What is the future plan for Apple CarPlay?

An all-new design for CarPlay

CarPlay was originally launched as “iOS in the Car” as part of iOS 7 and was rebranded as CarPlay shortly thereafter. Since that rebrand, CarPlay’s interface hasn’t changed much. The biggest design change came with iOS 13, when Apple introduced a new Dashboard interface with different “cards” for apps like Maps, Music, and more.

 

The “next generation” of CarPlay, however, will pretty much give the CarPlay interface a complete overhaul. While we haven’t gotten a chance to try the new CarPlay design, Apple’s imagery from WWDC offered a sneak peek.

 

The new design still relies on a grid of app icons as its primary user interface element, but there are plenty of other changes surrounding that app grid. There will be a split-view style interface for showing multiple apps at the same time, as well as a Dock at the bottom with quick access to recently used apps.

 

Where the new CarPlay interface really shines, however, is with how it can take over your car’s entire infotainment system. This includes the center console display in its entirety, as well as any other displays like one behind the steering wheel.

 

Which cars are getting next-generation CarPlay?

Here's the current list of announced brands:

 

Acura

Aston Martin

Audi

Ford

Honda

Infiniti

Jaguar

Land Rover

Lincoln

Nissan

Polestar

Porsche

Renault

Volvo

The only two automakers to provide specific details have been Porsche and Aston Martin, and even then they've been quiet on details. The latter has said it plans to have compatible models by the end of 2024, including a new version of the DB12.

 

You'll notice some conspicuous absences on this list, such as BMW, Kia, Hyundai, and Toyota. GM has announced plans to abandon CarPlay entirely in future EVs, while Mercedes-Benz says it's sticking with CarPlay's current incarnation while building its own operating system.