The next generation of Apple’s CarPlay has divided the automotive world in two. Some automakers are looking forward to the new immersive CarPlay Ultra system, which takes up more screens and includes built-in car functions such as speedometer, heating and cooling, and radio. Others categorically refuse, and the rest take a wait-and-see attitude.
All of this comes from an article in the Financial Times, which describes the difficult path ahead for Apple as it tries to implement its flashy and more demanding phone projection system. As reported by The Verge in 2022, when Apple first introduced its more advanced CarPlay system, most automakers were hesitant to let CarPlay take over all the screens in their cars. And it’s no surprise that many are still wary of giving up too much real estate to the tech giant.
We are still missing some big companies like Volkswagen and Toyota, the two largest automakers in the world. I have reached out to both companies and will update this post if I hear back.
CarPlay Ultra is a huge challenge for the automotive industry. Numerous surveys show that buyers love the technology, use it frequently through their cars’ built-in systems, and are less likely to purchase a future vehicle that doesn’t support CarPlay. But automakers are spending huge amounts of money to develop next-generation software that allows for over-the-air updates and satisfies their customers’ appetite for more digital services. And they don’t want Apple to just let their own software push their own software out of the market.
Sources tell the Financial Times that automakers are looking to set clear standards for data sharing with Apple before agreeing to allow CarPlay Ultra.
