I love CarPlay. I remember the days of connecting my iPhone to my car through a Bluetooth adapter or the car's built-in Bluetooth and then buying my Subaru Crosstrek with CarPlay built in. It was like giving someone a cold glass of water in...well, you probably get the reference. If not, look up the quote from Steve Jobs about iTunes coming to Windows.

I'm definitely not the only one who loves CarPlay. Survey after survey comes out showing that people prefer CarPlay to the built-in infotainment system in cars so much that they wouldn't even consider buying a new car that didn't have support for the feature.

Now, a new survey from JD Power continues to prove that point. Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power, said in a statement “Automakers keep pouring additional features into their vehicle infotainment systems, but it appears to be creating needless complexity. Owners struggle to perform simple audio-related tasks, so it begs the question whether automakers are actually in tune with the desires and needs of their customers.”

Here comes CarPlay to the rescue

When the firm questioned consumers about what they loved and hated about their cars, the infotainment system became a clear area of dissatisfaction with drivers. The survey found that "Despite satisfaction improving 5 points this year to 823, infotainment remains one of the lowest-scoring categories industry-wide."

The only thing that seems to make people happier about the screen in their car is - you guessed it - CarPlay. The report found that "While satisfaction with in-vehicle infotainment systems averages 805, it is higher among owners who use Android Auto (832) or Apple CarPlay (840). This shows that customers prefer to have the simplistic usability of their phone extended into their vehicle more so than what manufacturers are providing."

These results aren't surprising, and Apple knows it. The company continues to push its next-generation CarPlay that takes over more aspects of the vehicle, something that it showed off at WWDC back in June. The first vehicles with next-generation CarPlay are expected to roll off the production line as soon as late this year, so we'll see if Apple can continue to take over the car — even if the Apple Car is dead.

More from iMore

• CarPlay: Everything you need to know!
• Could this be the reason GM is ditching Apple CarPlay?
• Apple next-generation CarPlay: Confirmed vehicles, manufacturers ...

Rivian has been one of the big EV makers that has yet to bring CarPlay into its vehicles. Like Tesla, the iPhone feature has been absent from its electric vehicles since the company launched. According to Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe, that's on purpose, and the company has no plans to add support for CarPlay anytime soon.

In an interview with The Verge's Nilay Patel on his Decoder podcast, Scaringe said “We have a great relationship with Apple. As much as I love their products, there’s a reason that ironically is very consistent with Apple ethos for us to want to control the ecosystem.” CarPlay isn’t “consistent with how we think about really creating a pure product experience."

Scaringe says that the company plans to add the biggest features that car owners like about CarPlay, but that they'll do it "on an à la carte basis.” Instead, the CEO said, "We’ve taken the view of the digital experience in the vehicle wants to feel consistent and holistically harmonious across every touchpoint."

The Rivian CEO even thinks that the conversation about the lack of CarPlay in its vehicles is even overblown, saying "I think it often gets more noise than it deserves."

Rivian is right, it's on Apple to make great apps

I get why a lot of Apple fans want every carmaker in the world to support CarPlay. Historically, I was one of those people. The software experiences on cars was (and still is in a lot of cases) terrible, and Apple CarPlay was a breath of fresh air for all of us who wanted a better way to listen to music, take phone calls, and more in our cars.

However, some companies are now creating great software experiences in their vehicles, and Rivian is definitely one of them. The company's software experience in their truck and SUV is beautiful, actually runs quickly, and supports an expanding number of apps. If I'm driving a Rivian, I want to feel like I'm driving a Rivian, and the software experience is part of that.

Instead of shoving CarPlay down the throat of a company that doesn't need it, Apple needs to recognize that most of what we consider CarPlay is actually a bundle of apps enabled for the car. Instead of forcing companies to adopt CarPlay, the company should make more apps that are compatible with EVs from companies like Rivian and Tesla.

In fact, Apple already does. The Apple Music team has already designed a dedicated app for both Tesla and Rivian, and customers love that. The company should do the same with Apple Podcasts, Apple Books, Apple Maps, and more.

Unfortunately, it seems like the company has no interest in doing that. Apple continues to push forward with its next-generation CarPlay experience which takes over all aspects of your car's displays. While this makes sense if carmakers continue to create horrible software in their cars, it seems like those years might finally be over if more companies do what Tesla and Rivian are doing.

Instead of relying on CarPlay to save the experience in the car, carmakers are finally taking it upon themselves. And, if more do so, Apple is going to need to focus on making its apps available in those cars. It'll be on Apple to make great apps, and I think that's a better outcome for all of us.

More from iMore

• CarPlay: Everything you need to know!
• Could this be the reason GM is ditching Apple CarPlay?
• Every new CarPlay feature announced at Apple's WWDC

Google Maps has been updated to support incident reporting through CarPlay, allowing you to quickly add information about an accident or anything else you’ve seen on the roads.

First spotted in the CarPlay subreddit on July 16, the update has seemingly been switched on on Google’s side, meaning that the incident reporting feature is slowly rolling out to all Google Maps CarPlay users. To check if you’ve got the update, there should be a Hazard symbol with an add sign below the speed limit indicator. Pressing this symbol will allow you to report the following:

• Objects on road
• Speed trap
• Slowdown
• Stalled vehicle
• Construction
• Crash

Although hazard reporting is a welcome and much-needed feature for Google Maps on CarPlay, it’s notable that this hasn’t yet arrived for Android Auto users. This is Google’s take on CarPlay and lets you use apps like YouTube, Google Assistant, and Google Maps as you go from one destination to another.

Do you use Google Maps with CarPlay? If you’ve got the hazard reporting feature, let us know in the iMore Forums.

Waze has had this feature on Android Auto and CarPlay for years

While it’s great that you can report hazards through Google Maps on CarPlay, it’s worth mentioning that another app, Waze, has been offering this feature on CarPlay and Android Auto for years.

Waze is another mapping app that helps guide you to your destination. The app also has some features that make it stand out from Google Maps and Apple Maps. This includes nearby toll pricing notifications, the ability to report other incidents such as changing speed limits in real-time, and celebrity-voiced turn-by-turn directions. Some notable examples include Arnold Schwarzenegger, Stephen Colbert, and Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster.

It’s slightly odd that Waze has been offering a bunch of unique features that Google Maps has never adopted — despite being owned by Google since 2013. Over at TechRadar, Paul Hatton wrote in February about how he replaced Google Maps with Waze and never looked back. If you own a vehicle that has CarPlay and you haven’t yet received the latest Google Maps update with the hazard reporting feature, perhaps look into giving Waze a try instead.

More from iMore

• Here's why a third-party CarPlay monitor was top of my shopping list during Prime Day
• No Apple CarPlay is a deal-breaker! Study reveals 35% of buyers won't consider a car without it
• Every new CarPlay feature announced at Apple's WWDC 2024

CD Player? FM Radio? A glove compartment that has a dedicated space for CD albums? These are some of the features of my 2010 Vauxhall Corsa, and I’m proud of it. I’ve been happy with the car during my one year of owning it, but I’ve felt as though I’ve been missing out on CarPlay.

I’ve used Apple’s in-car operating system in other vehicles when I’ve had to rent a car, and I’ve always found CarPlay to be fantastic and seamless in its integration with my iPhone. Within minutes, I’m listening to the best of the Spice Girls and queuing up a few podcasts for a long drive.

This is why I’ve started to wonder if I should take the plunge and look into a newer car that features integrated CarPlay as standard. That was, until, I saw that there were third-party monitors that come with CarPlay installed. These can be mounted on top of any car dashboard and, when paired with an iPhone, provide the same experience as a car that has built-in CarPlay.

With Amazon Prime Day in full swing this week, I’ve been looking at a couple of third-party monitors to see which one would suit me best, while also considering a car model that comes pre-installed with CarPlay.

Looking at options

For some context: I use my Vauxhall Corsa to take my wife and son to kindergarten, as well as for shopping errands, family visits, and more. The car is used roughly four days a week, and in order to use my iPhone with the vehicle, I have this Bluetooth adapter which pairs with my phone and streams the audio to my car radio. It’s a simple method but it works well. Yet, I still want CarPlay, because ‘it works well’ simply isn’t good enough for me. I want more. I want better.

Based on this, I’ve got two choices:

• A car that has CarPlay integrated into its dashboard
• A third-party CarPlay Monitor

I paid £1,100 for my car in 2023, the equivalent of $1,390. Looking at the latest Corsa models on Vauxhall’s website that I can buy right now, every model has CarPlay as standard. At a minimum, one would cost me £19,635 / $24,833, or £197 a month for four years, with a £4,908.75 deposit.

Essentially, those prices are way out of my budget. For a vehicle I use four days a week, I can’t justify the cost. So this means I’m left with the other option: a third-party CarPlay monitor.

The benefits of a CarPlay monitor

The most obvious benefit of having a third-party CarPlay monitor instead of buying a new car is the cost. These monitors usually go for around $99, such as this one by HAWXIY. All that’s required is a place in your existing car where one of these Monitors can sit, then once you pair your iPhone to a Monitor, you’re good to go.

Another benefit of having this Monitor is that you can swap it out with ease. This means that if you decide to buy another car that doesn’t have CarPlay, you only need to stick it to its dashboard and you’re good to go. You can also use one in multiple vehicles, if you happen to own more than one car. 

It couldn’t be more simple, which is why I’m going with this option for my Corsa. If ever there was a time to look into a CarPlay monitor, that time is now.

Ready. Set. Amazon Prime Day!

Yes, Amazon Prime Day. This annual sales event in July has taken place for several years now. I love a bargain — who doesn’t? After spotting plenty of discounted CarPlay monitors during Cyber Monday last year, I was hoping to see some similar savings on Prime Day.

So far, I haven't been disappointed. Amazon's sales event already has plenty of CarPlay monitors with some big discounts. So much so, that I've listed a few below that I'm currently considering for my car.

Each one of these varies in display sizes and features, but the choice ultimately comes down to what works for you and your car. However, with Amazon Prime Day in full swing with some massive savings as shown above, you may as well treat your vehicle to a great CarPlay monitor.

More from iMore

• This new tool from Apple and Google will make it easier to transfer your photos and videos
• Prime Day iPhone deals 2024: Get an iPhone 15 Pro Max for $0.1
• The best third-party CarPlay apps in 2024

A recent survey has highlighted a huge deal-breaker for car owners — if a new vehicle doesn’t feature CarPlay, they’re happy to look elsewhere for one that does.

According to research conducted by McKinsey & Co. and shared via Carscoops, 35% of respondents would refuse to buy a combustion car that didn’t include CarPlay, Apple’s in-car operating system that can connect to your iPhone. 30% of those looking for an electric vehicle also said no CarPlay or Android Auto would be a deal-breaker. 

This huge number only proves how important CarPlay is to car owners. This also highlights how out of touch General Motors is, which ditched CarPlay in 2023 in favor of its own dashboard system.

At WWDC 2024, Apple’s yearly developer conference, the next generation of CarPlay was confirmed again, featuring dynamic content for your car — such as information about tire pressure, EV charging status, and more. These improvements will likely make CarPlay more alluring to potential buyers as they look for newer cars in the future. Apple has said that this update is coming later this year to supported vehicles, although it’s yet to provide any further details. Thus far, only two manufacturers have confirmed support for next-generation CarPlay in 2024, Aston Martin and Porsche. 

You can use CarPlay in your existing car right now

Are you feeling left out because your existing car doesn’t feature CarPlay? Fret not, as there are other ways to use Apple’s operating system in your car without spending thousands on a new vehicle.

‘CarPlay Monitors’ are third-party mounts that can be placed on your car’s dashboard. Once connected to your iPhone, you can use CarPlay as if it’s always been integrated with your vehicle. With Amazon’s Prime Day confirmed for July, there’s a chance that some of these will be heavily discounted once the event starts. In the meantime, here’s one example of a CarPlay Monitor you can buy right now that features a big saving.

More from iMore

• If you want to use Apple's next-generation CarPlay, you'll need a car that supports the wireless version
• Apple Intelligence: Everything you need to know
• The best third-party CarPlay apps in 2024

Although CarPlay wasn’t mentioned in the WWDC 2024 keynote, Apple has released two new videos for developers that help explain what its next-generation CarPlay is capable of.

In case you missed the announcements, iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15, watchOS 11, visionOS 2, and Apple Intelligence were all showcased at the June 10 keynote. If you own one of the compatible devices that can use one of these updates, you’ll likely find something useful for you.

When it comes to new features for CarPlay, Apple has released two new videos for developers. The first video is called ‘Meet the next generation of CarPlay architecture’, which goes into detail about how this update works. The second, called ‘Say hello to the next generation of CarPlay design system’ showcases what can be done with this next generation of CarPlay from a user interface perspective. However, some of what’s featured in these videos may seem familiar. Apple originally unveiled this new version of CarPlay back at WWDC 2022. At the time, Apple promised more details about this update toward the end of 2023. Since then, however, we’ve only received confirmation from a few car manufacturers stating their support for the new version of CarPlay.

Apple has been quiet on the details, but thanks to these videos, we have a clearer idea of how this new CarPlay can adapt to different vehicles. With this in mind, we’ve listed the new features expected in this upcoming update, tentatively scheduled to arrive in some cars by the end of the year.

Different layouts

The current version of CarPlay can be displayed on a single monitor, found between the driver and passenger seats. For this new version, car vendors have complete control, with support for adding speedometers, branded colors, different gauges, and more across the whole dashboard.

These gauges can also be resized to fit the shape of most car interiors. For example, if one dashboard is curved, the speed gauges can be resized to fit this.

Apple ultimately wants to make sure that the user interface of CarPlay is still easy to use when driving but can offer an appearance that matches the car manufacturers' brand — from the colors to the typography.

These layouts can also adapt to certain features of some cars. Climate control, tire pressure, seats, and external cameras can now be integrated with this new version of CarPlay. This means that any settings for these new features can be accessed directly within this next generation of CarPlay.

Gauge Customization

Gauges are the most important elements of a car dashboard, displaying important information such as speed, fuel level, or remaining electric charge. With this next generation of CarPlay, car manufacturers essentially have a blank canvas to design their gauges.

They can choose from a variety of typography options, as well as colors, sizes, and styles for the tick marks, which indicate the measurements on these gauges.

Dynamic Content

Dynamic Content are widgets for your car that can be placed across the dashboard. For this upcoming version of CarPlay, a manufacturer can add the following:

• Maps
• Calendar
• Clock
• Weather
• Charging
• Tire Pressure
• Seatbelt Alert
• ADAS (Advanced driver-assistance system)
• Music

These can all be displayed in three layouts in order to fit several sizes. Dynamic Content is also the default place for notifications. If you receive a bunch of notifications from Messages, Slack, and more, they will show in the Dynamic Content area of your car.

As per the video, the company plans to show dynamic content on the Passenger’s side. This could allude to Apple TV Plus shows being displayed, though the video didn’t elaborate further.

Supported Car manufacturers

The following car vendors are reportedly still committed to bringing this next-generation of CarPlay to their vehicles soon, including:

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

Thanks to the customization that’s offered in this next generation of CarPlay, you can expect each manufacturer to apply their own style to Apple’s operating system in the car — from the speed gauges to the dynamic content areas.

Release Date

Although you can download the iOS 18 developer beta right now, as well as iPadOS 18 and macOS 15 Sequoia, you can’t download this next generation of CarPlay for your current car. 

Apple still says that this update is coming later this year, but has not provided any more details. Hopefully, we’ll soon hear more about when this new version of CarPlay will be coming, as well as the cars it will support.

More from iMore

• The era of Apple Intelligence is here — Apple AI unveiled at WWDC 2024
• ChatGPT 4.0 is coming to iPhone, iPad, and Mac free with iOS 18 and beyond
• WWDC 2024 brings our first look at Severance Season 2

If you're a Tesla EV owner who also happens to own an iPhone you're likely already very aware that there is no Apple CarPlay support for you or your vehicle. CEO Elon Musk has so far refused to add the feature, and he doesn't seem more willing to add Android Auto for that matter, either. And a new revelation suggests that is unlikely to change any time soon.

The lack of CarPlay support isn't as keenly felt by Tesla drivers as you might think thanks to support for Tesla-built apps for things like Apple Music. But no CarPlay also means no Siri, leaving Tesla owners to stab at their (admittedly huge) in-car screens with their fingers instead. But that could be about to change.

According to code found in a new Tesla software update the company might be readying its own in-car assistant similar to Siri. But as Apple has conclusively proven, making a digital assistant is one thing. Making one that works well is something else entirely.

"Hey Tesla"

While Tesla is yet to confirm the assistant, Electrek reports that one intrepid code-diver has already found references to a "Tesla voice assistant," although it's unclear if that is the way it will be marketed.

Details are sparse at the moment, but the code suggests that a wakeword will be used which means the assistant will be listening at all times, much like a HomePod. That may not be well-received news by everyone, but it does mean that drivers won't have to press a button to activate the assistant which is safer for obvious reasons.

A launch timescale for the new assistant is unknown as well, but given the company's track record, there's no guarantee that any announced release date will be met anyway. For now, Tesla drivers will just have to wait — but maybe don't hold your breath while you're doing it.

More from iMore

• Could this be the reason GM is ditching Apple CarPlay?
• Apple next-generation CarPlay: Confirmed vehicles and manufactures
• Apple's new CarPlay might not come to Mercedes-Benz after all

When Apple announced its next-generation CarPlay feature back at WWDC  in June of 2022 it made quite the splash. It promised to be the biggest change to CarPlay since its launch, adding support for multiple displays including the cluster behind the steering wheel. Now, almost two years later, iPhone owners still can't buy a vehicle with next-gen CarPlay support, and we can add one name to the list of those who have no plan to change that.

German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz wasn't the quickest to add CarPlay originally, and now it has confirmed that it has no intention of adding the upgraded version, either. However, there's a sliver of good news that potential buyers of the company's future vehicles can cling to.

Thankfully, Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that while the new CarPlay won't arrive any time soon, if ever, the old version isn't going anywhere. Unlike some carmakers, CarPlay support will remain. And that's huge for future buyers.

Playing at CarPlay

This is according to Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius who was speaking in an interview with The Verge's Decoder, so we can assume that he knows what he's talking about.

“The short answer is no,” Källenius told The Verge's Nilay Patel when asked whether the company would offer Apple's upgraded CarPlay functionality. Instead, Mercedes-Benz intends to take a "holistic software architecture" approach to things, powered by Google. That means that anyone who had hoped to buy a modern Mercedes-Benz vehicle and have CarPlay run on its various huge on-car displays is going to be out of luck.

The upgraded CarPlay support would allow drivers to interact with their vehicles in a whole new way. Beyond the current apps, CarPlay will be able to interact with a vehicle's air conditioning system, tap into mileage and battery charge state, and more. Some carmakers aren't keen on handing that kind of control to Apple, although it should be noted that Mercedez-Benz is partnering with Google of all companies when creating its own future in-car software.

"We work with the best," Källenius said. "Yes, we’re integrating Google Maps. In fact, we are developing with Google the next generation of what a map in a car married to the driving-assistant system should look like."

However, Google won't have complete control and Mercedes-Benz software engineers will be heavily involved, the CEO notes. "I fundamentally believe that holistic customer experience is best done by us, and we will serve you," he explained "Then, there are, of course, other aspects to that. If you get a Mercedes product, I assume you have a Mercedes me ID, you have the app, you have everything. You can take that ID with you to several cars."

Thankfully, that doesn't mean that CarPlay is going away.

"There are so many reasons why we’re doing what we’re doing, but we’re not fundamentalists to say, for some reason, we’re not going to allow a customer to use Apple CarPlay if that’s what they choose to do," the CEO explained. "We have Apple CarPlay. We have Android Auto. If, for some of the functions, you feel more comfortable with that and will switch back and forth, be my guest. You can get that, too. But to give up the whole cockpit head unit — in our case, a passenger screen and everything to somebody else — the answer is no."

More from iMore

• Could this be the reason GM is ditching Apple CarPlay?
• All the cars that support Apple CarPlay
• The U.S.' biggest carmaker is ditching Apple CarPlay because it might be dangerous

Following the news that the United States Department of Justice has sued Apple over what it claims is anticompetitive behavior in relation to the iPhone, some interesting tidbits have started to be spotted in the filing — including a claim that Apple CarPlay is also anticompetitive. The reason, it seems, is that it's just too good.

The lawsuit claims that "by applying the same playbook of restrictions to CarPlay, Apple further locks-in the power of the iPhone by preventing the development of other disintermediating technologies that interoperate with the phone but reside off device," but it would appear that the DOJ has somewhat misunderstood what CarPlay is or how it works.

In the filing, the DOJ's lawyers say that CarPlay takes "over all of the screens, sensors, and gauges in a car, forcing users to experience driving as an iPhone-centric experience if they want to use any of the features provided by CarPlay.” Basically, the DOJ's argument appears to hinge on upgrades coming to CarPlay and specific cars that will allow carmakers to hand over their screens for use with CarPlay entirely — including the cluster of dials that show fuel/range, speed, and more. But the DOJ seems to have missed an important part — this is all entirely optional, and people can choose not to plug their iPhone in at all.

Anticompetitive or just good?

The addition of CarPlay to the lawsuit was reported by The Verge and has so far been seen as a misstep by the DOJ's lawyers. Carmakers will have complete control over what Apple can and cannot do with CarPlay and if they don't want to give over their screens, they don't have to. The same goes for what information and controls are provided, too. And those who have an Android phone just carry on regardless, none the wiser, and certainly no worse off.

CarPlay is indeed popular, and a lot of people say that they wouldn't buy a new car without it. But something being popular does not automatically make it a monopoly, something that seems to have been lost in this recent filing.

This isn't the only oddity, either. The filing mentions Apple's refusal to allow game streaming apps into the App Store — something it already allows — as an example of the control it wields over users and the experiences they have. It all smacks of someone getting a little carried away with themselves or, perhaps just as likely, a document that was written some time ago and hasn't been updated to reflect recent changes. The decision to allow game streaming apps into the App Store came in January of this year.

The most unfortunate aspect of all of this is that the overall DOJ lawsuit might have legs. In some ways, it could have a point. Apple does exhibit behavior and makes decisions and limitations that have a chilling effect on innovation at times. But that argument is watered down somewhat when it's littered with this kind of thing.

An example of where it might have a point? Wallets. Apple doesn't allow third parties to use the NFC chip built into the iPhone for payments, leaving Apple Pay as the only option. The EU's Digital Markets Act already decided that has to change in that part of the world and few would argue that a similar change in the United States wouldn't be a positive outcome for users. But when your lawsuit includes laughable claims like the one about CarPlay, the whole thing loses its luster. And that probably isn't something the DOJ can afford to happen at this point.

We may never get to see the long-in-development Apple Car, but we may have a closer idea of what it would've looked like.

In his Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman of Bloomberg said the Apple Car could've looked something like the Canoo Lifestyle minivan shown above.

It's certainly an interesting look, but as Gurman reported last week, Apple's indecisiveness and hubris caused the project to stall so we don't have a true look at how it could have looked.

"The Apple car’s circa-2020 design resembled the Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle — a futuristic van with rounded edges — but it had dark black windows with an adjustable tint," Gurman explains, pointing to an all-glass sunroof, white exterior, and whitewall tires with a black center.

The car was optimized for Level 5 self-driving (the highest level of automation), despite offering a minimal interface. One source told Gurman that the car made you feel like you were in a "contoured bubble", and the car would accommodate four passengers comfortably.

The Apple "Bread Loaf"

It's been a while since Jony Ive was part of the Apple design process, but Gurman notes a prior vision of the car looked akin to a 1950s Volkswagen Microbus and was dubbed the 'Bread Loaf', while another version "looked nearly identical to the 2017 Volkswagen ID Buzz prototype."

That second one is interesting because some Apple employees moved to Volkswagen in the mid-2010s, but subsequent efforts took shape to the point where Tim Cook and COO Jeff Williams gave a speech at the company's test track in Arizona to commit to development in 2020.

By the time Apple canceled the project, its last major design had dropped from Level 5 automation down to Level 2, re-adding the steering wheel and pedals.

More from iMore

• Not-so-secret Apple Car project halted — 2,000 employees affected as teams transfer to generative AI push
• The best third-party CarPlay apps in 2024

Apple's long-running development of the 'Apple Car' stalled due to "hubris", according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Rather than working on a less ambitious project that would offer features similar to a Tesla model, Apple instead opted to "change the world" when it set out to begin the car's development in 2014, Gurman explained in the latest issue of his Power On newsletter.

Gurman says Apple's "hubris" was perhaps understandable at the time, coming off of successful iPhone, iPad, and Apple Music launches, and approaching the advent of the Apple Watch.

"By the time Apple realized their mistake a few years ago, it was too late," Gurman explains.

"All of the design work had focused on a car meant to have no steering wheel or pedals. The company also had sunk billions of dollars into developing a Level 5 self-driving system — the highest level of autonomy. The die was cast."

Gurman said sources compared it to Apple skipping multiple entries of iPhone to try to launch with an iPhone X - a bridge too far for even Apple's technological means, it seems. That lines up with a report from earlier this week that the company has spent $10 billion on the now-cancelled vehicle.

Apple's wrong turn

Gurman also notes that the car would likely have cost a lot to buy thanks to a high cost of manufacture, and would have only offered Apple "razor-thin" profit margins that may not have existed at all.

That, combined with the earlier reports of Apple executives disagreeing on the key aspects of the project, doomed the Apple Car.

Gurman notes that even if Apple had attempted a "Tesla Clone", it may have still been difficult to crack the auto market.

He also notes that Apple's attention will now turn to the next opportunity to fuel revenue, including AR glasses and AI-powered AirPods, foldable iPads, and more.

Apple's CarPlay update is also kicking off soon with some features found in iOS 17.4.

MORE FROM IMORE

• The canceled Apple Car sounds like a car crash of a project — employees called it "the Titanic disaster"
• Not-so-secret Apple Car project halted — 2,000 employees affected as teams transfer to generative AI push
• Apple's first foldable device could replace the iPad mini and come as soon as 2026

If you have purchased a Honda Accord in the last few years in the US, you may be able to avail of an upgrade to its Apple CarPlay capabilities, for a price. 

For a suggested MSRP of $112 (plus labor charges), you can now take your Honda Accord made between 2018 and 2022 to an authorized Honda dealer to get the software update that ‘enables customers to leverage hardware already in their Honda vehicle”. This will give it access to wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

According to Jay Joseph, the vice president of the Sustainability and Business Development Division: “Enhancing the ownership experience and market value of Honda vehicles already in use is a key strategy in pursuit of our goal to have zero environmental impact by 2050.” Though this is a nice initiative, it is quite a lot for a simple “software update” and customers might be more likely to use their cars long-term without that cost. 

Is wireless Apple CarPlay worth the cost?

Honda Accords made between 2018 and 2022 already have wired CarPlay so that extra cost would have to justify the difference. Generally speaking, wireless CarPlay is a little easier to use as you don’t need to worry about bad wires. It also benefits from anyone in your car being able to use it, as well as being able to swap between devices quickly. It helps that you can place your iPhone anywhere. However, wired CarPlay means you can charge your iPhone while it is in use and a wired connection makes for smoother latency-free sound. 

For $100 or more, the upgrade is a pretty expensive one that might not be worth it if you have never really found yourself wishing for a wireless solution. If you want to charge your iPhone while driving, you will end up using it wired anyway. 

More from iMore

• Could this be the reason GM is ditching Apple CarPlay?
• CarPlay: Everything you need to know!
• All the cars that support Apple CarPlay

Apple announced its next generation of CarPlay back in June 2022 when it held the annual WWDC event. Part of the iOS 16 unveiling, the next-gen CarPlay is designed to take the in-car dash system people use today and upgrade it in multiple ways, not least by adding support for multiple displays for the first time. Now, it looks increasingly likely that the refreshed CarPlay will ship in 2024 and some of its features have now appeared in the very first iOS 17.4 beta.

That iOS 17.4 beta is doing a lot of heavy lifting as Apple gets ready to allow third-party app stores in the EU, but it also appears to be laying the groundwork for new CarPlay features as well. Eight new CarPlay apps have been found in the first iOS 17.4 beta and they are all designed to hook into a vehicle's systems in a way the current CarPlay simply isn't capable of. Those apps include those designed to adjust the climate control, identify if doors are open or closed, and more.

However, all of these new features seem likely to require work on the part of carmakers which means that drivers will likely need to buy a new model to benefit from them. However, some tweaks that have been spotted could well roll over to older vehicles as well, giving those who already enjoy CarPlay something new to look forward to when the updated version finally ships this year.

All-new CarPlay, coming soon?

Starting with the new apps, digging through the iOS 17.4 code Steve Moser and Aaron Perris were able to identify a number of new apps that are coming to CarPlay.

Those apps, reported by MacRumors, include Auto Settings, an app that will let users manage vehicle settings as well as Car Camera, an app that will likely display the vehicle's rear-facing camera on the big screen. Another app, Charge, will be specifically for electric vehicles and is expected to display pertinent information like current charge state, battery level, and more.

One of the most-used apps is likely to be Climate and that's where drivers will control their vehicle's climate control, A/C, and things like heated/ventilated seats and any heated steering wheel that's present. Closures will be used to identify whether doors are open or closed, and those with electric tailgates may be able to close them from within this app.

The Media app is likely to give CarPlay users quick access to things like their vehicle's radio as well as any other music services that it may have. Tire Pressure is self-explanatory, while Trips will house driving-related information like fuel efficiency, mileage, time driven, and more.

All of those apps are likely to require new vehicles in order to work, but a new "Goodbye" screen has been discovered, as have customization options for themes and colors. Both of these things could come to older vehicles as well, but that is yet to be confirmed by Apple.

If you do decide to buy a new car, Porsche and Aston Martin are the two companies that have confirmed they're on board of late. When Apple announced its new CarPlay plans in 2022 companies like Ford, Honda, Nissan, and Renault were all touted as partners among others. That's good news for those of us who don't want to have to buy a luxury car just to enjoy Apple's latest upgrades.

When any of these vehicles will ship however is a question we don't have answers for. The iOS 17.4 update will have to launch before March 6 — the date when the EU's new App Store rules come into effect.

More from iMore

• Apple next-generation CarPlay: Confirmed vehicles, manufacturers, and more
• Could this be the reason GM is ditching Apple CarPlay?
• CarPlay: Everything you need to know!

Apple unveiled its brand new next-generation CarPlay nearly two years ago alongside iOS 16 at WWDC 2022. 

At the time, Apple hailed the original CarPlay as having "fundamentally changed the way people interact with their vehicles," stating the next generation of CarPlay would go "even further by deeply integrating with a car’s hardware." 

The announcement wowed at the time, but it wasn't until nearly 18 months later that we got our first official announcement of actual cars that would feature the new iteration, and the hype has somewhat died down since. So what is Apple's next generation of CarPlay, and who will support it?

Apple next-generation CarPlay: Confirmed manufacturers

Apple has confirmed the following manufacturers are committed to supporting next-generation CarPlay:

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

Since then, Aston Martin has announced it will support next-generation CarPlay, so we can also add it to the list. 

Apple next-generation CarPlay: Supported vehicles

Only two manufacturers have announced support for next-generation CarPlay in upcoming models, Aston Martin and Porsche. 

Aston Martin says it will debut the system in its 2024 DB12 coupe and the convertible DB12 Volante model. 

Porsche did not specify any specific vehicle models or a time frame. 

• Aston Martin DB12 coupe
• Aston Martin DB12 Volante

It appears Apple is working with manufacturers to create bespoke interfaces for their cars. Porsche's interface features a custom background wallpaper in the style of its Pepita seat pattern, while Aston Martin's will feature custom British Racing Green colors and "Handbuilt in Great Britain" wraparound text. 

Apple next-generation CarPlay: Features

Apple's next-generation CarPlay features deep, system-level integration with your vehicle. That means it will allow you to control things like the climate and your radio directly via CarPlay. 

It will also feature integration with certain metrics and data, such as speed, fuel level and range, temperatures, and more. 

Next-generation CarPlay features different gauge cluster designs, and widgets, so you can add information like apps like Weather and Music directly to your dashboard. 

It will also feature Apple Home integration, with obvious use cases such as controlling your HomeKit enabled garage door directly from your car. 

Is next generation CarPlay struggling to catch on?

Part of the challenge of the new version of CarPlay is just how ambitious it is. As standard, if you plug in your iPhone at present you can listen to your music, use some of your apps, or make calls, usually with a Siri button on your steering wheel or dashboard.

As would be expected from car manufacturers, they're hesitant to allow a third party to be so tightly integrated with a customer’s vehicle — especially with a company that appears to have its sights set on building its own vehicle in the future.

With subscriptions for heated seats, improved top speed, and more, Apple’s attempts to cut in are likely proving more difficult than expected. In fact, General Motors dropped support for CarPlay in all forms back in March, forcing users into its own in-car software.

More recently, Ford unveiled its new 2024 digital experience, but this is distinctly not Apple's next-generation CarPlay. It's Ford's own native next-gen infotainment technology with regular CarPlay built-in. 

All of this means that Apple is likely going to cut some deals with a bunch of car-makers, or risk rolling out its new vision for CarPlay to a smaller subset of cars. There’s definitely an argument that the car companies should leave the software to the software experts, be that Apple or Google - my 2020 Nissan’s touchscreen interface is a mess, to the point where I exclusively use CarPlay. Sure, things have undoubtedly improved since then, but with iOS CarPlay seeing regular updates, let’s hope manufacturers see the light.

Ford has unveiled its answer to Apple’s next-generation CarPlay with its own new Digital Experience, and while it might not be fully-fledged support for Apple’s latest in automotive iPhone connectivity, it does at least come with new support for Apple’s dual-screen feature, specifically for Apple Maps.  

Ford’s “all-new Ford and Lincoln Digital Experience” will let customers access their digital lives through a “new integrated native experience” that also includes support for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

The company says the new infotainment system will turn customer vehicles into a “personalized experience” from the moment they enter the vehicle and will feature access to apps for music, audiobooks, podcasts, radio, movies, TV shows, and gaming, the latter three while parked, of course. 

Ford’s answer to next-generation CarPlay

The first example of Ford’s new offering is a 48-inch immersive panoramic display in the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus, which is somewhat reminiscent of Apple’s next-generation CarPlay, unveiled as part of iOS 16 in 2022. Generic renderings of next-generation CarPlay show an extensive CarPlay interface on a panoramic display, with support for instrument gauge clusters, widgets, and more. 

Following in the footsteps of GM, Ford is focusing on its own native infotainment rather than giving Apple the floor with next-generation CarPlay. However, unlike GM, Ford is not ditching CarPlay altogether and has included support for it in this new offering. As 9to5Mac reports, one new addition for iPhone users is support for Apple’s dual-screen CarPlay feature. Dual-screen hasn’t really taken off with carmakers, but 9to5 notes that in the Nautilus at least, “the second-screen Apple Maps interface takes the place of the built-in Google Maps interface in the car’s panoramic display” and sits seamlessly within the Lincoln’s native design and interface. 

According to the report, Ford said it had nothing to announce at this time regarding next-generation CarPlay but “emphasized… that it very much values its partnership with Apple” and is committed to keeping CarPlay in its vehicles. 

Only Porsche and Aston Martin have confirmed they will release vehicles with next-generation CarPlay, starting this year.  

More from iMore

• Could this be the reason GM is ditching Apple CarPlay?
• CarPlay: Everything you need to know!
• Apple announces the 'next generation of CarPlay' alongside iOS 16

General Motors, or GM to its friends, caused quite the stir earlier this year when it confirmed that it planned to ditch CarPlay and use its own infotainment system instead. That new system runs on Google's Android system and has dedicated apps for accessing services rather than allowing iPhone owners to plug their phone in and use CarPlay instead. Cars with the new system are starting to be tested and the early indications aren't great.

The Chevrolet Blazer EV is the vehicle that is currently acting as a guinea pig for the infotainment system is now in the hands of journalists across America and they've started to share details about how they are getting on. And the early reports aren't great, particularly when it comes to, you guessed it. That new infotainment system.

In fact, there are multiple reports that the system simply doesn't work, restarting itself regularly and finding itself in a bootloop situation that there is no easy way to fix. Far from ideal, and definitely something that Apple will want to avoid if and when it ever ships the Apple Car.

Stranded journalists

There are two particularly damning reports that will be of interest to potential Blazer EV buyers, especially those who are curious how the infotainment system holds up sans CarPlay. 9to5Mac was the first to spot reports from Inside EVs and Edmunds, with the former telling a tale that will be particularly worrisome to anyone who reads it.

"Initially, the Blazer EV was just fine," Kevin Williams writes. "But about 25 minutes outside of Gallipolis, there was a quick pause in the Bluetooth audio, and then the whole infotainment screen went blank." Things didn't get better from there.

"The heating, AC, and volume controls still worked, but all of the icons were missing. The gauge cluster’s Google Maps integration still showed my location, and I still had speed and range, so I figured the car was okay, and this was just a glitch."

Unfortunately, it was not a glitch. The report goes on to explain that there was no real way to get things fixed at the side of the road, and the vehicle even did its best to strand its driver by preventing them from finding the charger they needed to progress.

"I contemplated turning around and calling it quits. However, I would need to DC fast charge anyway to get home, and I was so close to my first DC fast charging stop. It just made more sense to continue. The reset had also removed the directions I needed to get to the Gallipolis fast charging station. To add insult to injury, there was no way to input directions again because the main infotainment screen wasn’t working." But as if it was destined to, an iPhone saved the day. "I hastily plugged the address into my phone, and perched the phone near the vents, navigating to the DC fast charging stations via the tiny screen of my old iPhone."

That's a terrible tale, and Edmunds tells a similar story of the software restarting itself over and over before righting itself. Only to have another meltdown an hour later.

An avoidable problem

It's of course fair to say that any software running under CarPlay could have these problems, and carmakers aren't known for their software prowess. But GM went this route to avoid CarPlay and use its own system that has so far proven to be pretty terrible for some drivers.

The irony of an iPhone coming to the rescue won't be missed by many. We can surely expect GM to improve matters — it has to — but this could all have been avoided if GM had stuck to software that works. And let people use CarPlay, too.

More from iMore

• Could this be the reason GM is ditching Apple CarPlay?
• Where is Apple's proposed 'next-gen CarPlay'?
• CarPlay: Everything you need to know!

Although many who cover technology expect Apple's Vision Pro to be one of the biggest Apple products in 2024, it’s by no means the only Apple product on their radar. For instance, according to a story in GQ magazine (UK), CarPlay, which is Apple's voice-activated system for your car, is getting a new look. GQ says this “first major redesign first teased in 2022 for the company’s car operating system is finally set to meet with concrete courtesy of two of the world’s most-storied luxury car manufacturers.” And those two brands are Porsche and Aston Martin.

GQ notes that Apple said back at WWDC 2022, “CarPlay has fundamentally changed the way people interact with their vehicles, and the next generation of CarPlay goes even further by deeply integrating with a car’s hardware," Apple stated. "CarPlay will be able to provide content for multiple screens within the vehicle, creating an experience that is unified and consistent.”

While Porsche hasn't said which cars will get next-gen CarPlay, Aston Martin confirmed to Car & Driver that its DB12 coupe and DB12 Volante will be the first cars in its lineup to support it. 

In 2024, the redesign of CarPlay is expected to be customized to each carmaker Apple partners with. “We’ve designed a complete system of controls that allows for seamless interactions,” says Alan Dye, Apple’s vice president of human interface design, in the story, “between vehicle functions alongside the features of iPhone.”

GQ also points out an intriguing data point about the popularity of CarPlay, which was introduced in 2014: “According to Apple, 80 percent of new cars currently sold worldwide support CarPlay."

Will CarPlay be adopted by more or less cars manufacturers in 2024?

But CarPlay, either in its current iteration or in its future redesign, isn't popular with every car manufacturer. For instance, earlier this year, one of the biggest U.S. car manufacturers, General Motors, decided that they were going to remove Apple CarPlay from future vehicles. The reason? Tim Babbit, GM head of product for infotainment, informed (MotorTrend magazine) that GM is removing Apple CarPlay and Android Auto due to safety concerns. And according to our story on December 13, Babbit claimed that “CarPlay and Android Auto have stability issues that manifest themselves as bad connections, poor rendering, slow responses, and dropped connections.”

General Motors, the biggest car manufacturer in the US, earlier this year revealed its decision to remove Apple CarPlay from future vehicles but we have only now received the full reason why. 

CarPlay was initially designed to stop Apple users from needlessly scrolling through apps in the car by streamlining many of the most important features like the ability to play music, use Apple Maps, and play a podcast. Tim Babbit, GM head of product for infotainment, informed MT that GM is removing Apple CarPlay and Android Auto due to safety concerns. 

Babbit claimed ‘CarPlay and Android Auto have stability issues that manifest themselves as bad connections, poor rendering, slow responses, and dropped connections.’ in October, there were widespread concerns related to a navigation bug that had the potential to mess up coordinates and break navigation. However, it’s hard to fully see the justification for this decision, especially from an infotainment representative. 

No better alternative – iMore’s take

In an update to the same MT article, GM said “GM's embedded infotainment strategy is driven by the benefits of having a system that allows for greater integration with the larger GM ecosystem and vehicles.” This is more closely in line with what is expected of the brand – a commitment to a CarPlay alternative that does away with the aforementioned security concerns and gives it more control over user choice. Ultimately, without something like CarPlay or Android Auto, some car drivers will resort to just using their phone again, working directly against concerns made. This implies that there is more to this story than just security concerns. 

GM currently has a subscription service called OnStar which includes crash response, Emergency Service access, Stolen Vehicle Assistance, In-vehicle data, and the OnStar Guardian app. It seems possible that the long-term play here is to offer an alternative with this monthly plan, giving GM extra subscriptions and access to all the data that comes with a modern driver. This data could be used for market research or to study new products so has potential value to a company like GM. In an interview with Reuters earlier this year, Mary Barra, a GM Chief Executive revealed that GM is aiming for $20 to $25 billion in annual revenue from subscriptions in just seven years. The decision to phase out CarPlay could be part of how GM does this. 

More from iMore

• Where is Apple's proposed 'next-gen CarPlay'?
• All the cars that support Apple CarPlay
• How to use iOS 17 CarPlay with SharePlay and change road trips for good

Instead of looking at the most recent vehicle model from a manufacturer to see if it features Apple's CarPlay, portable monitors and adapters can allow a bunch of older vehicles to have this too — long before the software existed.

For those unaware, CarPlay gives a vehicle the experience of an iPhone within its dashboard. You can play your music, show Apple Maps to get you from one place to another, and much more. It's usually a matter of getting into your car, and after it recognizes your iPhone, you can switch to the dashboard.

Portable monitors and adapters can do exactly the same here, without making you look into a car that may cost you thousands of dollars. With this in mind, we've rounded up the best monitors and wireless adapters we've found for Cyber Monday so far, so you can give your existing car an extra few years of longevity.

Cyber Monday deals to check out

• Amazon — Up to $300 off Apple devices
• B&H Photo — Save big on MacBooks and AirPods
• Best Buy — Save up to $250 on Apple products
• Crutchfield — Money off AirPods, Apple TV, and Apple Watch
• Target — Save on HomePod, AirPods, iPhone and more
• Walmart — Massive rollbacks on Apple devices

• iPhone deals: Verizon | AT&T | Mint Mobile
• MacBook deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy
• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

If you have an older car withour CarPlay, you might be looking at upgrading your vehicle in order to give you the best connectivity possible with your iPhone. But what if there was a way to upgrade your car to CarPlay without forking out thousands on a new model?

Right now on Amazon, you can buy a SANPTENT Portable CarPlay monitor for $76.99, down from $109.99. That’s a great 30% discount thanks to Amazon’s Black Friday sale, and gives your car a far better way of playing music, showing Apple Maps, and more. This mount plugs into the 12V power port, usually found around the cup holders near the handbrake, and then you can simply attach it to the top of your dashboard.

After pairing an iPhone to this monitor, you’ll have CarPlay on your existing car, without having to shell out thousands of dollars on a new vehicle that has this pre-installed.

I could have recommended this cheaper one by JMANCE, but several negative reviews caught my eye, which is why you should probably go for SANTPTENT's mount. Even though it's slightly more expensive, it still has a big discount and comes much more highly recommended by the people who've used it.

• iPhone deals: Verizon | AT&T | Mint Mobile
• MacBook deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy
• iPad deals: Amazon | B&H Photo | Best Buy | Walmart

In the past, I’ve been in cars that have had CarPlay built-in, and would often find myself jealous of the innovative tech. I would look at these dashboards compared to the one our car offers and almost weep inside. Now though, my time of mourning is over. Every time we need to go to the Nursery or the grocery store, my wife and I can simply connect the portable monitor to find our iPhones, and we can use CarPlay without having to use that terrible Dashboard.

Thermal cameras are incredibly useful tools, but they can also be incredibly expensive, too. Topdon have achieved something incredible: their TC002 thermal infrared camera turns your iPhone into an industrial-grade thermal imager for a fraction of the price you'd expect to pay for a high-end device. And right now there's a Black Friday deal that makes it an even better buy.

There are no cables, no complicated configurations. Simply snap the TC002 onto the bottom of your iPhone or iPad via the Lightning connector (an adaptor for the iPhone 15 is coming soon) and you've immediately got top-notch accuracy for temperature detection, insulation inspection and circuit board inspection.

The TC002 is a great tool with all kinds of applications: it's the thermal camera that professionals of all kinds depend on, from HVAC techs and mechanics to home inspectors, electricians and even farmers monitoring their crops and their livestock.

See what your eyes can't

Thermal cameras are widely used for inspecting things the human eye can't see, and the Topdon TC002 is a superb tool for all kinds of applications. Its ultra-high resolution of 256x192 – nearly four times the resolution of some rivals – generates crisp, clear and accurate thermal images, and it has a temperature resolution down to 0.1ºC, high heat sensitivity of 40mk and a temperature detection accuracy of ±3.6°F(2°C). And because it only uses a tiny amount of power – just 0.35W – you can take it on long jobs without having to worry about running out of battery. On a phone with a battery of 3,000 to 5,000mAh you can expect to get four to seven hours of continuous scanning.

Go anywhere, see everything

If you're fed up carrying bulky, battery-chomping hardware around with you then the TC002 will be a revelation. It's just 2.8 x 1.65 x 0.55 inches and weighs a titchy 30 grams, so it's comfortable in use and doesn't take up tons of space when you're traveling. And because Topdon works closely with experts in all trades, it's very aware of how tough conditions can be for scanning kit. That's why it's made with a tough aluminum case to protect it against the lumps and bumps of life on the road. 

Incredible accuracy

Of course, the most important feature of any thermal imaging device is how accurate it is. And the Topdon TC002 is very accurate, with a very wide temperature range. It can handle temperatures from -4°F to 1022°F (-20°C to 550°C), with a maximum deviation of ±3.6°F (2°C) or 2% of the actual temperature, and a temperature measurement resolution of 0.1°F (0.1°C). That means you can rely on your TC002 to deliver reliable results every time in all conditions and environments.

Completely customizable

The TC002 offers three temperature reading dimensions: Point, Line (with readings for the highest and lowest temperatures) and Surface, again with high and low readings. It has 11 unique color palettes so you can set the display to suit your own preferences, and the built-in image enhancement makes it easy to adjust the sharpness and contrast of the thermal image to get the clearest possible picture. You can also use the adjustable temperature range to set maximum and minimum temperatures; when the scanner detects temperatures beyond that range it'll display corresponding color images to make it easier to see and visualise the target area.

A hot product for a cool price

The Topdon TC002 Thermal Infrared Camera was already keenly priced at just $299, but right now it's even better value thanks to a Black Friday deal: if you buy yours between the 20th and 27th of November you can get it for just $229. That's an incredible deal for an incredible device.

Discover why the TC002 Thermal Infrared Camera is the perfect way to see what your eyes can't.

Drivers using Apple CarPlay have been warned of a bug that makes navigation apps including Apple Maps “unusable and dangerous” while driving, and it turns out the bug could be more widespread than first thought. 

The issue is related to GPS, which “continually bugs out and completely breaks navigation via Apple Maps, Google Maps, or any other navigation app,” rendering users unable to navigate while using CarPlay and a connected iPhone. 

9to5Mac’s Chance Miller first reported the issues a few days ago, and says it's a problem “I’ve been experiencing on and off for nearly a year.” Turns out “a lot of CarPlay users” are also facing the same problem, so what’s going on? 

Wrong turn for CarPlay? 

Miller says his issues are affecting his Ford Mustang Mach-E, but that the problem isn’t exclusive to either that model or Ford in general. “The bug is simple,” Miller writes  “When connected via CarPlay, the GPS functionality is unreliable. This manifests itself in a handful of different ways.” 

Issues listed include the GPS connection totally freezing and ceasing to update while driving, or that it ”freaks out” and shows the car driving through a field or river rather than the highway. The GPS indicator also sometimes switches to a larger circle. All three render turn-by-turn navigation unusable. 

This is an issue that has reportedly been going on for almost a year, other affected vehicles listed include Volkswagens, Toyotas, BMWs, other Fords, and more. 

Miller says the only existing workaround he’s found is to begin navigation on your iPhone before connecting it to your vehicle, which “significantly reduces” the chances of it bugging out. Unlocking your iPhone and opening the navigation app can also sometimes alleviate the issue, although picking up your iPhone while driving is of course dangerous (and usually illegal).

The report warns that the problem is not only inconvenient (missed directions etc), but also dangerous, with CarPlay navigation failing “in chaotic traffic”. The combination of being stuck without navigation guidance and the distraction of an issue on the dashboard is one motorists should try to avoid at all costs. So if you’re having similar issues, the aforementioned workaround (starting navigation before connecting, not using your iPhone while driving) should be useful. 

Ultimately, a more permanent fix from Apple seems needed to alleviate the problem, and we've reached out to the company regarding this issue. 

More from iMore

• Could this be the reason GM is ditching Apple CarPlay?
• CarPlay: Everything you need to know!
• Apple announces the 'next generation of CarPlay' alongside iOS 16 ...

Owners of Porsche cars now have an upgraded CarPlay experience to enjoy after the company announced an update to its My Porsche App.

The updated app is available for download now and is available to owners of the new Porsche Cayenne, the company says. It'll be rolled out to older model lines in the future but for now, you'll need to be driving that particular SUV to enjoy the updated app.

And enjoy it, you will. Once installed the new app will put features right into the CarPlay experience that would otherwise require using physical controls or leaving CarPlay entirely. Examples include climate control, ambient lighting controls, and more.

Brum brum

Porsche announced its updated My Porsche App via a press release that detailed exactly what drivers can look forward to.

"The updated My Porsche App combines vehicle functions with the CarPlay experience, including the ability to show images of the specific model within CarPlay," the press release explains. "Core functions that can be conveniently adjusted even via the My Porsche App include audio settings such as sound profiles, changing radio stations, adjusting settings for climate control and ambient lighting."

There's more, too.  "In addition, these functions can be combined into wellness modes, such as “relax”, “warm up” and “refresh”, using quick actions in CarPlay". And as you'd expect, Siri support is built in so you can ask Apple's digital assistant to do its thing instead of tapping at the on-screen buttons.

Owners of the Cayenne will no doubt want to take this new CarPlay experience for a spin as soon as possible and we can only hope that other carmakers follow suit in the future. Apple's iOS 16 was supposed to usher in a number of new CarPlay features including integration with the vehicle itself. That has yet to happen, but this app-based approach could possibly bridge the gap for the time being.

Amid the bombshell news that GM is ditching CarPlay altogether, Swedish electric car builder Polestar is going in the opposite direction.

A new software update is going to greatly expand existing CarPlay support on the Polestar 2, the company has confirmed. And while CarPlay was already available this new round of improvements will put features like Apple Maps right in front of the driver to avoid the need to take their eyes off the road when navigating.

The new update also includes the introduction of a new YouTube app, with streaming video available whenever the Polestar 2 is parked.

CarPlay, but better

A press release coming out of Gothenburg, Sweden, details exactly what drivers can expect. At the top of the CarPlay list is the projection of calls and Apple Maps into the car's driver's display, making it easier and safer to follow directions while on the road. No longer will drivers of Polestar 2 EVs have to look at the car's main display to see upcoming turns.

On top of that, Polestar also confirmed that it is adding new integration with the phone and media playback tile that will put more data right on the home screen, while call handling using the steering wheel buttons is also being added.

All of this will be available as part of the P2.9 software update that will be available over-the-air to existing Polestar 2 owners. The new update will also be installed by default on all Polestar 2 cars that are built from here on out.

Polestar also says that "a significant update to Polestar’s Range Assistant app now allows drivers to monitor their energy consumption over the previous 20, 40 or 100 km, with real-time information enabling them to adjust their driving style to improve efficiency." It goes on to say that "a revised algorithm for the projected range shown by the app is  able to account for changes in environmental and other factors that influence efficiency."

Apple may be prepping its extravagant overhaul of the CarPlay interface for WWDC 2023, and potentially leading into the long-awaited Apple Car, but if you have a compatible vehicle there’s plenty you can do already.

This very writer recently purchased a new car, and while I wouldn’t consider myself particularly fussy, CarPlay was firmly in the “must-have” column thanks to its continued utility other the last few years - and the fact it’s still getting better.

From multitasking to Focus modes, and much more, there’s plenty CarPlay can do now that it couldn’t not long ago, and it may be worth reassessing if you need it in your vehicle. And that's not even looking at the third-party apps available for the platform.

With this in mind, here are our picks for the five things you didn’t realize you could do with CarPlay.

Driving Focus Mode

Let’s kick things off with an important one - the Driving Focus mode. You’ll no doubt have noticed Apple adding more and more tools for filtering notifications and minimizing distractions.

As you can probably imagine, the Driving Focus mode is ideal for doing just that when you’re behind the wheel, minimizing your notifications until you reach your destination safely. 

You can set it to engage automatically when connecting to your car, too, so you don’t need to worry about triggering it manually each time.

Another forward-thinking thing to note is that Apple also locks the on-screen keyboard when you’re moving - meaning you’re restricted to voice-only Siri interactions. It’s the perfect time to acquaint yourself with Apple’s assistant.

Adding third-party apps

Once you connect your phone to CarPlay, the screen will populate with the compatible apps on your iOS device - and you may be surprised at how many there are.

Not all apps are allowed CarPlay permissions, for obvious reasons, but if you enjoy Spotify instead of Apple Music, Overcast or Pocket Casts instead of Apple’s own podcast, or apps like Whatsapp, you’ll find them present and accounted for.

Perhaps the biggest boon is the ability to add your own third-party maps app of choice: Apple Maps has certainly come a long way since its disastrous debut, but the option to switch to Waze or Google Maps is a very welcome one. Our advice is to have a couple ready to go at all times - that way if one is down, you can still get to where you need to go.

You can even have multiple apps open at once thanks to the Dashboard view. This shows your navigation app, whatever is currently playing, and usually a third option if there’s a calendar appointment coming up or you haven’t set a route yet.

Move your Apps

Your CarPlay display will arrange your apps in two rows, and those are set and you can’t do anything about them - or can you?

While you can’t switch things around on the CarPlay display itself, you can dive into your iPhone’s settings and remove unwanted apps and reorganize the ones you do need.

For example, in our example, we don’t need parking apps, or Zoom or Skype (we’re as surprised to see them as you are).

CarPlay will also add an app to your list named after your vehicle’s manufacturer. Tapping that will take you back to the default, non-CarPlay experience - ideal for switching to the radio, for example.

Charge your EV

As electric vehicles become more popular, keeping them topped up will be crucial to the future of motoring.

Thankfully, Apple Maps is a dab hand at finding EV chargers, meaning you can ask Siri to find some nearby, or search using the CarPlay display when you’re not moving.

Third-party options can do the same, with Google Maps and Waze particularly good at ensuring you won’t be stuck at the side of the road when the battery juice runs dry.

Change your CarPlay wallpaper

This is a relatively minor one, but it’s a nice option for those that want to keep their car’s internal color scheme matching the outside.

Apple has populated the Settings app within CarPlay with a whole host of wallpaper color options with various patterns. Simply click your favorite, then click “Set”, and you’re all, uh, set.

If you've got an iPhone and drive a compatible car regularly, you'll likely know just how helpful CarPlay can be.

Allowing you to use your car's existing infotainment system with your iPhone's collection of apps and services, it's become a key part of modern motoring.

We've already covered a whole host of tips and tricks to make the most out of the system before the "next generation of CarPlay", but this time we're taking aim at the best third-party apps that make driving more enjoyable, traffic jams more bearable, and family trips more entertaining.

The best third-party CarPlay apps

WhatsApp

Telegram, Zoom, and even Skype are available as messaging apps within CarPlay, but Whatsapp gets the nod from us as it's the one we use most frequently.

The app relies on Siri, as CarPlay apps often do, but it does a great job of announcing messages when you're ready to hear them, and it can call contacts, too.

As with similar apps, though, it can get a little unwieldy when in group chats - we'd recommend dealing with those once you reach your destination. 

Overcast

Overcast has long been "the podcast app king", and the one you'd recommend to anyone else that enjoys the internet radio show format, and for good reason.

One of its drawbacks, at least in this writer's opinion, has been it's fairly cluttered UI - something the CarPlay version rectifies by boiling it down to its basic elements.

You still get the Smart Speed option to trim silence, and Voice Boost for consistent audio, too.

Google Maps

Apple Maps is, in 90% of instances, a very good navigation app - but it's still incorrect or slightly off enough to warrant a backup.

Google Maps has long been the standard for online mapping, and it's great when it comes to CarPlay, too, with an easy-to-use interface that lets you quickly identify key stops along a journey (rest stops, petrol stations, and more) with a tap or two.

We've also found it more consistent with multi-stop journeys than its Apple counterpart. It works with the dashboard view, too, taking the space Apple Maps would otherwise occupy.

Spotify

Another stand-in for an Apple first-party option, Spotify has long been this writer's choice for music streaming platform thanks to its impressive feature set and lightning-fast iOS app.

It gives us great pleasure to report that Spotify's CarPlay app is just as easy to use, and can easily surface your recent listens, as well as the company's so-good-it's-a-little-scary personalized mixes. It can also manage your Spotify podcasts.

Pandora and Amazon Music also offer solid CarPlay capabilities, too.

Audible

Speaking of Amazon, the company's Audible app is a very good CarPlay citizen indeed.

Offering your library at the tap of a button, as well as a Collections button to narrow things down, it also includes Audible podcasts.

With a monthly credit for a book, it's worth installing and nabbing a freebie for that next long journey you have - just be sure to download it before you head off.

Audiobooks.com

Sticking with audiobooks, Audiobooks.com's own CarPlay app offers a huge number to choose from - and many are free.

With a couple of taps, you could be listening to a completely new book free of charge, but you can also download them for later, too.

Castro

Castro has grown into one of the more popular podcast apps, but it's CarPlay UI is a delightfully simple experience - which is kind of the point, really.

Jump into downloaded shows or stream, whether they're in your Queue or your Inbox. Shows move from the latter to the former, and when they're done you can archive them with ease.

It's a nice easy way to manage an unwieldy podcast queue, and that's perfect.

Pocket Casts

If Castro is a "nuts and bolts" CarPlay app for podcasts, Pocket Casts is the tinkerer's dream, with plenty of customizable filters on the iPhone that carries across to the CarPlay version.

We'll admit that it can be overwhelming at first, but once you've set them, you can forget them. You can automatically populate your queue with a handful of episodes, too, so you can just plug in (or use wireless CarPlay) and settle in for as many shows as you need.

Those are our picks for the best third-party CarPlay apps right now. Which are your favorites? Be sure to let us know in the comments or over at the iMore Forums.

Apple announced a complete rethink of its CarPlay system at last year’s WWDC, featuring “deep integration with the car’s hardware that lets you tune your car’s radio or change your temperature without ever leaving the CarPlay experience.” And if you want it, the luxury 2024 Lincoln Nautilus will likely be the first vehicle featuring the new system.

Revealed in late April, the 2024 Nautilus features a “reimagined digital experience” thanks to an ultrawide screen that wraps across the cabin, from the driver’s side to the passenger side.

This massive, ultrawide display can be customized to meet driver needs, and ties into a high-end “sanctuary” experience called Rejuvenate with special lighting effects, massaging seats, and even curated digital scents: Mystic Forest, an earthy blend with woody, rich notes of patchouli; Ozonic Azure, a crisp blend of aromatic patchouli and traces of bright violet and Violet Cashmere, exotic white florals and violet that are “crisp and refined as fresh linen.”

Forget the digital scents for a second (if you can). Does that wrap-around screen sound familiar to you? It looks astonishingly similar to the display Apple showcased during the 2022 WWDC, a similarity that a Ford spokesman agreed was “uncanny” – before declining to say anything further. When asked for confirmation of the connection between the Nautilus and Apple's next-gen CarPlay system, Apple referred us to the company's June 2022 Newsroom post.

Ford’s new plan appears to be built upon proprietary vehicle chips, rather than the NXP chips and QNX software that much of the auto industry relies upon. Ford’s top tech guy is Doug Field – officially Chief Officer for EVs and Digital Systems. He gave a breakout session during Ford’s Investor Day presentation on Monday (May 22), detailing plans for a new hardware platform: “a centralized high-performance compute, where we control the software, and that brings infotainment – and our autonomy software also – into two, internally controlled modules for both the physical design and the software.”

Last year, Ford CEO Jim Farley – along with Intel’s Pat Gelsinger – wrote an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal underlining the importance of US silicon. More chips made on US soil would strengthen the economy and reduce our dependence on foreign suppliers, the pair noted. Clearly, Ford is doubling down on this position.

“When we design a module, we pick the silicon, and we start managing the supply chain,” Field noted in Monday’s presentation. “And that’s really really important when there’s a chip crisis, that’s really really important when you want to get onto the latest silicon, and it’s really important for managing cost and quality.”

Here’s the rub: Field’s also formerly Vice President of the Special Projects Group at Apple, underscoring the connection between the two companies.

Analysis: Will Apple’s M3 be inside?

Rumors have swirled for years about Apple’s interest in the car space. Most of the time, people have speculated that the company was trying to develop its own car, which seems preposterous at face value. What if Apple abandoned those crazy aspirations and instead concentrated on building the platform for the car of tomorrow?

The technology industry has been staring at the automotive industry for ages, wondering how to sink its tentacles into this incredibly lucrative market. Nvidia and Qualcomm, in particular, have made multi-million dollar inroads, with chips that power autonomous driving features, comfort features such as adaptive cruise control, and yes, infotainment features. Rather than trying to compete with Tesla or Toyota, a smarter move for Apple would be to compete in this space, with its proven M-series chips.

Yes, the fanciest versions of these chips are meant for Apple’s powerful laptops and servers, but a stripped-down version for embedded systems could bring the power of this proprietary platform to the automotive space – and enable that amazing new CarPlay experience. And that one-two punch of power and beauty could be a killer combo.

Do you have CarPlay in your car? Or are you planning to upgrade to one that has it? Let us know over at the iMore Forums.

When it comes to Apple CarPlay, most carmakers have already added it to their list of features. But GM shocked everyone recently when it announced that its future electric vehicles won't be adding support for CarPlay, and now we might know why.

According to one new report, GM isn't the only company that has concerns about how Apple has placed itself between the car and its driver, with a tug-of-war over the human-machine interface (HMI) thought to be underway.

The report claims that GM and others are looking for ways to produce their own in-car operating system that can take back control, with software from Google and Amazon just some of the options. And there might be a secret weapon as well.

It's all about data

DigiTimes reports that companies like GM believe that they might be able to offer something that Apple and CarPlay can't — a deeper integration with the car itself. And that's most keenly felt when it comes to navigation and, particularly, EV mileage and charging.

"Automakers have discovered an important trump card, namely navigation and mileage calculation," the report explains. "These two figures can vary widely due to ambient temperature, tire pressure, and other factors. To calculate things like the route to the charging stations, the OS needs to be able to obtain data on vehicle battery status and more."

The report goes on to explain that because carmakers control the required data they can make better use of it than companies like Apple. And with carmakers concerned that iPhone owners will come to expect an iPhone-like experience from here on out, GM is the first to choose to ditch CarPlay while it still can. Tesla is one example of a company that has steadfastly refused to add CarPlay support and that now seems unlikely to change.

