These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer Apple's CarPlay Ultra

[woolypants]

Honestly, I don't really trust Apple – as great as it is – to produce software stable enough for vehicles. Especially if it involves wireless integration with the iPhone. That never works reliably, ever, in my experience.

Embedded automotive tech like this is a whole different world and Apple's not got much experience. It needs to be more than rock solid. A failure rate of 1 in 100,000,000 times will still be headline news given how much we use our cars. If you get in and you can't use your car because the system has glitched, that's a serious thing.

 

[svish]

Many of these manufacturers will be taking a long time to get CarPlay into their vehicles and that too only on a few of their models.

 

[zenotds]

I'm just fine with the normal CarPlay. I dont want a complete hijack of my car.

 

[1rottenapple]

I prefer each car manufacturer have their own UI that’s designed by them. I’m not a fat of generic interfaces that carry over to each model that CarPlay ultra appears to showcase I would find that extremely dull. If ever I get a land cruise I want the interface to scream Toyota with regular CarPlay support, and same with jeep or ford.

 

[mr.bee]

there's no possibility to offer car services for car makers via Car Play Ultra as you have today.
Also I want the charging stations map and their availability to be available in Apple Maps

 

[wanha]

There is a rather fascinating and delicious tension between what consumers want (seamless phone integration with car, ie CarPlay) and what car makers want (control of the in-car experience so they can differentiate and potentially monetize it).

Curious to see how this thing plays out.

All I will say is that it's historically been a tough row to hoe to go against what consumers explicitly want.

 

[nt5672]

I would never ever purchase a car with CarPlay Ultra. Being dependent on Apple in even the tiniest degree with respect to my car is a total and absolute no-go!

Yep, I'd much rather have the inferior, buggy, and poorly designed auto manufacturers software which is never updated, and if it is, it costs $75 to get the update from the dealer. Of course there are the subscriptions to get some functions from the OEM, but Apple, of course, is the times on that also. I don't expect that to last.

Me, I'm considered buying antique cars.

 

[Mr_Ed]

I don't, and wouldn't, type when I drive, but I would still like to have Siri disabled. CarPlay is the only reason I have it enabled.

I actually think Siri should be an integral part of CP (not talking about Ultra) so you could do more without physically interacting with a screen. In fact, I prefer to not see the actual CP display on my infotainment screen when I drive. But Siri needed to be way more effective (able to do more) and reliable as an “assistant” than what we have after 12+ years, so I can understand someone not wanting to use it.

Completely agree with you about typing while behind the wheel. I realize I’m an old fart, but I honestly would not have thought anyone of legal driving age would fail to understand the safety implications. Operating a smartphone while driving for pretty much anything other than hands-free calling is already illegal in many places. Why would anyone think typing on a vehicle screen is any different?

 

[EugW]

Yep, I'd much rather have the inferior, buggy, and poorly designed auto manufacturers software which is never updated, and if it is, it costs $75 to get the update from the dealer. Of course there are the subscriptions to get some functions from the OEM, but Apple, of course, is the times on that also. I don't expect that to last.

Me, I'm considered buying antique cars.

CarPlay Ultra is a buggy mess according to those who have tested it. That’s on brand for Aston Martin though. Aston Martin has one of the worst reliability records in existence.

IMO, as it stands, regular CarPlay is the best of both worlds.

 

[michaeljk]

It's a good thing Audi will not offer CarPlay Ultra. My 2024 A6 can only just barely handle regular CarPlay (can take 2-3 minutes to load CarPlay when my iPhone 15 Pro is connected via USB). I've given up entirely on Wireless CarPlay on my Audi. After nearly two years of fiddling with it, having it drop out for no rhyme or reason, frequently refuse to connect until I tell both iPhone and the Audi to forget each other and then re-pair, it is clear that either the software engineers at Audi are truly the most incompetent team I've ever encountered on any device, or Audi does this on purpose so you buy their infotainment offerings separately. The car is fantastic (for the driving)! And also, I would never ever buy an Audi again.

 

[EugW]

It's a good thing Audi will not offer CarPlay Ultra. My 2024 A6 can only just barely handle regular CarPlay (can take 2-3 minutes to load CarPlay when my iPhone 15 Pro is connected via USB). I've given up entirely on Wireless CarPlay on my Audi. After nearly two years of fiddling with it, having it drop out for no rhyme or reason, frequently refuse to connect until I tell both iPhone and the Audi to forget each other and then re-pair, it is clear that either the software engineers at Audi are truly the most incompetent team I've ever encountered on any device, or Audi does this on purpose so you buy their infotainment offerings separately. The car is fantastic (for the driving)! And also, I would never ever buy an Audi again.

That's really weird for a 2024. Does your Audi have its own app too? For my Toyota, I would get wireless CarPlay connectivity issues at startup when Toyota's own app was installed. Plus Toyota's app used a LOT of background resources on the phone. So I simply deleted the Toyota app and now CarPlay connects much more reliably and there is no background battery usage for the car when away from the car. (The Toyota app would tell me things like my windows are open or the show the tire pressures while I was away from the car, and I could start the car remotely, but it just wasted too much battery life to have this always-connected setup.)

BTW, there are wireless CarPlay dongles that plug into the car via USB, that connect to your iPhone wirelessly. I dunno if it would help in your case, but you could try that as a workaround.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I still don't understand why a car manufacturer would want this.

Would Apple want Toyota to "take over the UI for macOS?"

Toyota knows as much about macOS UI, as Apple does about car interfaces.

