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 oct 2024 mac tease

Apple Expected to Announce These Two to Three Products 'This Week'

Sunday October 12, 2025 7:05 am PDT by
Apple plans to announce new products "this week," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple's "Mac Your Calendars" teaser last October In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the products set to be updated this week include the iPad Pro, Vision Pro, and "likely" the base 14-inch MacBook Pro, with all three likely to receive a spec bump with Apple's next-generation M5 chip. Gurman...
Read Full Article • 167 comments
iOS 26 Feature

Apple Preparing iOS 26.0.2 Update for iPhones

Saturday October 11, 2025 6:59 pm PDT by
Apple's software engineers are internally testing iOS 26.0.2, according to MacRumors logs, which have been a reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. iOS 26.0.2 will likely be a minor update that addresses bugs and/or security vulnerabilities, but we do not know any specific details yet. The update will likely be released within the next few weeks. Last month, Apple released iOS...
Read Full Article • 73 comments
10

Apple to Launch New Products Starting Next Week, Claims Dubious Leak [Updated]

Friday October 10, 2025 5:57 am PDT by
Update: the Naver account appears to be referencing a speculative post on X by Vadim Yuryev, dated October 6. The original article follows. Apple will announce new products through a series of press releases beginning as soon as next week, according to a dubious claim posted on the Korean blog Naver. The Naver blog account yeux1122, which aggregates rather than originates Apple...
Read Full Article • 6 comments
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have These 6 New Features

Saturday October 11, 2025 10:10 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still nearly a year away, a handful of new features and changes have already been rumored for the devices. Below, we have recapped some of the early iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. Smaller Dynamic Island The standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro, and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be equipped with a slightly smaller Dynamic Island, but the devices will...
Read Full Article • 71 comments
All AirPods 2025

Apple Reportedly Working on New AirPods Pro, AirPods 5, and H3 Chip

Sunday October 12, 2025 9:24 am PDT by
After releasing AirPods Pro 3 last month, Apple is already working on the next AirPods Pro, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. It is unclear if the new AirPods Pro would be branded as AirPods Pro 4, or if they would be considered an updated version of AirPods Pro 3. Gurman did not take a position, opting to describe them as a "new version" of the "high-end in-ear buds." AirPods Pro 2...
Read Full Article • 54 comments
Tim Cook MacBook

Apple's Next CEO Identified

Wednesday October 8, 2025 12:30 pm PDT by
Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus remains the "leading contender" to become the company's next CEO, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Ternus is 50 years old, so he is still young enough to have a long run at the helm of Apple, after current CEO Tim Cook retires. He is already a key decision-maker at Apple, according to Gurman, and he appears to have a charismatic...
Read Full Article
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

Apple Rumored to Launch MacBook Pro With M5 Chip Before M5 Pro and M5 Max Models

Friday October 10, 2025 1:18 pm PDT by
Apple is planning to release a base MacBook Pro with a standard M5 chip before higher-end models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, according to AppleInsider's sources with "knowledge of macOS Tahoe development and hardware testing." The report said a MacBook Pro with an M5 chip is "nearing release," and Apple has apparently been testing this model with an unreleased macOS 26.0.2 version....
Read Full Article • 107 comments
10

Apple Event This October? Here's the Latest on What to Expect

Thursday October 9, 2025 7:00 am PDT by
While it is unclear if Apple will host an October event this year, or stick to press releases, rumors suggest it will announce several new products this month. The graphic for Apple's "Unleashed" event in October 2021 Below, we have recapped everything to know about a potential Apple event this October. When The table below outlines when Apple teased its October launches over the past...
Read Full Article • 28 comments
vivo liquid glass

iOS 26 Liquid Glass Design Copied by Android Smartphone Maker

Thursday October 9, 2025 4:07 pm PDT by
Chinese smartphone maker Vivo has taken some inspiration from Apple's Liquid Glass design language for its latest operating system update, OriginOS 6. Unveiled this week, OriginOS 6 has the same rounded buttons and translucent glass look as iOS 26. In a demo video, a Vivo smartphone features an interface that could be easily mistaken for iOS 26. There's a Liquid Glass clock, Control Center,...
Read Full Article • 151 comments

Top Rated Comments

Jeaz Avatar
Jeaz
43 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
43 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
43 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
43 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
43 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
43 months ago
Hackintosh: Tesla Edition
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments