Pure battery-electric powertrains may be the new technology that's receiving most of the headlines lately, but there's another key piece of tech that's also here to stay. Over-the-Air (OTA) updates, introduced to the mainstream by Tesla that nearly every major automaker is now implementing, is quickly becoming a critical part of vehicle security and safety. The Polestar 2 is further proof.

The Swedish EV brand has just revealed its new Polestar Digital Key that'll enable owners to use their smartphones in addition to the standard keyfob for vehicle entry. What if an owner somehow misplaces that keyfob? Well, that's one reason why this new digital key exists. Security is obviously a main issue but Polestar says it's got this covered with a total of 18 Bluetooth sensors strategically placed in and around the vehicle that communicates with the owner's smartphone to ensure authentication and overall ease of use.

These sensors detect when the owner approaches but only if they're carrying their smartphone. From just within an arm's length, the sensors can pinpoint the position of the device and will then allow the doors, tailgate, or charging lock button to be opened or activated. The car can only be started once the phone is inside to prevent unintentional starting.

"The Polestar Digital Key is one of our most anticipated features, because the convenience of not having to carry a physical key is invaluable," says Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO. "Being able to use your phone as the key makes sense especially in an age where our phones take care of most of our daily needs already, and it's the one device you always carry with you."

To guarantee security, the digital key is encrypted within the Polestar app on the paired handset. Polestar's own internal testing found that its digital key tech is far safer than a key fob because it's immune to those so-called relay attacks thieves use to break-in. Key fobs operate on radio frequency while the digital key has that encrypted Bluetooth signal.

The latest OTA update also adds vehicle functionality to the app which provides key data such as battery status, remote climate start, and remote locking. Additional functions will be added over time. The update also has new battery pre-heating measures aimed to improve range, upgrades to the wireless phone charger, and a few other minor fixes and general stability improvements.