Apple, Where is CarPlay Ultra?

[MacRumors]

In May 2025, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of CarPlay that it first previewed in 2022. More than a year later, however, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to select Aston Martin vehicles with six-figure price tags.

In a press release last year, Apple said "many" other vehicle brands around the world planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. Yet, more than 15 months have passed since that announcement, and the software has still not expanded beyond Aston Martin. Apple has not provided any further updates on CarPlay Ultra availability.

CarPlay Ultra features deeper integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in apps for radio and climate controls, rear-view camera feed support, and more. The connected iPhone provides app-related data, while the vehicle provides information like the current speed, fuel level, tire pressure, engine temperature, and more.

The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can choose from various preset design options.

Earlier this year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said he was told that CarPlay Ultra would come to at least one major new Hyundai or Kia vehicle model "in the second half of this year," so hopefully the software finally expands beyond Aston Martin over the final four months of 2026. We have reached out to Apple for comment.

Article Link: Apple, Where is CarPlay Ultra?

 

[GreenPixel]

Products like cars get feature locked 18-24 months out. Many could very well be in the pipeline.

 

[DblHelix]

It is a joke, very few manufacturers would give up their design of the interior gauges. There is no reason this could not be added/rolled out to a ton of cars but considering very few underlying changes are made outside of a facelift or redesign most manufacturers will not do any sort of integration for the next 5-10 years which is typically the facelift/refresh timeline for them

 

[jz0309]

Products like cars get feature locked 18-24 months out. Many could very well be in the pipeline.

THIS, the traditional car makers, so 98% or so, operate on a very different timeline than consumer electronics ...

 

[AppleTO]

No major manufacturer wanted to implement it. Much like the Vision Pro, it will probably just fade into non-existence over time.

 

[TEG]

Most manufacturers were lured in by Google Auto (like GM), or didn't want to mess up their own interfaces by having Apple take over. The whole OS for your car sounds like a really horrible idea to be honest. Managing media is great, doing the GPS is great, but taking over my speedometer and other functions just seems dumb.

 

[shakopeemn]

Joe Joe Joe, stop believing the Apple hype. Believe it when Apple actually rolls it out to the market/s.
😉

 

[DocMultimedia]

I’m guessing it’s hanging out with the ATV updates. 🤣

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Gurman was also told New Siri would be coming out in late Feb. 😉

 

[AppleTO]

Hyundai could probably roll it out to their brands in a software update to every vehicle that has the dual displays, which are most in the last five years that aren’t base models. But they won’t.

 

[HalJordan]

Most manufacturers were lured in by Google Auto (like GM), or didn't want to mess up their own interfaces by having Apple take over. The whole OS for your car sounds like a really horrible idea to be honest. Managing media is great, doing the GPS is great, but taking over my speedometer and other functions just seems dumb.

More likely they are afraid that people will like it and Apple will have more leverage as time passes.

 

[AppleTO]

It seems like the native Android Automotive is likely going to take over most of the market. Apple with their “advanced phone projection” have already lost this market.

 

[augustrushrox]

Basically no car brands want it. They pretty much all think it's giving up too much control.

 

[Leobreaker]

I can't remember where I heard it, but it seems like a lot of car manufacturers are resistant to giving up significant control over the car to Apple. Yes consumers want CarPlay Ultra because CarPlay is nice...but why would auto manufacturers give up their pathways to subscriptions and services that are now being offered with car infotainment software?

 

[Happy_John]

It might grow n use, but really, I imagine a lot car manufacturers do not want to open up their whole in-car computing to an outside company (Apple) in the way CarPlay Ultra requires.

Car manufacturers of course outsource to third parties for components and systems, etc, but car companies tend to want to be the biggest entity in the room.

I understand how car companies would be wary of going all in with Apple, because Apple is scary, because they’re bigger than a car company. And Apple users are “sticky”, once the car manufacturers start thinking that CarPlay Iltra is their “normal”, the car manufaxturrr is beholden to Apple.

 

[one more]

My guess is that for most car manufacturers CarPlay Ultra is just too difficult to implement. People still have issues with a standard CarPlay, with Apple and car makers pointing fingers at each other. Ultra takes it to a whole different level.

 

[ikramerica]

I would prefer a CarPlay Lite option, where the iPhone serves individual widgets to the car to integrate into the car’s interface, rather than taking over the display.

The VW Tiguan 2026 SEL turbo interface is superior to carplay but I would like to have widgets from the iPhone available in 1/2 screen, eighth screen and quarter screen versions.

 

[bozzykid]

Gurman was also told New Siri would be coming out in late Feb. 😉

It isn’t his fault Apple miscalculated their incompetence with AI.

 

[Jonas Danielsson]

Apple has become like RED that promise everything and then nothing

 

[lefkonj]

With so many cars going software for controls this seemed like a good idea, except the manufacturers spent so much time and money making that software interface and do not want to give it up. I like CarPlay for what its does now, just make it more stable.

 

[ignatius345]

Apple, Car Manufacturers, Where is CarPlay Ultra?​

Fify

 

[Joe Mac User]

The title should be "Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, etc., Where is CarPlay Ultra?"

Besides, Apple is not going to answer the question if the manufacturers are the hold up, because they don't want to offend these partners and risk losing them.

Edit: @ignatius345 beat me to it!

 

[Astuces iOS]

CarPlay Ultra in teslas would be cool !

 

[RaceTripper]

Hyundai could probably roll it out to their brands in a software update to every vehicle that has the dual displays, which are most in the last five years that aren’t base models. But they won’t.

I have a '26 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid Calligraphy (with the large dual display), and heard Ultra is coming. Now whether I want to use it if/when it arrives is another matter. But with that said, since I took delivery of it in May, Hyundai has pushed out periodic software/firmware updates/upgrades for various things.

 

[turbineseaplane]

If they would’ve just called it CarPower, it would all make sense.

Or maybe CarVisionPro

🤣