, it required a login (either password or biometrics) before you can connect to the car. With the Nissan VirtualKey app, there is no login or password needed to open the app or to connect to the car. There also seems to be no issue with adding new drivers and sharing the key. So if a threat actor was able to get ahold of your unlocked phone for a few minutes, they could easily add their account and get ahold of your key. At least the MyNissan app requires password or biometric login.
Conclusion
Overall the use of a virtual key is a nice feature and something I think most newer vehicles are starting to come with. The ability to unlock or drive using the key is great and for secondary users not needing to carry around another FOB is really nice. While lending out your vehicle to others is great, it may or may not be a feature you use often. Unfortunately Nissan seems to be one of the few manufacturers that doesn't include this as standard option on their higher trims unlike Hyundai, Tesla and VW. The part itself will run around $450-470 plus the additional installation fees charged by the dealer. I think it may be hard for most to justify the expense for the limited feature set. I went with it because I use the same feature on my wife's Hyundai and I find it very useful, especially since I almost always have my phone with me, but I'm not always carrying my keys. The other concerning thing for me is the lackluster approach to security with the application. I hope that Continental will continue to update and do better in protecting users from bad actors as vehicle security is becoming more and more important, especially when it comes to insurance rates.
The Good:
- Open and drive your car with just your phone.
- Easily share access to your vehicle with family/friends
- Pricey
- Not a standard feature compared to other cars/EVs trims that include it for free.
- Lower range than a standard FOB
- Limited app security
Thoughts, comments, questions? Leave 'em below!
