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Here's When Tesla is Expected to Add Support for Apple CarPlay

As a Tesla driver, I fail to see the need for this. Apple Maps (or Waze, which nobody uses in Europe) would need to offer a navigation system tailored to the needs of an electric car. The Tesla navigation system is really advanced at incorporating factors like weather, elevation, traffic, speed, and more to suggest optimal charging stops (including incorporating charging time into the overall time planning). Moreover, other Apple apps, like Music and Podcasts, already run natively in Tesla's software. What could CarPlay offer besides messaging (which is irrelevant while driving) that would make me switch from Tesla's own software?
 
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MacTwick said:
I own a new Tesla and my experience with the UI/Infotainment is that Tesla is years ahead of CarPlay. Unless it will integrate Waze with full self driving capabilities, or even maybe group iMessaging, I can't see why anyone would want to replace the UI with CarPlay. Unless perhaps it doesn't actually replace the entire UI like it does it current vehicles that have CarPlay.
Click to expand...
CarPlay doesn't always take over the entire display. I really doubt it will in a Tesla, especially since the screen is so large.
 
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F-B-Z said:
As a Tesla driver, I fail to see the need for this. Apple Maps (or Waze, which nobody uses in Europe) would need to offer a similar navigation system tailored to the needs of an electric car. The Tesla navigation system is really advanced at factoring in factors like weather, elevation, traffic, speed, and more to suggest optimal charging stops (including incorporating charging time into the overall time planning). Moreover, other Apple apps, like Music and Podcasts, already run natively in Tesla's software. What could CarPlay offer besides messaging (which is irrelevant while driving) that would make me switch from Tesla's own software?
Click to expand...

FWIW Apple Maps does that. I don’t expect it to be better than Tesla’s, but it does do it (assuming Tesla were to support the issue on their end).

Set up electric vehicle routing in Maps on iPhone

On iPhone, Maps can help you plan trips that include stops for charging your electric vehicle.
support.apple.com support.apple.com

When you get driving directions, Maps can track your vehicle’s charge. By analyzing elevation changes along the route and other factors, Maps identifies appropriate charging stations along the way, and, for select charging providers and countries, it provides real-time charging station availability. If you drive until your charge gets too low, you’re offered a route to the nearest compatible charging station.

Apple’s apps run on Tesla currently, but third party CarPlay apps don’t. If I want to listen to MLB games in the MLB app or a podcast in Overcast I need CarPlay or have to deal with an annoying Bluetooth connection and fiddle with the phone. And messaging is important to a lot of people.

I suspect I’ll use it frequently, but not for navigation. And if it’s an option, you don’t have to use it. I don’t see any downside.
 
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Treble said:
Apart from Waze there’s nothing I want from CarPlay personally
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That's fair. CarPlay isn't high on everyone's priority list. That being said, this is a typical commute for me:

• Hey Siri, show me how to get to work.
• Hey Siri, what's the weather in San Jose?
• Hey Siri, play my recent messages.
• Hey Siri, when is my next appointment?
• Hey Siri, play my playlist Best Music.
• Hey Siri, did I close the garage door?
• Hey Siri, send a text to Bob that says wanna have lunch?
• Hey Siri, report a speed trap.
• Hey Siri, play the Space Music podcast.
• Hey Siri, where is Bob?
• Hey Siri, share my ETA with Bob.

Plus, CarPlay knows a lot of things about me that come in handy:
• Recent map searches made on any of my Apple devices.
• Locations of upcoming appointments.
• Locations that I travel too frequently even when not using maps.
• Locations of friends who are sharing their location.
 
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mclaren1444 said:
The only reason CarPlay would come to Tesla is to attract new Tesla customers who think they want CarPlay. Any Tesla owner already realizes Tesla’s infotainment system is far better than CarPlay and I’d imagine nearly no current tesla owner genuinely wants or needs CarPlay.
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Car Play can hook into your personal information in ways that Tesla can't. That's its biggest advantage:

• Recent messages on your phone
• Upcoming and recent events on your calendar
• Places you go to frequently, even if you don't navigate there.
• Location searches that you made on your Apple devices recently.
• Locations of friends who are sharing their location.
 
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MacTwick said:
I own a new Tesla and my experience with the UI/Infotainment is that Tesla is years ahead of CarPlay. Unless it will integrate Waze with full self driving capabilities, or even maybe group iMessaging, I can't see why anyone would want to replace the UI with CarPlay. Unless perhaps it doesn't actually replace the entire UI like it does it current vehicles that have CarPlay.
Click to expand...
No one is thinking it’ll be a replacement, but an addition to, just like any other car system these days.

The problem without CarPlay is that we don’t have an easy hands free way of starting music/podcast etc from our favorite app. Teslas UI might be nice and all but it isn’t my phone.
 
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Personally, I don’t think Tesla needs to do this, but I will welcome the addition of CarPlay if it actually happens. Esepcially because I have a smart Garage and it doesn’t play well with Tesla. So getting the functionality back to open my garage through CarPlay is a welcomed win. The only thing that will get annoying is the FSD…I’ll have to switch between the two navigations systems to use the FSD features on the tesla and that will get kind of annoying. I don’t know, maybe Tesla will figure out some cool or easy work around that will allow for this.
 
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F-B-Z said:
As a Tesla driver, I fail to see the need for this. Apple Maps (or Waze, which nobody uses in Europe) would need to offer a navigation system tailored to the needs of an electric car. The Tesla navigation system is really advanced at incorporating factors like weather, elevation, traffic, speed, and more to suggest optimal charging stops (including incorporating charging time into the overall time planning). Moreover, other Apple apps, like Music and Podcasts, already run natively in Tesla's software. What could CarPlay offer besides messaging (which is irrelevant while driving) that would make me switch from Tesla's own software?
Click to expand...
I use messaging almost every time that I drive. CarPlay makes it safe and easy.
 
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mclaren1444 said:
The only reason CarPlay would come to Tesla is to attract new Tesla customers who think they want CarPlay. Any Tesla owner already realizes Tesla’s infotainment system is far better than CarPlay and I’d imagine nearly no current tesla owner genuinely wants or needs CarPlay.
Click to expand...

As a Tesla owned for 8 years, I can't disagree more. The music system is terrible. It's got slightly better over the years but it doesn't support half the stuff using the phone natively does. I've never touched it - when I used Spotify their implemenation with the limitations of the Spotify API were no where near as good as the native app and the same goes for Apple Music - the Apple Music app is junk compared to native Apple Music on the phone - it doesn't even support gapless playback!

Couple that with the fact that I use Podcasts, Books, Audible, Prologue and Home whilst on the road, I just have a magnetic charger holder for my phone and use that instead - and that's before we get to Waze.

Anyway i'll believe this when I see it.
 
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I worked for BMW years ago (on software/electronics).

BMW thought it would be a great idea to charge a subscription for CarPlay. Customers complained but most still purchased it because they wanted CarPlay. So BMW made money while making customers angry about this subscription.

Then came customers who bought a used BMW (or a lease return) where CarPlay worked but then quit when the subscription ran out and when visiting the dealer to find out why they were told they’d have to fork out money to reactivate it. You can imagine how that went over.

After numerous complaints (CarPlay subscriptions were one of the most common issues brought up by customers) BMW reversed course and made CarPlay free.

But that wasn’t the end of it. BMW at the time had no way to send an OTA update to simply activate CarPlay for everyone. So customers would find CarPlay no longer working one day and had to make a trip to the dealer to get the subscription lock removed for CarPlay so it would be free again.

I don’t have the numbers, but I’d bet they never made a dime when you offset subscription fees with dealer warranty visits over CarPlay.

Dealers underestimate how much people like CarPlay. I’m wondering if any other dealers change course after Tesla (like GM).
 
