Developer Showcases Apple CarPlay Workaround for Teslas

A Tesla Model 3 owner has resorted to a workaround to implement Apple CarPlay in his vehicle, amid no sign of official support from Tesla (via Tesla North).

tesla carplay solution
Apple ‌CarPlay‌ and Apple Music support are among the most-requested Tesla features, but with no indication that Tesla is willing to implement Apple ‌CarPlay‌ in its vehicles, Polish developer Michał Gapiński took matters into his own hands. Using a Rasberry Pi and the car's browser, Gapiński was able to get a fully functional version of Apple ‌CarPlay‌ running on his Tesla's display and shared the result on Twitter.

The system works using a Rasberry Pi with an LTE modem and a Wi-Fi access point, running a custom Android-based firmware. The in-car browser is then used to connect to the Rasberry Pi and display the ‌CarPlay‌ interface on the Tesla's screen, with all apps working as expected, including Maps and ‌Apple Music‌. The Tesla Apple ‌CarPlay‌ solution continues to work while driving and can even be controlled with the car's steering wheel buttons.

Gapiński is now working on improving the Wi-Fi connection to make the stream smoother. He says that the project is still in its early stages, but once it is ready he plans to release the solution to the public.

Tesla has a strained relationship with Apple and seems to want full control over its infotainment system, making the chances of Apple ‌CarPlay‌ support in the near future very unlikely. Despite signs that Tesla was planning to support Apple Music, this has similarly not come to fruition.

Most carmakers offer Apple ‌CarPlay‌ in their vehicles, making Tesla's omission a notable exception. Some electric cars that seek to directly compete with Tesla, such as the BMW i4, BMW iX, and Porsche Taycan, offer heavily integrated versions of Apple CarPlay, as well as other Apple services such as Apple Music and Apple Podcasts, including support for features such as time-synced lyrics.

Related Roundup: CarPlay
Tag: Tesla

Popular Stories

hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features. Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Two Breakthrough Features

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:26 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include two standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
ipad black friday 2025

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:20 am PST by
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
streaming black friday 2025

Black Friday Streaming Deals Include Big Savings on Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV, and More

Monday November 24, 2025 8:03 am PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...

Top Rated Comments

Number 41 Avatar
50 months ago
Lack of CarPlay is the one* thing keeping me from buying a Tesla.

* - Not having space in the budget for a $60,000 car also a heavy factor if we’re being honest.
Score: 52 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SSonnentag Avatar
50 months ago
It really is sad that the leader in EV tech is too arrogant to admit that some AV standards are worth embracing. I'm all for vertical integration, but come on, Elon, get with the program!
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
killawat Avatar
50 months ago

Odd how even long holdout Toyota eventually settled on CarPlay, yet Tesla is still shrugging their shoulders.
Exactly. And why aren't Tesla owners shouting on the rooftops about this? I will never buy a car without CarPlay. Nope, not going back.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rk-apple Avatar
50 months ago
I love my Tesla. The integrated maps in the Tesla have great details about supercharger locations, usage, etc. How about a trade off? Apple integrates supercharger info into its Maps app and Tesla agrees to allow CarPlay.

In the meantime, I'd settle of an Apple Music option on the Tesla UI.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dugbug Avatar
50 months ago

I agree. It’s frustrating and it makes no sense why Apple CarPlay isn’t allowed on Teslas by Apple. Can't even open up the music app. That's another reason I refuse to purchase it :(
You think its apple stopping tesla from providing carplay?
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SSonnentag Avatar
50 months ago
Apple says it doesn’t charge automakers a fee to use CarPlay
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)