Apple’s Next-Gen ‘CarPlay Ultra’ Has Finally Arrived
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It’s been a long time coming, but Apple’s promised next generation of CarPlay has finally begun rolling out — at least for one vehicle manufacturer.
It was nearly three years ago that Apple unveiled its revolutionary new chapter in CarPlay, but for years, it was known only as the “Next generation of CarPlay.” Since that was a mouthful, we and others colloquially dubbed it “CarPlay 2.0,” but now it also has an official name: CarPlay Ultra.
Apple made the announcement this morning that Aston Martin will be the first manufacturer in the world to deliver CarPlay Ultra. While all new vehicle orders in the US and Canada will include the next-gen CarPlay tech, it’s also coming to at least some existing models via a software update.
CarPlay Ultra builds on the capabilities of CarPlay and provides the ultimate in-car experience by deeply integrating with the vehicle to deliver the best of iPhone and the best of the car. It provides information for all of the driver’s screens, including real-time content and gauges in the instrument cluster, while reflecting the automaker’s look and feel and offering drivers a customizable experience.
Apple
Aston Martin has also issued its own press release to celebrate the new deeper integration, adding that it’s “worked closely in partnership with Apple to ensure CarPlay Ultra is consistent with the brand’s unique design philosophy and remains instantly recognisable as Aston Martin.”
In addition, drivers can manage vehicle functions like radio and climate right from within CarPlay Ultra with touchscreen controls, physical buttons, or Siri. Drivers can also add widgets powered by iPhone that perfectly fit Aston Martin’s 10.25” infotainment screen or instrument cluster to provide information at a glance.
Aston Martin
If you’re curious to see what this all looks like in practical terms, Top Gear has published an in-depth look on its YouTube channel:
The Long Road to CarPlay Ultra
CarPlay Ultra, as it’s now known, was a somewhat ambitious project from the start, largely because of that very point that Aston Martin highlighted. Getting carmakers to give up control of their dashboards was a tall order. The new CarPlay experience effectively takes over the entire console, from the infotainment system to the digital gauge cluster behind the steering wheel. While Apple promised to work with each automaker to tailor the experience for their vehicle brand, that process takes time, even for those that are fully on board with the idea.
In mid-2022, when Apple announced what would ultimately become CarPlay Ultra, it said it was working with a substantial list of carmakers to make this happen. Ford, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Infiniti, Honda, Acura, Jaguar, Land Rover, Audi, Nissan, Volvo, Porsche, and more were all reportedly on board.
Apple also promised that the new system would begin appearing in vehicles by the end of 2023, yet automakers remained mysteriously quiet.
When asked, BMW, Volvo, Polestar, and Mercedes-Benz said they were considering the new CarPlay technology, while the rest were noncommittal. Despite this, Apple technically met its 2023 deadline when Porsche and Aston Martin previewed the new interface to Car and Driver.
Those aren’t exactly household brands, but at least it gave us a glimmer of hope that some vehicles would offer the enhanced CarPlay solution in 2024. Apple had also promised the same on its website, noting that the “First models arrive in 2024.” However, what we got in the 2024 Porsche Taycan was more like “CarPlay 1.5,” or what some reviewers called CarPlay+. Deeper integration allowed features such as climate control, radio stations, and ambient lighting to be controlled from the infotainment CarPlay interface; however, the rest of the dashboard remained off-limits.
By early 2025, some pundits were wondering if Apple should even bother. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman questioned what the incentive was for carmakers to embrace a solution that “mostly benefits Apple” and also gives it a stronghold in their vehicles. “Many automakers are loath to hand over their center consoles to a company that spent $10 billion trying to design a car that could replace them,” he said.
Perhaps it was the failure of the Apple Car that convinced some to finally get on board. Still, Aston Martin and Apple have clearly had this in the works for a while, so it may also just be a matter of time. Besides, we’re talking about a high-end luxury brand here. Companies like Porsche and Aston Martin count many Apple fans among their customer bases and have similar tastes and design philosophies. In short, they’re a natural fit for each other.
Neither Apple nor Porsche have shared what they’re up to, but today’s Apple announcement does note that Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis are newly committed to adding CarPlay Ultra. That’s another carmaker that’s been cozy with Apple over the years. At one point, Hyundai was considered a potential partner to build the Apple Car, and the Genesis GV60 was the first non-BMW vehicle to get Apple Car Key support, which has since expanded to Kia’s Telluride and Niro and Hyundai’s Palisade and IONIQ 6.
“iPhone users love CarPlay, and it has transformed how people connect with their vehicles. With CarPlay Ultra, together with automakers, we are reimagining the in-car experience, making it even more unified and consistent,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “This next generation of CarPlay gives drivers a smarter, safer way to use their iPhone in the car, while deeply integrating with the car’s systems and showcasing the unique look and feel of each automaker. We are excited to kick off the rollout of CarPlay Ultra with Aston Martin — and this is just the beginning, with more automakers on the way.”
