at that time, probably car manufact didnt known everything...now they do and they dont like it, who knows
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BMW Confirms It Has No Plans to Offer CarPlay Ultra
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BTW, I've mentioned this before, but with CarPlay (NOT Ultra) in my 2025 Toyota Camry, I get CarPlay song info in my Toyota instrument cluster, plus turn-by-turn directions there if desired, and even get turn-by-turn directions my head-up display, even though neither the instrument cluster nor the head-up display are using CarPlay. CarPlay Ultra is not necessary for this.
Below is my instrument cluster with the song info in the bottom right corner, complete with a CarPlay logo:
And here is the head-up display with turn-by-turn navigation:
All the main CarPlay info is in the second display:
CarPlay Ultra just seems superfluous and unnecessary in this context.
Below is my instrument cluster with the song info in the bottom right corner, complete with a CarPlay logo:
And here is the head-up display with turn-by-turn navigation:
All the main CarPlay info is in the second display:
CarPlay Ultra just seems superfluous and unnecessary in this context.
I couldn't see how busy roads are, traffic jams, or incorporate traffic flow into estimated journey times until I paid. Dunno why I would be different.
There's no downside on writing some corporate gibberish without any compromise and there's also no upside in denying yourself options.
BMW has several different versions of iDrive out there. iDrive 8, 8.5 & 9 are the "newer" ones with the curved screen, and they also happen to be the worst. Horribly laggy, screen would flicker to black occasionally, audio stutters. My 2023 X3M has iDrive 7 which actually works a lot better, is performant, and still has physical controls.
Your data and perhaps subscriptions that go along with it. Lets see how well this works out for GM.
More and more the display system is becoming integral to the functionality of the vehicle. It only makes sense that the ones who know the best way to integrate key metrics design the system they need to do that. Every car is different. I don't see how Apple could keep up with all of that -- or why they would even want to.
Some of these systems need to improve their UI, but as time goes on -- and with examples like CarPlay and Android Auto -- they will get better, and some have already.
I am guessing they backed off when comparing pricing and ease of integration of CarPlay Ultra vs Android Automotive (which isn't Android Auto). People out there are saying that Google is much more flexible than Apple for the base OS development, and Android Automotive doesn't even need to have user facing features of Android Auto installed if the manufacturer doesn't want it.
Meanwhile, Toyota is developing their own base OS called Arene which is not just for the infotainment screen, but which also serves for the base OS for the car itself, including the engine electronics. And CarPlay will continue to run on top of that. Note that my 2025 model Toyota does not run Arene, yet still can incorporate some CarPlay info in the non-CarPlay instrument cluster and head-up display.
It might be due to how it's implemented on your car. I have used CP on many different vehicles with great luck. I only hate how some automakers (GM, Genesis to name two) limit the number of my playlists in Apple Music. They show a few that I never listen to and have to either use Siri or pickup the device to get to the right playlist.
Their safety issue to limit scrolling through a list on their screen caused another safety issue for drivers.
I have a 2020 Z4 and find the dash and all digital content perfectly fine and operational. What specifically bothers you or gives you trouble? Maybe it’s a feature I don’t use or know about, but I’d like to hear more.
My only gripe is that the digital gauges are terrible for reading quickly. Not enough contrast snd the digital needle goes behind the numbers… awful. Analog would have been my choice but alas…
I can’t believe Apple thought this was a good idea. Taking control of the user interface of the car? What manufacturer would want that? It’s brand identity, cede it to Apple? And this is the culmination of project titan that they wasted billions of dollars on. What a joke. Some truly clueless people at Apple in regards to this.
The car manufacturer maintains the instrument cluster identity in CarPlay Ultra.
I don't think Apple needs to collect data though - that's not their business model - the data from a car is useless to them. CarPlay Ultra i just another way to sell more Apple products. To use the design expertise of Apple, along with your own customisations to make the cars instrument cluster and infotainment system actually look good and not like an Android phone from 2011.
Apple has to actually compete when their apps are on Android so they put more effort into it. On iOS, they are the default and they don’t have to try as hard. It shows.
If we're being completely honest, a car system that relies on your phone is not ideal.
The problem is nobody is really that great at doing car infotainment systems.
I would have preferred that CarPlay Ultra be something that you sign in with your icloud account and all your data syncs to the car. Not needing my phone at all.
The problem is nobody is really that great at doing car infotainment systems.
I would have preferred that CarPlay Ultra be something that you sign in with your icloud account and all your data syncs to the car. Not needing my phone at all.
This argument doesn't hold any water, carplay already disincentives people from using most automaker subscriptions if carplay is their preferred environment already.
The facts are ultra is highly invasive and completely alters the driving experience. I also imagine some are reluctant to cede even more data to your phone not to mention the additional development burden of ensuring system redundancy.
I imagine most automakers would think there is little reason for them to engage with this next level carplay when the standard carplay is still iterating and more than sufficient for a driver's needs without adding additional development burden or regulatory risk.
The greed of wanting to monetize their customers.
If ultra in their cars makes OEM’s apoplectically uneasy, making their car a big rolling home pod persistently signed in to iCloud would make OEM’s pass away.
Wouldn’t you just turn not turn on the Ultra part? They have always pitched it as an option between ultra and traditional.
iDrive is one of the best if not the best driver system in the industry. It's refined, smooth, responsive and well designed.
I can understand if you prefer older idrive systems to the newer touch oriented ones but are you trolling?
i5 eDrive 40
iDrive (I think I have 8.5?) became unnecessarily complicated, things like having to go into menus to do fine adjustments of seat position, dashboard and HUD setup, etc., but since I figured out Shortcuts I can now deal with it. Somewhat annoying that when they do a Firmware upgrade it will mess my settings up, but in general I am happy with iDrive. I don't subscribe to anything extra other than what came with my lease, and call me a luddite but I don't trust it to self-park. I am perfectly fine with basic CarPlay, using it primarily for Music/Podcasts. iDrive NAV seems to work fine. I use Apple Maps, etc. for rental cars, seems all of them come with CarPlay.
iDrive (I think I have 8.5?) became unnecessarily complicated, things like having to go into menus to do fine adjustments of seat position, dashboard and HUD setup, etc., but since I figured out Shortcuts I can now deal with it. Somewhat annoying that when they do a Firmware upgrade it will mess my settings up, but in general I am happy with iDrive. I don't subscribe to anything extra other than what came with my lease, and call me a luddite but I don't trust it to self-park. I am perfectly fine with basic CarPlay, using it primarily for Music/Podcasts. iDrive NAV seems to work fine. I use Apple Maps, etc. for rental cars, seems all of them come with CarPlay.
