Tesla Apple CarPlay Hack Updated to Work With Any Tesla Model

by

Polish developer Michał Gapiński has released a new and improved version of his "Tesla Android Project" which brings Apple's CarPlay experience to more Tesla vehicles than ever before.

tesla carplay hack
According to Gapiński, version 2022.25.1 provides "100% functional ‌CarPlay‌ integration for any Tesla," and comes with several new features and bug fixes.

The project now supports DRM video playback so that apps like Netflix function normally, an orientation lock so that apps like Apple Music automatically launch in landscape mode, and the hack now uses Android 12.1 for better stability and performance.

Gapiński's CarPlay workaround involves using a Rasberry Pi with an LTE modem and a Wi-Fi access point, running a custom Android-based firmware, as well as a micro-HDMI to HDMI cable and Ethernet cable.

The in-car browser is used to connect to the Rasberry Pi and display the ‌‌‌CarPlay‌‌‌ interface on the Tesla's screen, where Apple apps including Maps and ‌‌Apple Music‌‌ function as expected. The system works while driving, and can also be controlled with the media buttons on the Tesla's steering wheel.


Despite the preponderance of ‌‌CarPlay‌‌ on many electric cars, Tesla does not offer official support. Hints in 2020 that Tesla was planning to support Apple Music never came to fruition, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk doesn't respond to requests on Twitter for the company to bring ‌‌CarPlay‌‌ to its vehicles, despite it being one of the most-requested features among Tesla owners.

At the Worldwide Developers Conference 2022, Apple previewed the "next generation" of ‌CarPlay‌ for compatible vehicles. The next-gen ‌CarPlay‌ experience will support multiple displays within a vehicle, offer built-in climate controls for adjusting the temperature of the A/C or heat within the ‌CarPlay‌ interface, and more.

Apple said the first vehicles to support the new ‌CarPlay‌ experience will be announced in late 2023, with committed automakers including Ford, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Infiniti, Honda, Acura, Jaguar, Land Rover, Audi, Nissan, Volvo, Porsche, and more.

Related Roundup: CarPlay
Tag: Tesla
Related Forum: HomePod, HomeKit, CarPlay, Home & Auto Technology

Popular Stories

apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

iPhone Driver's Licenses: These 17 U.S. States Offer Them or Will Later

Thursday June 19, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states and Puerto...
Read Full Article • 102 comments
iPhone 16 Battery Life Feature

iOS 26's New Battery Life Mode Available Only on These iPhone Models

Saturday June 21, 2025 9:02 am PDT by
Last week, we reported that iOS 26 introduces an opt-in Adaptive Power Mode on the iPhone, alongside the existing Low Power Mode. Apple says that Adaptive Power Mode can make "small performance adjustments" when necessary to extend an iPhone's battery life, including slightly lowering the display brightness or allowing some activities to "take a little longer." The full description of...
Read Full Article • 54 comments
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in Three Months With These 12 New Features

Saturday June 14, 2025 5:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of June 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14 Pro have a...
Read Full Article • 218 comments
ios 26 call holding

iOS 26 Beta is Hiding a New Ringtone — Here's What It Sounds Like

Thursday June 19, 2025 7:25 pm PDT by
Apple is hiding a new ringtone within iOS 26. The new ringtone is an alternative version of the existing Reflection ringtone, which has been the default ringtone since the iPhone X was released in 2017. It was discovered within the code for the first developer beta of iOS 26, but it remains hidden, so you will not find it in the list of ringtones available in the Settings app for now. It...
Read Full Article • 77 comments
apple watch ultra 2 new black

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Finally Coming After Two-Year Hiatus

Monday June 16, 2025 8:45 am PDT by
Apple will finally deliver the Apple Watch Ultra 3 sometime this year, according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong (via @jukanlosreve). The analyst expects both the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to arrive this year (likely alongside the new iPhone 17 lineup, if previous launches are anything to go by), according to his latest product roadmap shared with...
Read Full Article • 120 comments
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.6 Public Beta

Wednesday June 18, 2025 10:24 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a few days after Apple provided the betas to developers. Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update. When the...
Read Full Article • 14 comments
General Spotify Feature

