Here's What Automakers Told Us About CarPlay Ultra (Not Very Much)

Earlier this month, Apple announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its in-vehicle software system. CarPlay Ultra is currently limited to luxury Aston Martin vehicles in the U.S. and Canada, but Apple said that many other automakers around the world are working to offer it within the next year.

CarPlay Ultra Aston Martin
We asked more than a dozen automakers about their CarPlay Ultra plans, and we have rounded up their responses below. Unfortunately, but perhaps unsurprisingly, most of the companies had little to nothing to say about their future plans, and they may not want to risk upsetting Apple by divulging information prematurely.

Apple's announcement did reveal that Hyundai, along with its Kia and Genesis brands, are among the automakers that are committed to offering CarPlay Ultra. A spokesperson for Hyundai confirmed that the automaker intends to offer CarPlay Ultra, and it plans to share additional information when possible in the future.

A spokesperson for Volvo said that it was one of the committed automakers included in Apple's list when it first announced next-generation CarPlay in June 2022. However, the company did not confirm if it still plans to offer CarPlay Ultra.

That original list from 2022 was as follows:

  • Acura
  • Audi
  • Ford
  • Honda
  • Infiniti
  • Jaguar
  • Land Rover
  • Lincoln
  • Mercedes-Benz
  • Nissan
  • Polestar
  • Porsche
  • Renault
  • Volvo

Porsche previewed its next-generation CarPlay instrument cluster design in late 2023, but the automaker has not provided an update since then.

Next Generation CarPlay Porsche 1
Mercedes-Benz has since expressed a lack of willingness to let Apple essentially take over its software experience, so it may not offer CarPlay Ultra after all.

Porsche and Mercedes-Benz have yet to respond to our inquiries.

Subaru will be assessing CarPlay Ultra for future vehicle models in its lineup, according to a company spokesperson. Mazda offered a vaguer response, with a representative there confirming that the company is always evaluating new technologies to offer the best customer experience, without mentioning CarPlay Ultra specifically.

GM ditched CarPlay in its new EVs, so it is hard to see the automaker adopting CarPlay Ultra across its brands like Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac.

A spokesperson for Ford declined to comment, while other automakers like BMW, GM, and Toyota have yet to respond to our inquiries.

A spokesperson for Honda said the automaker was among the first to offer regular CarPlay, as it values the technology and the customer's in-car user experience. However, it had nothing to announce about CarPlay Ultra at this time.

As the title of this article made clear, these responses do not amount to very much. Most automakers offered non-answers, or sideways answers at best, which aligns with Apple's culture of secrecy. But, we wanted to share what we heard.

CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust the color scheme. To learn more, read our coverage of Apple's announcement.

Related Roundup: CarPlay

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Top Rated Comments

haunebu Avatar
21 weeks ago
Why would an automaker allow Apple to commoditize its in-vehicle experience and own the valuable user data? Sure, a small company like Aston Martin that has a tiny software team would allow it. But manufacturers that produce millions of vehicles per year, and have the in-house software resources needed to provided differentiated experiences... that's entirely different. No need to surrender their business to Apple.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Refurbished_ Avatar
21 weeks ago
Honestly, I prefer the way my Volkswagen does it in my Taos. Small screen that blends into the dashboard for navigation / music / phone. My digital cockpit display important info right in front of me.

Adding more and larger screens will just negate the experience for me, as I've seen when driving in other, more robust cars. I also prefer buttons over screens. Unless a company does it very well, it will be a no for me.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CrysisDeu Avatar
21 weeks ago
Carplay ultra is a flop. It doesn’t really offer much extra value compared to the regular one after so many years of development. Many EV companies have built far superior native experiences. Android automotive is getting traction, and tech companies like Huawei, Xiaomi and even Sony are building their own cars.

Apple needs to build their own car to have true deep software hardware integration. And then they can upgrade CarPlay to be a dumb down version of their CarOS. But with how project Titan went, they probably won’t have the courage to build a car anymore
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
211 Avatar
21 weeks ago
From a lot of responses saying “of course car companies want to push their own software because of this and that”, why did they allow CarPlay in the first place? How come surveys keep saying CarPlay is a deciding factor for a lot of people in buying a car, yet everyone here thinks CarPlay Ultra is bad and no one will want it?

It seems anything new Apple does (iPod, iPhone, iPad,  Watch,  Vision Pro) is immediately met with hatred here when they haven’t even tried it, rather than give it a chance
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JanoschR Avatar
21 weeks ago
Would very much like to see more automakers integrate it. When I’m in for a new car that could be the deciding factor.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
smriga Avatar
21 weeks ago

Why would an automaker allow Apple to commoditize its in-vehicle experience and own the valuable user data? Sure, a small company like Aston Martin that has a tiny software team would allow it. But manufacturers that produce millions of vehicles per year, and have the in-house software resources needed to provided differentiated experiences... that's entirely different. No need to surrender their business to Apple.
Because automakers are notorious **** at designing interfaces.

I have high hopes for Hyundai's adoption of CarPlay Ultra, in part because they've also proven to be committed to physical button interfaces for climate control and comfort settings.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)