Apple is facing pushback from the automotive industry over its CarPlay Ultra, three years after the tech giant unveiled a software system that will occupy the vehicle dashboard for the first time.
German luxury brands Mercedes-Benz and Audi as well as Volvo Cars, Polestar and Renault said they had no plans to bring the upgraded software to their vehicles, despite earlier indications from Apple that they would.
While few have followed General Motors, which announced in 2023 it would stop installing CarPlay or Android Auto on some of its electric vehicle (EV) models in North America, there is increasing debate as to how much carmakers should allow tech groups to take over the inside of a vehicle.
Some companies have found Apple’s foray into driver screens to be over-reach. One executive at Renault, which is developing a vehicle mainly controlled by software with Google and Qualcomm, said the French carmaker told Apple: “Don’t try to invade our own systems.”
CarPlay Ultra connects the vehicle not only to iPhone’s music and maps, but other vehicle information on the dashboard such as temperature, speed and fuel use.
Aston Martin recently became the first carmaker to introduce the Apple system in its cars, but many other carmakers are developing their own infotainment system in the hopes of generating more revenue from in-car services and vehicle data.
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A high percentage of new cars come with CarPlay, with the share reaching 98 per cent in the US, according to Apple, and drivers in America using the system more than 600mn times per day.
Carmakers developing their own platforms are now facing a dilemma as the tech group looks to entrench its vast iPhone user base with CarPlay’s long-anticipated upgrade, offered for free.
“The western carmakers are trying to figure out how to find growth in a world which is at or near its peak in terms of car sales,” said Simon Middleton, a partner at McKinsey. “In the highly competitive premium segment, you’re also fighting for differentiation.”
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At a time when carmakers face advanced tech offerings of their Chinese rivals, analysts say software will gain more importance as the industry shifts to electric and autonomous vehicles. This will lead to further competition between technology groups and carmakers over control of the in-car driving experience.
The new Apple system allows drivers to switch the radio station and change the car’s cabin temperature on a car’s touchscreen without leaving Apple CarPlay.
Emily Clark Schubert, Apple’s director of car experience, said at its recent annual developer event that the new system allowed for “a unified and consistent experience across all the driver’s screens”.
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The launch with Aston Martin follows a pattern of Apple first introducing the software in luxury cars, with Ferrari the first to offer CarPlay in 2014. Although Hyundai and its Kia and Genesis cars were not part of the 14 named by Apple in 2022 as future CarPlay Ultra users, the tech giant has said the Korean brands would be next.
More carmakers using CarPlay Ultra were on the way, Apple told the Financial Times. Porsche plans to add support for the new software in its future models, according to its chief designer Michael Mauer. “We’re collaborating closely with automakers to provide the best of iPhone and the best of the car and this work takes time,” Apple said.
Of the original 14 brands listed by Apple, Jaguar Land Rover said it was still evaluating the system, while Ford and Nissan along with its Infiniti brand said they had no information to share about future application.
According to a survey conducted by McKinsey in 2023, almost half the car buyers said they would not buy a vehicle that lacked Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, while 85 per cent of car owners who have Apple CarPlay or a similar service preferred it over the auto group’s own built-in system.
Many carmakers, including Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, have developed infotainment and operating systems but they would continue to offer the option of using standard Apple CarPlay to meet consumer demand. Apple said customers were going to like CarPlay Ultra and carmakers would ultimately respond to consumer demand.
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BMW said it would integrate the existing Apple CarPlay with its new design, while Audi said its focus was to offer drivers “a customised and seamless digital experience” so it would not use CarPlay Ultra although the standard version was available on its vehicles.
While Volvo Cars said there were no plans to use CarPlay Ultra, its chief executive Håkan Samuelsson said carmakers should not try to compete on software with technology companies. “There are others who can do that better, and then we should offer that in our cars,” he said.
Aston Martin integrated Apple’s CarPlay Ultra with its newly developed infotainment system but stressed that the design inside the car remained “unmistakably” Aston Martin. The traditional physical dials were also available for those who do not want to use the touchscreen, it said.
People close to the carmaker said discussions with Apple in integrating CarPlay Ultra involved setting clear lines on data sharing from the start. The use of CarPlay Ultra did not entail additional sharing of vehicle data, which is stored inside Aston Martin’s own infotainment system and software. Apple also said vehicle data was not shared with the iPhone. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025