Spotify Preparing to Launch Long-Awaited Lossless Audio Tier on iPhone

Thursday June 19, 2025 1:46 pm PDT by
Spotify appears to be gearing up to launch its long-awaited lossless music tier. Chris Messina (via TechCrunch) and Spicetify (via The Verge) spotted new lossless references within the code for Spotify's desktop app and web player. With assistance from Aaron Perris, MacRumors has confirmed that the latest beta of the Spotify app for the iPhone also contains new lossless-related code....
Read Full Article • 105 comments
Wi Fi WiFi General Feature

iOS 26 Adding Two New Wi-Fi Features, Allows AirDrop and AirPlay Alternatives

Saturday June 21, 2025 7:02 am PDT by
iOS 26 is gaining two new Wi-Fi features, including Captive Assist and Wi-Fi Aware. MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris discovered a reference to Captive Assist within the code for the first iOS 26 developer beta, but Apple has yet to enable the feature. It should be available by the time the software update is released later this year. In his Power On newsletter last month, Bloomberg's...
Read Full Article • 34 comments
airpods 4 blue

Apple Offering Free AirPods — Here's How to Get Them

Tuesday June 17, 2025 6:33 am PDT by
Apple is running a new promotion that offers free AirPods to qualifying customers. Now through September 30, college and university students in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Singapore can receive free AirPods 4 when they purchase an eligible new Mac or iPad from Apple. AirPods Pro 2 are also available at a discount. If you do not want AirPods, the promotion also offers various other...
Read Full Article

Top Rated Comments

Jeaz Avatar
Jeaz
39 months ago
The lack of CarPlay, especially the future version of it, is probably the main reason I'm not looking at Tesla when replacing my current EV next year. Polestar, BMW or Mustang are all more likely candidates.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
6787872 Avatar
6787872
39 months ago

Nope. The Tesla UI is miles better than CarPlay. It's really not even close.

What all you Apple stans don't realize is that vehicle manufacturers are only using CarPlay as a temporary measure. They are going to eventually want full control of the in-car experience so it can be monetized, especially once self-driving becomes a real thing.

You'll be buying things like video content, games and apps through their own stores. The built-in maps will have location-based advertising. They won't want Apple to make $ off their passengers. Elon already realized this.

The new CarPlay they just revealed looks all nice and shiny but manufacturers are soon going to find out that it's tough selling a $70K vehicle when it has the same UI look & feel as a $30K car. Also good luck waiting for new features for your vehicle because you'll only get them when Apple brings them to every other vehicle via CarPlay. Where a company like Tesla or Rivian can push new features whenever they want via OTA updates.
ironic use of the word 'stan' coming from a tesla 'stan' lmao.

the tesla UI is horrific. the christmas update should be all the evidence you need. literally even elon admitted it. tesla navigation is as functional (and looks like) a 2004 era tomtom. no advanced features or routing capabilities. spotify is bug ridden and nowhere near feature parity with native.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannys1 Avatar
dannys1
39 months ago
It's a shame Elon is such a dick, I'd love native CarPlay in my care, the Tesla system is rubbish.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
profets Avatar
profets
39 months ago
I get the allure of CarPlay and AA, I really do, but I think we need to remember why they were first made: to help bring some control to your phone / media in vehicles that otherwise have terrible infotainment systems.

Tesla building their own cars with 15-17” displays and full touch UIs are different than traditional vehicles in that regard. They have a full interface that they update consistently.

I think in a way, what Tesla is doing, is similar to what Apple would do. ‘This is our product, we’re designing the interface, and we don’t want other companies having any control over it.’

I’m not saying CarPlay shouldn’t exist or that Tesla should never allow it. Maybe it could operate as a window within the Tesla UI somewhere? I dunno. But the original goal of CarPlay wasn’t for Teslas with 15-17” screens. And even the new CarPlay that takes over the entire vehicle / large displays, no chance Tesla is going to give up their entire UI to Apple.

Having driven a Tesla for some time, what I think I’d prefer (personal opinion), is a small App Store of sorts for media apps. That’s what I find I miss the most - Music, podcasts apps, etc.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tubamajuba Avatar
Tubamajuba
39 months ago

The new CarPlay they just revealed looks all nice and shiny but manufacturers are soon going to find out that it's tough selling a $70K vehicle when it has the same UI look & feel as a $30K car.
I seriously doubt anyone cares if dashboard UI looks the same on cars with different prices. Who is really going to look at a car and think, "This has the same screen as a cheaper car so I'm not buying it"? It's far more likely that someone would look at a really expensive car and wonder why it doesn't support CarPlay or Android Auto when cheaper cars already do.

Furthermore, you're getting the same UI and OS no matter how much or how little you spend on a Mac, Windows PC, iPhone, Android phone, etc. That's never been an issue even though UI is way more important on a device that is singlehandedly a computing device as opposed to a car that does many other things than just being a computer.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
Apple Knowledge Navigator
39 months ago
Hackintosh: Tesla Edition
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments