Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iOS 26.4 Brings CarPlay Support for ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster


With iOS 26.4, CarPlay users will be able to use third-party chatbots with CarPlay. AI services like Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT will be accessible through the CarPlay system for the first time.

CarPlay-Liquid-Glass-Light.jpg

Apple's CarPlay Developer Guide [PDF] lists voice-based conversational apps as a supported app type starting with iOS 26.4. Apple is implementing a new voice control screen that will let apps provide visual feedback for voice-based conversational apps.

AI apps that integrate CarPlay will need to add support for the voice control screen while voice-based services are active. There is a specific entitlement for voice-based conversational apps, and companies that make chatbots will need to update their apps to add CarPlay support.

CarPlay has long supported third-party apps, but Apple limits the kinds of apps that are available to ensure drivers aren't distracted while in their vehicles. Companies like Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google were not able to create CarPlay apps before now, limiting CarPlay users to Siri voice controls while in the vehicle.

The new integration will let CarPlay users access voice-based apps like ChatGPT to ask questions hands-free, but the apps will not be able to control vehicle or iPhone functions. There also won't be a wake word option to activate a third-party app, so users will still need to open the app to use the chatbot. After an app is launched, the customizable voice control screen will give users vehicle-optimized chatbot experiences.

iOS 26.4 is in beta right now, and it is expected to see a release this spring.

Article Link: iOS 26.4 Brings CarPlay Support for ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/02/18/ios-26-4-carplay-support/
  • Haha
Reactions: Z-4195
"There also won't be a wake word option to activate a third-party app, so users will still need to open the app to use the chatbot. After an app is launched, the customizable voice control screen will give users vehicle-optimized chatbot experiences."

How about this 'wake up' word : Gimped.
 
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: Jxdawg, marte91, Stevez67 and 1 other person
YASSS! Once again, Apple delivers on their promise of MAJOR advancements to Apple Intelligence. It’s only February and Apple has already taken the best-in-class Apple Intelligence to a whole new level with the integration of MULTIPLE AI systems. And Apple didn’t stop there. For the first time ever, Apple Intelligence now offers a game-changing CarPlay experience, with the inclusion of AI voice chat. Tim sure wasn’t kidding when he said this is the strongest pipeline ever. Stay tuned!

But seriously, I think these drips are what we’re going to see on the Apple Intelligence front going forward.
 
  • Haha
  • Disagree
  • Like
Reactions: Think|Different, clg82, heronstalker and 15 others
Honestly I’m at the point where I’d rather have the option to choose which AI assistant I want in iOS. Give me the choice!

For those that want to stick with Apple
intelligence you can, for those that do not, they can choose whatever they prefer and if you prefer none, you can also choose that.

Choice is good!
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Rokkus76, System603, SantaFeNM and 4 others
Macalway said:
"There also won't be a wake word option to activate a third-party app, so users will still need to open the app to use the chatbot. After an app is launched, the customizable voice control screen will give users vehicle-optimized chatbot experiences."

How about this 'wake up' word : Gimped.
Click to expand...
How many more distractions do you want in vehicles? People are driving bad enough as it is. I especially do not want to be talking with a chatbot whilst focussing on the road.
 
  • Like
  • Disagree
Reactions: subjonas, attila, bbzt and 5 others
macdaddy43 said:
Honestly I’m at the point where I’d rather have the option to choose which AI assistant I want in iOS. Give me the choice!

For those that want to stick with Apple
intelligence you can, for those that do not, they can choose whatever they prefer and if you prefer none, you can also choose that.

Choice is good!
Click to expand...
In all honesty if the bubble burst I do not think many of them will be around. They have invested far too much with little path for ROI.
 
  • Like
Reactions: attila, jw2002, jdawgnoonan and 3 others
This will be useful. I've had some interesting conversations with ChatGPT and Gemini about various topics while driving. I do this every once in a while over my phone's speaker rather than listening to an audiobook or podcast. It's not really different than talking with someone else while driving, other than the fact that the "AI" tool knows a lot about just about everything. It's been good to bounce ideas off of and end up with a transcribed conversation I can refer to later.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Disagree
  • Haha
Reactions: blizzerand, CyberGene, UpsideDownEclair and 7 others
Wish y'all would mention that it's in Beta in the title, since that seems like it's the most important part. Or maybe at least "iOS 26.4 to Bring CarPlay Support for ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini" so it doesn't sound like it's a current feature.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jwm
neuropsychguy said:
This will be useful. I've had some interesting conversations with ChatGPT and Gemini about various topics while driving. I do this every once in a while rather than listening to an audiobook or podcast. It's not really different than talking with someone else while driving, other than the fact that the "AI" tool knows a lot about just about everything.
Click to expand...
I fully agree. There's a lot of hate for this feature saying it's useless or distracting etc. These people have clearly never driven anywhere with kids in the car...
 
  • Like
  • Disagree
Reactions: blizzerand, CyberGene, Burrellwastheman and 6 others
goonie4life9 said:
But seriously, I think these drips are what we’re going to see on the Apple Intelligence front going forward.
Click to expand...
I don't think this would be advertised as an Apple Intelligence feature - that would be if they launched their own "Siri Chat".

But yes, Apple Intelligence is a branding not a feature. AI driven photo editing is also being called Apple Intelligence. So I would expect the vast majority of Apple Intelligence features to be small app improvements, until you get to things like Siri improvements.
 
@Brett said:
How many more distractions do you want in vehicles? People are driving bad enough as it is. I especially do not want to be talking with a chatbot whilst focussing on the road.
Click to expand...

I completely agree with where you're coming from, but I don't think this addition is a bad one.

People are mostly distracted driving because they are not actually using the CarPlay features, they have their heads down looking at social media or sending text messages.

I know this because I have my eyes on them and not on my phone because I'm actually using the CarPlay features.

But nothing is going to stop people from making bad decisions while driving, unfortunately. At least if they use this they will be less distracted.

And this arguably has utility anyway, in the form of asking questions to help guide you and so could actually be helpful.
 
  • Like
Reactions: blizzerand, System603, johnsawyercjs and 3 others
dwaite said:
I don't think this would be advertised as an Apple Intelligence feature - that would be if they launched their own "Siri Chat".

But yes, Apple Intelligence is a branding not a feature. AI driven photo editing is also being called Apple Intelligence. So I would expect the vast majority of Apple Intelligence features to be small app improvements, until you get to things like Siri improvements.
Click to expand...

The irony is, all that time they spent on the car, one of the main reasons it was a non-starter (no pun intended) was always because of Siri. But they didn't put the effort into that, clearly.

A really useful voice assistant in the car that can take actions on the phone is exactly what people want and could have been one of the headline features (killer feature seems wrong in this context...) of the Apple Car.

But Siri was so bad they had to actually have a person pretend to be Siri to demo the concept car. And they apparently didn't see a problem with that even then.

This was back in Jony Ive's time, so I guess they assumed it would get better but never actually checked on that to see how it was coming...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back