If your car doesn't have CarPlay you can consider adding it yourself, of course. There are plenty of aftermarket CarPlay receivers available assuming your car has somewhere to install it.

There are plenty of great apps with excellent Apple CarPlay support out there but there's a new one that you would never have guessed in a million years.

That app is the popular read-later app Instapaper, with a new update adding CarPlay support in a way that might not be immediately obvious when you remember that the app is designed to give you ways to save content for reading later.

But the update actually makes a whole lot of sense when you dig deeper because Instapaper will now read your articles while you drive.

Listen up

Instapaper detailed the update in a blog post saying that the new CarPlay support "offers easy access to your entire Instapaper account, including your saved articles in Home, Liked, Archived, and Folders."

Instapaper says that the app will play an article for everyone, including free users, but those who are Instapaper Premium subscribers can listen to articles one after the other in playlist form. The app can create the playlist automatically or users can do it themselves and let Instapaper handle the reading. Instapaper is also offering a free month of its Premium subscription through May for those who want to take it for a spin. Instapaper Premium also includes unlimited notes, an ad-free website experience, speed reading support, and much more.

Another addition in Instapaper 8.3 is the ability to choose from a number of different text-to-speech voices, allowing users to tailor things just the way they like them.

With CarPlay built into so many new cars, this could be a great way for people to listen to articles they might never otherwise find the time to read. Don't want to buy a new car? There are plenty of CarPlay-enabled audio receivers available for aftermarket installation in your existing vehicle.

Apple CarPlay is the company's seamless integration method that pairs your iPhone with your vehicle to give you unparalleled access to apps like Apple Music, Maps, Contacts, and more so you can make calls, navigate, and be entertained safely using your iPhone and your car in perfect harmony. 

Apple says that more than 800 vehicle models in the U.S. now support Apple CarPlay, and the company also has big plans to upgrade it in the future. If you're looking for a new car and want to know whether or not it will support CarPlay, here's an exhaustive list!

Which cars support Apple CarPlay?

Abarth

• 2017 - 2023 Abarth 595
• 2017 - 2023 Abarth 695
• 2023 Abarth 500e

Acura

• 2017 - 2023 NSX
• 2018 - 2023 MDX
• 2018 - 2023 TLX
• 2019 - 2022 ILX
• 2019 - 2023 RDX
• 2023 Integra

Alfa Romeo

• 2018 - 2023 Giulia
• 2018 - 2023 Stelvio
• 2023 Tonale

Aston Martin

• 2017 DB9 Volante
• 2017 V8 Vantage
• 2017 V12 Vantage
• 2017 - 2018 Vanquish
• 2017 - 2018 Rapide
• 2021 - 2023 DBX

Audi

• 2017 - 2023 A3
• 2017 - 2023 A4
• 2017 - 2023 A5
• 2017 - 2023 A6
• 2017 - 2023 A7
• 2017 - 2023 Q2
• 2017 - 2023 Q7
• 2017 - 2023 R8
• 2017 - 2023 TT
• 2018 - 2023 Q5
• 2019 - 2023 A1
• 2019 - 2023 A8
• 2019 - 2023 e‑tron
• 2019 - 2023 Q8
• 2020 - 2023 Q3
• 2021 - 2023 e‑tron Sportback
• 2022 - 2023 e‑tron GT
• 2022 - 2023 Q4 e‑tron
• 2022 - 2023 Q4 Sportback e‑tron
• 2023 Q8 e‑tron
• 2023 Q8 Sportback e‑tron

Baojun

• 2018 - 2022 310
• 2018 - 2022 310W
• 2018 - 2022 510
• 2020 - 2023 730

Bentley

• 2017 - 2023 Bentayga
• 2019 - 2023 Continental
• 2020 - 2023 Flying Spur

BMW

• 2017 - 2023 1 Series
• 2017 - 2019 6 Series
• 2017 - 2023 2 Series
• 2017 - 2023 4 Series
• 2017 - 2023 5 Series
• 2017 - 2023 7 Series
• 2018 - 2023 8 Series
• 2017 - 2023 X3
• 2017 - 2023 X4
• 2017 - 2023 X5
• 2017 - 2023 X6
• 2018 - 2023 X7
• 2017 - 2023 3 Series
• 2018 - 2023 X1
• 2018 - 2023 X2
• 2018 - 2023 i3
• 2019 - 2020 i8
• 2019 - 2023 Z4
• 2021 - 2023 1 Series
• 2021 - 2023 2 Series
• 2021 - 2023 3 Series
• 2021 - 2023 4 Series
• 2021 - 2023 5 Series
• 2021 - 2023 6 Series
• 2021 - 2023 8 Series
• 2021 - 2023 X5
• 2021 - 2023 X6
• 2021 - 2023 X7
• 2021 - 2023 X5 M
• 2021 - 2023 X6 M
• 2021 - 2023 Z4
• 2022 - 2023 i4
• 2022 - 2023 iX
• 2022 - 2023 iX1
• 2022 - 2023 iX3
• 2023 i3
• 2023 i7

Borgward

• 2018 - 2020 BX3
• 2018 - 2020 BX4
• 2018 - 2020 BX5
• 2020 BX6

Buick

• 2016 - 2017 Excelle
• 2016 - 2022 LaCrosse
• 2016 - 2022 Regal
• 2017 - 2022 Encore
• 2017 - 2023 Envision
• 2018 - 2023 Enclave
• 2018 - 2023 GT
• 2018 - 2023 GT-MPV
• 2018 - 2023 GL6
• 2020 - 2023 VELITE 6
• 2020 - 2023 GL8 Avenir
• 2020 - 2023 GL8 ES
• 2021 - 2023 GL8 Business Travel Edition
• 2023 Encore GX

BYD

• 2022 - 2023 ATTO3
• 2022 - 2023 YUAN PLUS
• 2021 - 2023 SONG PLUS
• 2022 - 2023 TANG
• 2023 QIN PLUS
• 2023 HALO6/SEAL
• 2023 DLOPHIN
• 2022 - 2023 HAN

Cadillac

• 2016 ELR
• 2016 - 2019 ATS
• 2016 - 2019 ATS‑V
• 2016 - 2019 CTS
• 2016 - 2019 CTS‑V
• 2016 - 2022 CT6
• 2016 - 2022 CT6‑V
• 2016 - 2019 XTS
• 2017 - 2023 XT5
• 2019 - 2023 XT4
• 2020 - 2023 CT4
• 2020 - 2023 CT4‑V
• 2020 - 2023 CT5
• 2020 - 2023 CT5‑V
• 2020 - 2023 XT6
• 2016 - 2023 Escalade / ESV
• 2022 - 2023 CT4‑V Blackwing
• 2022 - 2023 CT5‑V Blackwing
• 2023 Escalade‑V
• 2023 LYRIQ

Chery

• 2017 - 2022 Arrizo 5
• 2017 - 2022 Arrizo 7
• 2017 - 2022 Tiggo 3
• 2017 - 2022 Tiggo 3X
• 2017 - 2022 Tiggo 5X
• 2018 - 2022 Tiggo 2
• 2018 - 2022 Tiggo 4
• 2018 - 2022 Tiggo 8
• 2020 - 2022 Arrizo 6

Chevrolet

• 2016 - 2017 Cavalier
• 2016 - 2019 Volt
• 2016 - 2023 Camaro
• 2016 - 2023 Camaro Convertible
• 2016 - 2023 Colorado
• 2016 - 2023 Corvette
• 2016 - 2023 Corvette Convertible
• 2016 - 2022 Cruze
• 2016 - 2020 Impala
• 2016 - 2023 Malibu
• 2016 - 2023 Sail LOVA
• 2016 - 2023 Silverado
• 2016 - 2023 Silverado HD
• 2016 - 2022 Spark
• 2016 - 2023 Suburban
• 2016 - 2023 Tahoe
• 2017 - 2020 Aveo
• 2017 - 2023 Bolt EV
• 2017 - 2023 Prisma
• 2017 - 2023 S10
• 2017 - 2023 Sonic
• 2017 - 2023 Tracker
• 2017 - 2023 Trax
• 2018 - 2023 Equinox
• 2018 - 2023 Traverse
• 2019 - 2023 Blazer
• 2019 - 2023 Monza
• 2020 - 2023 Captiva
• 2020 - 2023 Trailblazer
• 2022 - 2023 Bolt EUV

Chrysler

• 2017 - 2023 300
• 2018 - 2023 Pacifica
• 2020 - 2021 Voyager

Citroen

• 2016 - 2023 Aircross
• 2016 - 2023 Berlingo Multispace
• 2016 - 2023 C3
• 2016 - 2023 C4
• 2016 - 2023 C4 Picasso
• 2016 - 2023 C5
• 2016 - 2023 C5 Break
• 2016 - 2022 C6
• 2016 - 2022 Jumper
• 2016 - 2022 Jumpy
• 2016 - 2023 Spacetourer
• 2017 - 2022 C3‑AirCross
• 2017 - 2022 C3‑XR
• 2017 - 2022 C4 Cactus
• 2017 - 2022 C4‑L
• 2017 - 2022 C4‑Lounge
• 2017 - 2022 C4 Spacetourer
• 2017 - 2022 C‑Elysée
• 2017 - 2022 C‑Quatre
• 2018 - 2023 Berlingo
• 2018 - 2023 C5 Aircross

Cowin Auto

• 2017 E3

Cupra

• 2022 - 2023 Ateca
• 2022 - 2023 Born
• 2022 - 2023 Leon
• 2022 - 2023 Formento

Datsun

• 2019 - 2022 GO
• 2019 - 2022 GO+

Dodge

• 2017 - 2023 Challenger
• 2017 - 2023 Charger
• 2018 - 2023 Durango
• 2019 - 2021 Journey
• 2023 Hornet

Dongfeng

• 2016 景逸S50
• 2016 - 2017 风行50
• 2016 - 2022 风行X5
• 2016 - 2022 景逸X5
• 2016 - 2022 景逸X6
• 2017 风行SX7
• 2017 风行S50EV
• 2017 景逸X5L
• 2017 景逸S50EV
• 2017 - 2022 风行X6
• 2017 - 2022 风行X7
• 2017 - 2022 风行SX6
• 2017 - 2022 风行F600
• 2017 - 2022 风行M6
• 2017 - 2022 风行F6
• 2017 - 2022 风行V6
• 2017 - 2022 风行M5
• 2017 - 2022 风行F5
• 2017 - 2022 风行V5
• 2017 - 2022 景逸X7
• 2018 - 2022 风行X3
• 2018 - 2022 风行X7L
• 2018 - 2022 风行X7S
• 2018 - 2022 风行S500EV
• 2018 - 2022 景逸X3
• 2018 - 2022 景逸X7S
• 2018 - 2022 景逸X7L

DS Automobiles

• 2016 - 2023 DS 3
• 2016 - 2022 DS 3 Cabrio
• 2016 - 2022 DS 3 Crossback
• 2016 - 2023 DS 4
• 2016 - 2022 DS 5
• 2017 - 2022 DS 4S
• 2017 - 2022 DS 5LS
• 2017 - 2022 DS 6
• 2018 - 2023 DS 7
• 2020 - 2023 DS9

Exeed

• 2020 - 2023 Exeed VX
• 2020 - 2023 Exeed TXL
• 2020 - 2023 Exeed LX

Ferrari

• 2016 FF
• 2016 F12 tdf
• 2016 - 2017 California T
• 2016 - 2017 F12 Berlinetta
• 2016 - 2020 488 GTB
• 2016 - 2020 488 Spider
• 2017 - 2020 GTC4Lusso
• 2018 - 2021 812 Superfast
• 2018 - 2023 Portofino
• 2019 - 2023 Monza SP1
• 2019 - 2023 Monza SP2
• 2020 - 2023 F8 Spider
• 2020 - 2023 F8 Tributo
• 2020 - 2023 SF90 Stradale
• 2021 - 2023 812 GTS
• 2021 - 2023 Roma
• 2021 - 2023 SF90 Spider
• 2022 - 2023 296 GTB
• 2023 296 GTS
• 2023 Daytona SP3
• 2023 Purosangue

Fiat

• 2017 - 2023 500
• 2017 - 2022 500L
• 2017 - 2023 Tipo
• 2018 - 2023 500X
• 2018 - 2023 Argo
• 2021 - 2023 Panda
• 2023 E‑Doblò

Ford

• 2017 - 2019 C‑MAX
• 2017 - 2019 Fiesta
• 2017 - 2019 Flex
• 2017 - 2019 Focus
• 2017 - 2019 Taurus
• 2017 - 2023 Edge
• 2017 - 2023 Escape
• 2017 - 2023 Expedition
• 2017 - 2023 F‑150
• 2017 - 2020 Fusion
• 2017 - 2023 Transit
• 2017 - 2022 Transit Connect
• 2017 - 2023 Mustang
• 2017 - 2023 Super Duty
• 2017 - 2023 Explorer
• 2018 - 2022 EcoSport
• 2018 - 2023 Ford GT
• 2021 - 2023 Mustang Mach‑E
• 2021 - 2023 Bronco
• 2021 - 2023 Bronco Sport
• 2022 - 2023 Evos
• 2022 - 2023 Maverick
• 2023 E‑Transit

