Why Apple’s next-gen CarPlay probably won’t come to your car
Apple’s next-gen CarPlay supports a vehicle’s instrument cluster and all other displays, but it probably won’t come to your car.
The next generation of Apple CarPlay is set to revolutionize the driving experience by supporting a vehicle’s instrument cluster and all other screens, but it likely won’t come to current model year or older vehicles. CarPlay is software created by Apple for medium-sized media screens on cars and is very similar to iOS. By connecting to a compatible iPhone, users can use an iOS-like experience on their car screen to send text messages, consume media and get directions on the road. Apple’s next-gen software was unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June alongside iOS 16, and both are expected to release in the coming months. The problem for CarPlay, it will take quite a bit of development from automakers to support the new features.
Before the official announcement of the next generation of CarPlay at WWDC, rumors were circulating that Apple was working on a more extensive software release for vehicles. The company has been working on its own car behind the scenes for years, despite the turbulence and turnover of the project’s engineering team. A report suggested that a version of CarPlay would be the single point of control for all aspects of the vehicle, sort of the way a Tesla is controlled. Turns out, users didn’t have to wait long to see what it might look like. Apple unveiled the full version of CarPlay without any hardware of its own, allowing other automakers to integrate the software into their vehicles. However, the adoption rate might not be as high as end users expect.
Current generations of CarPlay can handle the car’s media console, but all other screens in the vehicle match the automaker’s user interface. With the latest generation of CarPlay, the software can support multiple screens of different sizes and uses in a car, providing a universal experience. According to Apple, the company is aiming for deep integration with cars, offering the ability to control the radio or change the climate within the CarPlay environment. The software would also communicate directly with the vehicle, displaying metrics such as fuel and speed via CarPlay. If the software is widely adopted, it would be a huge selling point for iPhone users, but that’s doubtful. Due to the tight integration with specific cars that next-gen CarPlay would need, it’s unlikely to make its way to most cars.
Next-gen CarPlay could be a test drive for Apple Car
The tight integration between the car’s on-board computer and next-generation CarPlay virtually rules out the software’s arrival on existing vehicles. Even for new cars coming out in the coming years, the amount of development support needed puts its adoption in doubt. At the WWDC event where the next generation of CarPlay was announced, there were no car manufacturers confirmed to support the feature. The company said in a press release that vehicles supporting the next version of CarPlay would be announced starting next year, but no further information was provided.
The edge contacted 12 different automakers after the announcement to gauge their interest in the new software, and their responses were not promising. Stellantis (formerly known as Fiat Chrysler), Ford and General Motors – three of America’s biggest automakers – did not comment on their next-generation CarPlay support, but the former noted the impact of its integration. “It’s more of an Apple OS for car apps than a CarPlay upgrade“said a spokesperson for Stellantis without any specific announcement. Since Apple’s new CarPlay is global and requires tight integration with the car, it will probably not be available on most cars. On the contrary, the next version of CarPlay is probably just a test drive for a possible Apple Car.
Source: Apple, The Verge
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