Tesla is ditching physical key cards — the company is transitioning to a fully digital system

Tesla plans to stop using physical key cards, which have been used in its vehicles for many years. This is mentioned in the company’s latest updates and in the refreshed user manual for the vehicles.

Each Tesla buyer was previously given two special key cards. These cards were mostly used only for the initial setup of the vehicle. Later, most drivers started preferring to unlock and activate their cars using their smartphones.

The new manual has completely removed the line saying, “Tesla provides you with two cards for Model 3/Y,” which is seen as a signal that the company intends to fully phase out this feature.

The physical key card has been standard equipment in Tesla vehicles since 2017. However, it is now only used in certain situations — for example, when the phone battery runs out, during valet parking, or if the car is temporarily handed over to someone else.

Tesla continues to sell key cards officially through its online store. However, as part of the company’s goal to fully migrate all control systems to digital platforms, it is expected that these physical cards will be completely discontinued soon.

This move marks another important step for Tesla towards a more convenient, automated, and secure digital ecosystem for managing its vehicles.