Genesis

• 2017 - 2023 G80
• 2020 - 2023 G70
• 2020 - 2023 G90
• 2021 - 2023 GV80
• 2022 - 2023 GV70
• 2022 - 2023 GV60
• 2023 GV60
• 2023 G90

GMC

• 2016 - 2023 Canyon
• 2016 - 2023 Sierra
• 2016 - 2023 Sierra HD
• 2016 - 2023 Yukon
• 2016 - 2023 Yukon XL
• 2017 - 2023 Acadia
• 2018 - 2023 Terrain
• 2022 - 2023 GMC HUMMER EV Pickup
• 2024 GMC HUMMER EV SUV

Haima

• 2017 - 2022 F7
• 2017 - 2022 S5
• 2017 - 2022 S5 young
• 2017 - 2022 S7
• 2018 - 2022 F5

Haval

• 2017 - 2023 H1 Blue‑Brand
• 2017 - 2023 H2 Blue‑Brand
• 2017 - 2023 H2 Red‑Brand
• 2017 - 2023 H6 Blue‑Brand
• 2017 - 2023 H6 Red‑Brand
• 2019 - 2023 F7
• 2020 - 2023 H6N
• 2020 - 2023 HAVAL DARGO

Holden

• 2016 - 2020 Captiva
• 2016 - 2018 Insignia
• 2016 - 2018 Spark
• 2016 - 2020 Colorado
• 2017 - 2020 Astra
• 2017 - 2020 Barina
• 2017 - 2020 Trailblazer
• 2018 - 2020 Commodore
• 2018 - 2020 Equinox
• 2018 - 2020 Trax
• 2019 - 2020 Acadia

Honda

• 2016 - 2023 Accord
• 2016 - 2023 Civic
• 2017 - 2023 Ridgeline
• 2017 - 2023 CR‑V
• 2017 - 2023 Pilot
• 2018 - 2023 Odyssey
• 2019 - 2022 Clarity
• 2018 - 2020 Fit
• 2019 - 2023 HR‑V
• 2019 - 2022 Insight
• 2019 - 2023 Passport

Honda Motorcycles

• 2018 - 2023 Gold Wing
• 2020 - 2023 Africa Twin

Hyundai

• 2015 - 2016 Genesis Sedan
• 2015 - 2018 Azera
• 2015 - 2023 Sonata
• 2016 - 2023 i10
• 2016 - 2023 i30
• 2016 - 2022 i40
• 2016 - 2020 Elantra GT
• 2016 - 2023 Tucson
• 2016 - 2022 Veloster
• 2017 - 2023 Santa Fe
• 2017 - 2020 Ioniq
• 2017 - 2023 Kona
• 2017 - 2019 Santa Fe Sport
• 2017 - 2023 Elantra
• 2019 Santa Fe XL
• 2019 - 2023 Accent
• 2020 - 2023 Nexo
• 2020 - 2023 Palisade
• 2020 - 2023 Venue
• 2021 - 2023 Bayon
• 2022 - 2023 Casper
• 2022 - 2023 Ioniq 5
• 2022 - 2023 SANTA CRUZ
• 2023 Palisade
• 2023 IONIQ 6

Indian Motorcycle

• 2020 - 2023 Challenger
• 2020 - 2023 Chieftain
• 2020 - 2023 Roadmaster

Infiniti

• 2020 - 2023 Q50
• 2020 - 2022 Q60
• 2020 - 2023 QX50
• 2020 - 2023 QX80
• 2022 - 2023 QX55
• 2022 - 2023 QX60

Jaguar

• 2019 - 2023 E‑Pace
• 2019 - 2023 F‑Pace
• 2019 - 2023 I‑Pace
• 2019 - 2020 XE
• 2019 - 2023 XF
• 2019 - 2020 XJ
• 2019 - 2023 F‑Type

Jeep

• 2017 - 2023 Compass
• 2018 - 2023 Grand Cherokee
• 2018 - 2023 Renegade
• 2018 - 2023 Wrangler
• 2020 - 2023 Cherokee
• 2020 - 2023 Gladiator
• 2022 - 2023 Grand Wagoneer
• 2022 - 2023 Wagoneer

Kia

• 2014 - 2023 Soul
• 2015 - 2020 Optima
• 2015 - 2020 Optima Hybrid
• 2015 - 2021 Sedona
• 2015 - 2021 Soul EV
• 2017 - 2020 Cadenza
• 2017 - 2023 Sorento
• 2017 - 2023 Sportage
• 2017 - 2023 Forte
• 2017 - 2023 Niro
• 2017 - 2020 Optima Plug‑In Hybrid
• 2018 - 2023 Niro Plug‑In Hybrid
• 2018 - 2023 Rio
• 2018 - 2023 Stinger
• 2019 - 2020 K900
• 2020 - 2023 Telluride
• 2021 - 2024 Seltos
• 2021 - 2023 K5
• 2021 - 2023 K8
• 2022 - 2023 Carnival
• 2022 - 2023 EV6
• 2023 Telluride
• 2023 Niro
• 2024 Seltos

Lada

• 2021 - 2023 Vesta
• 2021 - 2022 XRAY
• 2021 - 2023 Granta
• 2022 - 2023 Largus

Lamborghini

• 2017 Centenario
• 2018 - 2023 Aventador
• 2019 - 2023 Huracán
• 2019 - 2023 Urus

Land Rover

• 2019 - 2023 Discovery
• 2019 - 2023 Discovery Sport
• 2019 - 2023 Range Rover
• 2019 - 2023 Range Rover Evoque
• 2019 - 2023 Range Rover Sport
• 2019 - 2023 Range Rover Velar
• 2020 - 2023 Defender

Lexus

• 2019 - 2023 ES
• 2019 - 2023 LC
• 2019 - 2023 LS
• 2019 - 2023 NX
• 2019 - 2023 RC
• 2019 - 2023 RC F
• 2019 - 2022 UX
• 2020 - 2023 RX
• 2021 - 2023 ES Hybrid
• 2021 - 2023 IS
• 2021 - 2023 LC Convertible
• 2021 - 2023 LC Hybrid
• 2021 - 2023 LS Hybrid
• 2021 - 2023 NX Hybrid
• 2021 - 2023 RX Hybrid
• 2021 - 2023 UX Hybrid
• 2022 - 2023 GX
• 2023 IS 500
• 2023 NX Plug‑in Hybrid EV
• 2023 RZ 450e
• 2023 RX 500h

LDV

• 2015 - 2023 G10
• 2017 - 2019 EV80
• 2017 - 2023 D90
• 2017 - 2023 T60
• 2018 - 2023 V80
• 2019 - 2023 DELIVER 9
• 2020 - 2023 eDELIVER 9

Lifan

• 2017 - 2022 迈威
• 2017 - 2022 轩朗
• 2017 - 2022 X70
• 2017 - 2022 X80

Lincoln

• 2017 - 2018 MKS
• 2017 - 2018 MKX
• 2017 - 2019 MKC
• 2017 - 2019 MKT
• 2017 - 2020 MKZ
• 2017 - 2023 Navigator
• 2017 - 2020 Continental
• 2018 - 2023 Nautilus
• 2020 - 2023 Aviator
• 2020 - 2023 Corsair

Lynk & Co

• 2021 - 2023 Lynk & Co 01

Mahindra

• 2018 - 2022 Alturas G4
• 2018 - 2023 Marazzo
• 2019 - 2023 Scorpio
• 2019 - 2023 XUV300
• 2019 - 2022 XUV500
• 2020 - 2023 Thar
• 2023 XUV400
• 2023 XUV700

Maserati

• 2017 - 2023 Ghibli
• 2017 - 2023 Levante
• 2017 - 2023 Quattroporte
• 2018 - 2021 GT Convertible
• 2018 - 2020 GranTurismo
• 2022 - 2023 MC20
• 2023 GranTurismo
• 2023 Grecale

Maxus

• 2015 - 2023 G10
• 2017 - 2019 EV80
• 2017 - 2023 D90
• 2017 - 2023 T60
• 2018 - 2023 V80
• 2019 - 2023 DELIVER 9
• 2020 - 2023 eDELIVER 9

Mazda

• 2018 - 2022 Mazda6
• 2019 - 2023 CX‑5
• 2019 - 2023 CX‑8
• 2019 - 2023 CX‑9
• 2019 - 2023 MX‑5
• 2019 - 2023 Mazda3
• 2020 - 2023 CX‑3
• 2020 - 2023 CX30
• 2020 - 2023 Mazda2
• 2021 - 2023 MX‑30
• 2022 - 2023 CX‑50
• 2022 - 2023 CX‑60
• 2024 CX‑90

Mercedes-Benz

• 2016 - 2023 A‑Class
• 2016 - 2023 B‑Class
• 2016 - 2023 CLA‑Class
• 2016 - 2023 CLS‑Class
• 2016 - 2023 E‑Class Cabriolet
• 2016 - 2023 E‑Class Coupe
• 2016 - 2023 GLA‑Class
• 2016 - 2023 GLE‑Class
• 2017 - 2020 X‑Class
• 2017 - 2023 E‑Class
• 2017 - 2023 GLS‑Class
• 2017 - 2023 SL‑Class
• 2018 Sprinter
• 2018 - 2020 Vito
• 2018 - 2023 GLC‑Class
• 2018 - 2023 S‑Class
• 2019 - 2023 C‑Class
• 2020 Metris
• 2020 V‑Class
• 2020 - 2023 GLB‑Class
• 2020 - 2023 GLS‑Class
• 2021 Citan
• 2021 - 2023 EQA‑Class
• 2021 - 2023 EQC‑Class
• 2022 - 2023 EQB‑Class
• 2022 - 2023 EQS‑Class
• 2023 - 2023 EQE‑Class

MG

• 2016 GT
• 2016 - 2023 MG5
• 2017 - 2023 RX5
• 2017 - 2022 GS
• 2017 - 2022 ZP
• 2017 - 2022 ZS
• 2019 - 2023 Hector
• 2019 - 2022 MG
• 2019 - 2023 MG Ei5
• 2019 - 2022 HS
• 2019 - 2023 ZS EV
• 2020 - 2022 eHS
• 2020 - 2022 Gloster
• 2020 - 2022 MG3
• 2022 - 2023 MG4
• 2021 - 2023 Marvel R
• 2021 - 2023 Astor

Mini

• 2018 - 2023 Clubman
• 2018 - 2023 Countryman
• 2019 - 2023 Convertible
• 2019 - 2023 Hardtop 2 Door
• 2019 - 2023 Hardtop 4 Door

Mitsubishi Motors

• 2017 i‑MiEV
• 2016 - 2023 Pajero
• 2016 - 2023 Pajero Sport
• 2016 - 2023 Mirage
• 2016 - 2023 Mirage G4
• 2017 - 2023 Outlander
• 2017 - 2023 Outlander PHEV
• 2017 - 2023 ASX
• 2017 - 2023 Triton
• 2017 - 2023 Delica D:2
• 2017 - 2023 Delica D:2 Custom
• 2018 - 2023 Eclipse Cross
• 2023 Xpander

Nissan

• 2017 i‑MiEV
• 2016 - 2023 Pajero
• 2016 - 2023 Pajero Sport
• 2016 - 2023 Mirage
• 2016 - 2023 Mirage G4
• 2017 - 2023 Outlander
• 2017 - 2023 Outlander PHEV
• 2017 - 2023 ASX
• 2017 - 2023 Triton
• 2017 - 2023 Delica D:2
• 2017 - 2023 Delica D:2 Custom
• 2018 - 2023 Eclipse Cross
• 2023 Xpander

Opel

• 2016 - 2020 ADAM
• 2016 - 2023 Astra
• 2016 - 2023 Corsa
• 2016 - 2023 Insignia
• 2016 - 2020 KARL
• 2017 - 2022 Ampera‑e
• 2017 - 2023 Crossland X
• 2017 - 2023 Mokka
• 2017 - 2023 Zafira
• 2018 - 2023 Combo Life
• 2018 - 2023 Grandland

Peugeot

• 2016 - 2023 208
• 2016 - 2023 2008
• 2016 - 2023 308S
• 2016 - 2023 3008
• 2016 - 2023 4008
• 2016 - 2023 408
• 2017 - 2023 301
• 2017 - 2023 308
• 2017 - 2023 308 SW
• 2017 - 2023 508
• 2017 - 2023 5008
• 2016 - 2023 Expert
• 2016 - 2023 Partner Tepee
• 2016 - 2023 Traveller
• 2018 - 2023 Rifter

Polaris

• 2021 - 2023 Slingshot

Polestar

• 2020 - 2023 Polestar 1
• 2021 - 2023 Polestar 2

Porsche

• 2017 - 2023 718
• 2017 - 2023 Panamera
• 2017 - 2023 Macan
• 2017 - 2023 Cayenne
• 2017 - 2023 911
• 2020 - 2023 Taycan

