The automotive world is buzzing with anticipation as we approach what could be a pivotal moment for Apple's ambitious CarPlay Ultra project. Five brands could announce CarPlay Ultra availability as soon as iPhone 17 event day, a potential breakthrough for Apple's most comprehensive in-car integration yet. Here's the thing, this is not another incremental update. CarPlay Ultra takes over every screen in the vehicle, and it reshapes how we think about the relationship between our phones and our cars. After years of delays and pushback, we might be on the verge of the biggest shift in automotive tech since touchscreens displaced banks of physical buttons.
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What makes CarPlay Ultra so different from regular CarPlay?
Start with the screens. While current CarPlay lives on the main infotainment display, the next generation of CarPlay is headed to all your in-car screens, not just the center stack. CarPlay Ultra gets a big upgrade, allowing it to take over the main instrument panel, so Apple's UI can replace traditional gauges right in front of you.
The integration runs deep. Next-generation CarPlay will integrate with a vehicle's instrument cluster, including the speedometer, tachometer, odometer, fuel gauge, engine temperature gauge, oil pressure gauge, and more. It also reaches into daily comforts, since you'll be able to access your vehicle's climate controls directly within the new CarPlay interface. Your iPhone becomes the command center.
Here is the real pivot. Most notably, since the revamped CarPlay replaces the entire car's software, you can control the car through it. This is not phone mirroring. It is vehicle integration, the iPhone as the operating system for seat heaters, tire pressure checks, and more, all in one place.
Personalization is part of the pitch. Next-generation CarPlay will support multiple displays across the dashboard, and offer a variety of personalization options. Expect widgets that offer at-a-glance information such as trip duration, fuel economy, distance traveled, calendar events, weather, phone calls, and more, plus an all-new Media app that allows you to easily control the FM radio in your vehicle.
Apple has been laying groundwork behind the scenes. iOS 17.4 included hidden code references to eight new CarPlay apps: Auto Settings, Car Camera, Charge, Climate, Closures, Media, Tire Pressure, and Trips. Each one maps to a slice of the car, from charging status to locks and trunk access.
PRO TIP: If you are planning to buy a car in the next two years, ask dealers about CarPlay Ultra compatibility. The hardware lift is significant, and many vehicles cannot be retrofitted.
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Why the delays and what's really happening behind the scenes?
This is where it gets thorny. Apple's next-generation CarPlay 2.0, initially slated for a 2024 release, is now expected to debut in 2025. The holdup is not only technical. It is a tug-of-war over who owns the customer during the drive.
Sources tell the Financial Times that automakers are eager to set clear standards about data sharing with Apple before allowing CarPlay Ultra. Handing Apple every screen could hand over future revenue too, from subscriptions and analytics to maintenance scheduling and ads.
Big names are wavering. The automakers reportedly changing their plans are Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volvo, Polestar, and Renault. General Motors announced in 2023 that it wouldn't implement CarPlay in its EVs. The message lands: this is not a simple software plug-in.
Why the friction? If CarPlay Ultra manages clusters and climate, Apple can potentially see driving patterns, efficiency, service timelines, and location habits that automakers treat as core IP. That data shapes future models and paid services. No wonder everyone wants guardrails.
There is a hardware wrinkle too. There are rumors that the hardware requirements for CarPlay 2.0 are higher than current systems, which could force electrical architecture changes, not just a software refresh. That means real R&D money, plus factory tweaks.
Apple is keeping its cards close. As of January 2025, Apple's website no longer mentions its launch, which sparked chatter about a pullback. The recent signals look more like regrouping.
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Who's actually moving forward with CarPlay Ultra?
Despite the drama, some brands are stepping on the gas. CarPlay Ultra is unevenly distributed and currently only available in North America with Aston Martin. CarPlay Ultra comes as standard on all new Aston Martin orders (DBX, Vantage, DB12, and Vanquish) in Canada starting today. That is a strong stake in the ground.
There are guardrails for buyers. CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or newer running at least iOS 18.5. Existing owners are not left out, since CarPlay Ultra will be available as a dealer-performed update for existing Aston Martins with the company's in-house infotainment system in the coming weeks.
The early adopter list tracks with brand strategy. Porsche and Aston Martin are moving ahead with CarPlay 2.0 integration, though Ford and Mercedes-Benz remain noncommittal. Luxury makers can trial cutting-edge tech, absorb hardware costs, and sell it as a premium experience to buyers who already live inside Apple's ecosystem.
Back when Apple unveiled the vision, the original announcement list included Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Polestar, Porsche, Renault, and Volvo. The fact that high-end brands are actually shipping first suggests a familiar pattern, premium features arrive at the top, then trickle down.
Apple said that it continues to work closely with "several" automakers to launch next-generation CarPlay, language that implies active negotiations rather than finished deals. It would not be the first time Apple proved demand in luxury, then scaled.
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What this means for the future of in-car tech
The bigger picture is hard to ignore. Multiple surveys show that customers love it, frequently use it over their car's embedded systems, and would be less likely to buy a future vehicle that didn't allow CarPlay. Automakers can give in to that demand and share the interface, or try to keep drivers inside their own software and risk losing sales. Pick your poison.
Traditional business models leaned on dealer relationships and service bays. As cars turn into software platforms, the value shifts to the digital relationship, subscriptions, over-the-air updates, usage data, and tailoring the experience. CarPlay Ultra aims squarely at that layer. If your iPhone runs climate, navigation, entertainment, and settings, switching platforms gets sticky. That is ecosystem lock-in, but at highway speed.
Not every company is on board. General Motors and Rivian have distanced themselves from CarPlay, betting their in-house systems can win loyalty. Tesla showed that route can work, especially with a software-first mindset from day one.
Meanwhile, development keeps humming. Apple's latest iOS 18.3 beta references the next-gen CarPlay, with newly surfaced images in EU databases hinting at ongoing development. That does not look like surrender. It looks like a long game.
The September iPhone 17 event could be the spark. If five brands step up with CarPlay Ultra announcements alongside new phones, it would signal a compromise between Apple's ecosystem approach and automaker business goals. It would also confirm that demand for deeper phone-car integration is strong enough to move a cautious industry.
From here, the map splits. Luxury brands lean into full Apple integration, some manufacturers double down on proprietary systems, and others will try hybrid strategies that mix smartphone depth with control of core vehicle functions. The winner, as usual, will be whatever gives drivers the best experience.
Either way, our phones and our cars are about to get a lot closer. The question is not if this shift happens. It is how fast everyone else catches up.
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