What you need to know
- A developer has released the software needed to get CarPlay running on a Tesla car.
- Specific hardware is required to make the CarPlay hack work.
The lack of CarPlay support in modern Tesla cars remains a baffling decision, but that doesn't mean that there aren't ways and means to fix that omission. There is now a way to run CarPlay via a Tesla entertainment system — but you're going to need to jump through some hoops to make it work.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk might be too busy buying Twitter to give Tesla drivers CarPlay despite their pleading, but Polish developer Michał Gapiński is here to lend a hand. We heard about his using a Raspberry Pi to add CarPlay to his Tesla Model 3 earlier this year, and now the same feature is available for everyone to try according to a Tesla North report.
Everything you need in terms of software is available via the Tesla Android Github page, but you're also going to need a couple of Raspberry Pi devices and a few other bits and pieces. You can read more about what's needed on the developer's website. That's where you'll find the installation guide, too.
Of course, getting this all up and running isn't something for everyone but those who do what's required will be able o enjoy CarPlay on one half of their massive Tesla display. It's all pretty impressive — hopefully it's so impressive that someone at Tesla will decide to make it less hacky and actually offer CarPlay support as a first-party option.
You know, like pretty much every major carmaker on the planet at this point.