Qoros

• 2017 - 2022 Young
  

Ram

• 2018 - 2023 Ram 1500
• 2018 - 2023 Ram 2500
• 2018 - 2023 Ram 3500
• 2018 - 2022 Ram 4500

Renault

• 2017 - 2023 Clio
• 2017 - 2023 Espace
• 2017 - 2022 Kadjar
• 2017 - 2023 Mégane
• 2017 - 2023 Mégane Estate
• 2017 - 2022 Scénic
• 2017 - 2023 Grand Scénic
• 2017 - 2022 Talisman
• 2017 - 2022 Talisman Estate
• 2018 - 2023 Koleos
• 2018 - 2022 Fluence
• 2019 - 2020 Twingo
• 2020 - 2023 Arkana
• 2020 - 2023 Captur
• 2021 - 2023 Kangoo
• 2021 - 2023 Zoe E‑Tech
• 2022 - 2023 Traffic
• 2023 Austral
• 2023 Kangoo E‑Tech
• 2023 Megane E‑Tech
• 2023 Twingo E‑Tech

Roewe

• 2016 - 2023 RX5
• 2017 - 2023 eRX5
• 2017 - 2023 RX3
• 2017 - 2023 i6
• 2019 - 2021 i5

Rolls-Royce

• 2020 - 2023 Cullinan
• 2020 - 2022 Dawn
• 2020 - 2023 Ghost
• 2020 - 2023 Phantom
• 2020 - 2023 Wraith
• 2023 Spectre

Seat

• 2016 - 2023 Alhambra
• 2016 - 2023 Ibiza
• 2016 - 2023 Leon
• 2016 - 2023 Toledo
• 2017 - 2023 Ateca
• 2018 - 2023 Arona
• 2020 - 2023 Tarraco

Skoda

• 2016 - 2017 Yeti
• 2016 - 2023 Fabia
• 2016 - 2023 Octavia
• 2016 - 2022 Rapid
• 2016 - 2023 Superb
• 2017 - 2023 Karoq
• 2017 - 2023 Kodiaq
• 2017 - 2023 Scala
• 2018 - 2023 Kamiq
• 2020 - 2023 Enyaq iV
• 2023 Enyaq Coupé iV
• 2023 Fabia

Subaru

• 2017 - 2023 Impreza
• 2018 - 2023 BRZ
• 2018 - 2023 Crosstrek
• 2018 - 2023 Legacy
• 2018 - 2023 Outback
• 2019 - 2023 Ascent
• 2019 - 2023 Forester
• 2019 - 2023 WRX
• 2019 - 2022 WRX STI
• 2023 Solterra

Suzuki

• 2016 - 2023 Baleno
• 2016 - 2023 Ciaz
• 2016 - 2023 Hustler
• 2016 - 2023 Ignis
• 2016 - 2023 Lapin
• 2016 - 2023 Solio
• 2016 - 2023 Solio Bandit
• 2016 - 2023 Spacia
• 2016 - 2023 Spacia Custom
• 2016 - 2023 SX4 S‑CROSS
• 2016 - 2023 Vitara
• 2018 - 2023 Dzire
• 2018 - 2023 Jimny
• 2018 - 2023 Swift
• 2023 S‑Cross

Tank

• 2020 - 2023 TANK 300

Tata

• 2017 - 2023 Nexon
• 2019 - 2022 Hexa
• 2019 - 2023 Tiago
• 2019 - 2023 Tigor
• 2020 - 2023 Altroz
• 2020 - 2023 Harrier
• 2021 - 2023 Punch
• 2021 - 2023 Safari

Toyota

• 2018 - 2022 Aygo
• 2019 - 2022 Avalon
• 2019 - 2023 Corolla Hatchback
• 2019 - 2023 Camry
• 2019 - 2023 C‑HR
• 2019 - 2023 RAV4
• 2019 - 2023 Sienna
• 2020 - 2021 86
• 2020 - 2023 4Runner
• 2020 - 2023 Corolla
• 2020 - 2023 Highlander
• 2020 - 2023 Prius
• 2020 - 2023 Prius Prime
• 2020 - 2023 Sequoia
• 2020 - 2023 GR Supra
• 2020 - 2023 Tacoma
• 2020 - 2023 Tundra
• 2020 - 2023 Yaris
• 2021 - 2023 Avanza
• 2021 - 2023 Mirai
• 2021 - 2023 Venza
• 2022 - 2023 Corolla Cross
• 2022 - 2023 GR86
• 2022 - 2023 Voxy
• 2023 Aygo X
• 2023 bZ4X
• 2023 Crown
• 2023 GR Corolla
• 2024 Grand Highlander

Vauxhall

• 2016 - 2020 ADAM
• 2016 - 2023 Astra
• 2016 - 2023 Corsa
• 2016 - 2023 Insignia
• 2016 - 2022 Viva
• 2017 - 2022 Ampera‑e
• 2017 - 2023 Crossland‑x
• 2017 - 2023 Grandland
• 2017 - 2023 Mokka
• 2017 - 2023 Zafira

Volkswagen

• 2016 Spacefox
• 2016 - 2018 CC
• 2016 - 2018 Scirocco
• 2016 - 2023 Amarok
• 2016 - 2019 Beetle
• 2016 - 2019 Beetle Cabriolet
• 2016 - 2023 Golf R
• 2016 - 2023 Caddy
• 2016 - 2023 California
• 2016 - 2023 Caravelle
• 2016 - 2021 e‑Golf
• 2016 - 2021 Fox
• 2016 - 2023 Golf
• 2016 - 2023 Golf Cabriolet
• 2016 - 2023 Golf SportsVan
• 2016 - 2023 Golf Variant
• 2016 - 2023 Golf SportWagen
• 2016 - 2023 GTI
• 2016 - 2023 Jetta
• 2016 - 2023 Lamando
• 2016 - 2023 Multivan
• 2016 - 2022 Passat Variant
• 2016 - 2023 Polo
• 2016 - 2022 Sharan
• 2016 - 2023 Tiguan
• 2016 - 2023 Touran
• 2016 - 2023 Transporter
• 2016 - 2022 Passat
• 2017 - 2023 Atlas
• 2017 - 2023 Crafter
• 2017 - 2023 CrossFox
• 2017 - 2023 Gol
• 2017 - 2023 Saveiro
• 2017 - 2023 Voyage
• 2018 - 2023 Arteon
• 2018 - 2023 Bora
• 2018 - 2023 Magotan
• 2018 - 2023 Sagitar
• 2018 - 2023 T‑Roc
• 2021 - 2023 ID.3
• 2021 - 2023 ID.4
• 2022 - 2023 Taos
• 2022 - 2023 ID.5
• 2022 - 2023 ID.6
• 2022 - 2023 Talagon
• 2023 ID.Buzz

Volvo

• 2016 - 2023 XC90
• 2017 - 2023 S90
• 2017 - 2023 V90
• 2018 - 2023 XC60
• 2019 - 2023 S60
• 2019 - 2023 V60
• 2019 - 2023 XC40
• 2022 - 2023 C40 Recharge

Wey

• 2017 - 2023 VV5
• 2017 - 2023 VV7
• 2018 - 2023 VV6

What you need to know

• Apple has updated its CarPlay experience as part of the iOS 16 announcement.
• The new CarPlay will support cars that have multiple screens.
• CarPlay with iOS 16 will be able to read information from cars and their own features including the radio and climate control.

Apple today announced iOS 16 and as part of that it also took the wraps off the "next generation of CarPlay." The new update will be live for everyone later this year, with developers able to download the first beta release today.

With Apple's big WWDC22 event now underway and the opening keynote done and dusted, the new iOS 16 is one of the biggest announcements of the day. It brings with it a notable CarPlay refresh that is specifically designed to make better use of cars with multiple screens. Apple says that we should expect a new experience that is "unified and consistent," while the update will also allow CarPlay to tie into a car's built-in systems in a way that is not available with iOS 15.

"CarPlay has fundamentally changed the way people interact with their vehicles, and the next generation of CarPlay goes even further by deeply integrating with a car's hardware. CarPlay will be able to provide content for multiple screens within the vehicle, creating an experience that is unified and consistent. Deeper integration with the vehicle will allow users to do things like control the radio or change the climate directly through CarPlay, and using the vehicle data, CarPlay will seamlessly render the speed, fuel level, temperature, and more on the instrument cluster. Users will be able to personalize their driving experience by choosing different gauge cluster designs, and with added support for widgets, users will have at-a-glance information from Weather and Music right on their car's dashboard."

Apple also confirmed that vehicles with full support for the updated CarPlay will be announced later this year, so that's something to keep your eyes peeled for.

The updated iOS 16 also includes a new lock screen experience as well as updated Apple Maps and much more — an update that will surely be the best iPhone software to date.

There are many, many options when it comes to buying a car, but if you own an iPhone, you might want to add one more to the list: whether your new vehicle supports CarPlay, Apple's voice-activated assistant.

What's new in CarPlay?

At WWDC 2018, Apple announced it will bring support for third-party navigation apps to CarPlay in iOS 12. We'll update you when we get more details!

What is CarPlay?

CarPlay is Apple's voice-activated system for the car: The goal is to keep you connected to your digital life without having to constantly look at a screen or interact with buttons. It uses Siri and your iPhone to showcase a simplified home screen on your car's touch display; you can also interact with CarPlay by pressing the Voice button on your steering wheel.

How is CarPlay different from Siri Eyes Free?

Siri Eyes Free is more of an extension of Siri than a full interface with added functionality. CarPlay lets you use some of the apps from your phone in your car, like the music players, messaging, phone and map app. Siri Eyes Free lets you speak in natural language to control basic functions but doesn't do as much as CarPlay currently.

Is CarPlay currently available?

Yes, but there are some restrictions. CarPlay is not currently available in all cars just yet. Apple notes that more than 100 vehicles currently support it, with more being added regularly. There are also a number of aftermarket head units that you can install in your current vehicle to bring support, but that can get expensive quickly.

What iPhone do I need to own to make it work?

To be able to use CarPlay, you will need an iPhone 5 or newer to get started. That currently includes:

• iPhone X
• iPhone 8
• iPhone 8 Plus
• iPhone 7
• iPhone 7 Plus
• iPhone SE
• iPhone 6s
• iPhone 6s Plus
• iPhone 6
• iPhone 6 Plus
• iPhone 5s
• iPhone 5

What cars support CarPlay?

There are more than 100 vehicles that support CarPlay. CarPlay is generally an upgrade option, so if you are looking at new vehicles, be sure to ask which package you need to get the functionality. If you are content with your current vehicle, you can check out Pioneer, Kenwood, and Alpine for head units that will add functionality to your current car.

Here are all the cars that currently support Apple's CarPlay

How do you know if the car you want to buy has CarPlay?

You will need to check the options on your car. Odds are that if you are driving an older car, it doesn't have CarPlay built-in, but many 2016 and newer models come with it. Most of them offer it as an upgraded package over the base model car; often, you're looking for a "media screen" or "navigation" package. While car-shopping, you can double-check by plugging your phone into the USB port (if the car has one) and seeing if any CarPlay messages pop up.

What if your car doesn't support CarPlay?

Depending on the radio configuration in your current vehicle you may be able to install an aftermarket unit in your car. Pioneer, Kenwood, and Alpine are all making head units that you can purchase and add to your current car to gain CarPlay support. You will need to have a double din slot available in order to get this done. Below are some of the models that you can add, and you may want to consult with an installation professional to be able to order the correct wiring harness and other accessories.

• Shop Pioneer CarPlay head units
• Shop Kenwood CarPlay head units
• Shop Alpine CarPlay head units

What countries is CarPlay available?

CarPlay will be available in a number of countries for drivers to take advantage of. As with most Apple products and services, we will likely see this list expand over time, but the current countries include:

• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Brazil
• Canada
• China
• Denmark
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Hong Kong
• India
• Israel
• Italy
• Japan
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Korea
• Russia
• Saudi Arabia
• Singapore
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Turkey
• UAE
• UK
• U.S.A.

How do I use CarPlay?

Using CarPlay is actually quite simple: The interface is very similar to iOS, with large icons on the screen, similar menus, and the like. You just tap on the app you want to use, navigate through the menu, and find what you are looking for. There is also a Home button in the lower corner that lets you return to the main screen.

You can additionally press and hold the on-screen Home button (or a button on your car's steering wheel) in order to access Siri for voice commands. This makes messaging and calling contacts even easier, as well as finding just the right song to complete your driving experience.

CarPlay can also be controlled in certain ways right from your phone — but only if you're a passenger. You can use the connected phone to select contacts to call, change the music that's playing, and more.

How do I add third-party apps to CarPlay?

You don't actually install any apps to your car or CarPlay: They live inside your iPhone. When you connect to CarPlay, your car will show you any installed apps that you can use. Most compatible apps are ones that stream music, podcasts, or sports, including Spotify, MLB at Bat, Pandora, Overcast, NPR One, and more.

Any other questions?

Have any other burning queries about CarPlay? Let us know in the comments.