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condragulations said:
CarPlay allows me to use Apple Music and Apple Podcasts without having to pay Tesla’s $10/mo premium data subscription. Also, Apple Music app navigation via Tesla UI is jank.

Sincerely,
a Model 3 owner since 2020
Click to expand...
Forgot to add that I download music and podcasts to my phone’s local storage. CarPlay allows me to listen to those downloads without interruptions while driving through mountains where cell service is spotty.
 
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I’m with starman111, the biggest benefit will be the integration with on phone/icloud data contextually in the age of A.I. perhaps the new Apple CEO will allow Grok & iOS integration?
 
appeals.key_0k said:
You clearly haven’t used both systems if you think CarPlay feels better than the native Tesla experience. It’s not even close.
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I use both frequently and the native Tesla experience is truly horrendous in comparison.

The Music apps are all terrible: Can’t select music that’s downloaded to the phone. Music stops in tunnels or bad cell coverage. UI is clunky.
Messaging is a joke.
No Teams or WhatsApp calls.
No parking payment apps.
Can’t add appointments to the calendar.

That’s probably why Tesla drivers are constantly fidgeting with their phones.
 
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MacTwick said:
I own a new Tesla and my experience with the UI/Infotainment is that Tesla is years ahead of CarPlay. Unless it will integrate Waze with full self driving capabilities, or even maybe group iMessaging, I can't see why anyone would want to replace the UI with CarPlay. Unless perhaps it doesn't actually replace the entire UI like it does it current vehicles that have CarPlay.
Click to expand...
100% agree. This is a gimmick to give a bone to the board to "carpLay compatible" marketing term to be attached for any average joe who insists on having CarPlay or he/she would not buy.

Tesla's infotaintment system is simply not only years ahead of any car maker, well ahead of CarPlay/Android Auto.
 
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sflagel said:
I use both frequently and the native Tesla experience is truly horrendous in comparison.

Can’t select musing that’s stored in the phone.
Music stops in tunnels or bad cell coverage.
Messaging is a joke.
No Teams or WhatsApp calls.
No parking payment apps.

That’s probably why Tesla drivers are constantly fidgeting with their phones.
Click to expand...
Stored in the phone? You mean downloaded music? Or is this 2003 and using iPhone as an external HDD?
Music stops when there is no cell coverage. No comment here. wow.
Never ever use messaging while driving. Not even voice to text. Never. It can wait until I get to my destination.
Ok I give it to you. Teams would have been nice. Whatsapp calls just work when you answer the phone.
NO parking apps.. Sure. Or you can also use the app after you've parked. :)
 
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Tesla's system is mostly fine, but there are a few Carplay apps that I would like to be able to use on the big screen:

- Overcast: my favorite podcast app
- Bookplayer: my favorite audiobook app
- Home Assistant: would allow me to do things like easily turning on warming/cooling or lights in the house before I arrive
- Apple Maps: sometimes has better PoI data than Tesla's map
- Some food apps like Panera to be able to order ahead on trips
- A parking app like Spothero
 
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F-B-Z said:
As a Tesla driver, I fail to see the need for this. Apple Maps (or Waze, which nobody uses in Europe) would need to offer a navigation system tailored to the needs of an electric car. The Tesla navigation system is really advanced at incorporating factors like weather, elevation, traffic, speed, and more to suggest optimal charging stops (including incorporating charging time into the overall time planning). Moreover, other Apple apps, like Music and Podcasts, already run natively in Tesla's software. What could CarPlay offer besides messaging (which is irrelevant while driving) that would make me switch from Tesla's own software?
Click to expand...
Here are a few uses cases. They may not be relevant to you, but they may be relevant to a lot of people:

Ability to select and play downloaded music from the phone.
Not having playlists stop (and having to manually restart, from the beginning!) in tunnels or areas with bad cell coverage.
Messaging (it’s actually very relevant).
Calls on WhatsApp and Teams.
Adding calendar entries.
Parking payment apps.

And if one likes a native app like the native satnav, one can still use that.
 
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