 

[applegeek2024]

i haven't really been following up on this. How does this work? meaning, it's this dangerous if your main display for car w/ all that stuff like speed indicator and all relies on my phone to provide the data and if there is lag or phone gets messed up and hangs, will I get f on the road? As much as I love car play so far, I rather leave those to dedicated hardware and software provided by the car.

 

[Red 2]

So I’ve got a 2024 Volvo.
And yes, it uses android automotive for its core systems and sat nav.
I also use CarPlay and it works fine when I want it.
But the Google core systems do work very well, the voice assistant (soon to be Gemini) answers hands free verbal queries quickly and operates heating, vent etc. without issues. Yes, there are bugs but overall experience is good and free OTA updates occur relatively frequently. Much, much better than my previous Audis.
I’m committed to Apple devices and the Apple eco-system but can see why car makers are hesitant to commit core systems to Apple which has sadly not been overly proactive in developing basic CarPlay.

 

[sabre17]

Earlier this year, Apple finally launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. However, now nearly five months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to just one luxury vehicle brand.

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.

CarPlay Ultra is currently limited to newer Aston Martin vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. Fortunately, if you cannot afford a $250,000 luxury vehicle, the software system will eventually be available in more affordable vehicles.

In May, Apple said many other automakers planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. At the time, it said CarPlay Ultra would begin expanding to more vehicles around the world "in the next 12 months," which would be by May 2026.

Apple first previewed the next generation ‌of CarPlay‌ all the way back at WWDC 2022, and at the time it shared a long list of automakers that were committed to offering the software system. The list is more than three years old, and it is not entirely accurate anymore.

The list was as follows:

• Acura
• Audi
• Ford
• Honda
• Infiniti
• Jaguar
• Land Rover
• Lincoln
• Mercedes-Benz
• Nissan
• Polestar
• Porsche
• Renault
• Volvo

According to a previous report from the Financial Times, there are at least five automakers on that list that have since confirmed that they have no plans to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Polestar, Renault, and Volvo.

BMW, Ford, and Rivian also publicly backed away from CarPlay Ultra, but Porsche seemed to remain committed to offering it eventually.

That likely rules out Ford's luxury brand, Lincoln, too.

All in all, here is where things stand currently.

Currently Offers CarPlay Ultra

• Aston Martin

Will Offer CarPlay Ultra

• Hyundai
• Kia
• Genesis
• Porsche

Won't Offer CarPlay Ultra

• Audi
• BMW
• Ford
• Lincoln
• Mercedes-Benz
• Polestar
• Renault
• Rivian
• Volvo

General Motors controversially ditched the regular version of CarPlay in its new electric vehicles, so it is likely to pass on CarPlay Ultra too. That means vehicles from brands like Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC are unlikely to offer CarPlay Ultra.

It is extremely unlikely that software-focused Tesla would offer CarPlay Ultra either.

Unclear

• Honda
• Acura
• Toyota
• Lexus
• Nissan
• Infiniti
• Mazda
• Subaru
• Mitsubishi
• Jaguar
• Land Rover
• Chrysler
• Dodge
• Jeep
• RAM
• Volkswagen

Article Link: These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer Apple's CarPlay Ultra

My Porsche sales rep told me Porsche will not offer Ultra. They think it is too slow and too delayed.

 

[Pez555]

Skoda?

 

[Ryanplza]

This will be a 100% prerequisite in a new car for me. I’d love to customise the instrument cluster on my car. I guess the Hyundai group of vehicles will be my new focus now. I like the brand already so this is just another tick in one of the boxes. I look forward to seeing this integrated into some cars.

 

[Neil Harrison]

That's the regular CarPlay you're talking about, not CarPlay Ultra. I'm fully onboard with having CarPlay regular in the center infotainment screen.

No I mean car play replacing all MBUX

 

[joeblough]

GM themselves claim Carplay is a bad experience (not mentioning that if it is flaky it's because of the manufacturer, usually, yes there are Apple-created bugs but there are cars that wireless Carplay works perfect in, and cars that wireless Carplay sucks in).

Mary Barra, CEO of GM, said it's unreliable, someone else in GM said it's dangerous. So of course they think only ICE car drivers should have this unreliable system installed.

what's funny is the only time i've ever had a significant carplay glitch was in that GM SUV i rented. i put in a destination in apple maps and carplay said "starting route to titititititititititititititititititititititititi..." it went on for about 30 seconds and was pretty entertaining. i get that interop is hard but if carplay is dangerous on GM vehicles then maybe it's on GM to fix that. because the 6 or 7 other cars i've ever used carplay in have been fine.

i guess i buy your larger argument that they would remove it everywhere if they could but don't believe they can. but i'm one EV driver that's never going to buy/lease a GM EV because of this.

Of course, this argument makes no sense. The Ford Mustang Mach-e EV can use CarPlay, and it can share the state of charge with your phone so Apple Maps will route you properly with charging stations

true and the carplay experience is excellent in the machE. the only problem i ever have is that maybe 1 out of 10 times there's no audio after connecting, but disconnecting and reconnecting fixes that. the huge screen is great with carplay. the only thing Maps can't do is precondition the battery on the way to a charger, but you can always use ford's built-in maps to accomplish this.

apparently the preconditioning works on some android phones, so the problem is a carplay restriction, or just lack of support for controlling battery preconditioning.

 

[DownUnderDan]

The "success" of CarPlay Ultra is the only thing that brings joy to the Vision Pro team at the moment.