Mercedes, Audi, Volvo decline Apple CarPlay Ultra over control concerns: Report

Hindustan Times

20 hours ago

The new and upgraded Apple CarPlay will be rolling out to most vehicles within the next 12 months. Check Offers
Several of the world's top carmakers, such as Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volvo, Polestar, and Renault, have supposedly ruled out incorporating Apple's next-gen CarPlay Ultra system in their future models. This comes against previous expectations after Apple revealed the new-gen in-car experience in 2022.
While Apple positioned CarPlay Ultra as a futuristic leap from its standard CarPlay system—offering control over all in-car displays including the instrument cluster—many European automakers appear hesitant to give Apple such extensive control over their digital ecosystems.
According to a Financial Times report, a Renault executive directly told Apple: 'Don't try to invade our own systems." This statement encapsulates broader concerns among manufacturers that adopting CarPlay Ultra could erode their control over user experience, vehicle data, and system design.
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Despite the resistance, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, and Porsche continue to commit to adding the CarPlay Ultra system to their offerings. Jaguar Land Rover, however, said it is still considering the system, an attitude of more guarded but open-ended considering.
Other manufacturers such as Ford, Nissan, and Infiniti, who were included in Apple's original 2022 list of partners, declined to provide updates but didn't completely rule out adoption. Honda and Acura are also reportedly still on track to implement the new system in future vehicles. Apple CarPlay Ultra: Features
CarPlay Ultra is intended to take Apple's user interface beyond the infotainment screen and into the instrument cluster, showing important data such as speed, battery/fuel levels, and climate controls through Apple's software rather than the automaker's native design.
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The system is currently available only in select vehicles—such as the Aston Martin DBX—and requires an iPhone 12 or newer running iOS 18.5 or later, with a wireless connection initiating the interface automatically on vehicle start-up.
Apple's iOS 26 update, expected in September or October, will include enhancements to both standard CarPlay and CarPlay Ultra. New features include updated UI brackets, compact calling notifications, 'Tapback' emojis as reactions in Messages, and Live Activities through the vehicle's display experience.
The reluctance of some auto OEMs to adopt CarPlay Ultra reflects the growing dispute between automobile manufacturers and tech companies regarding ownership of the in-car digital experience—which is becoming more central to both modern vehicles and user expectations.
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First Published Date: 29 Jun 2025, 15:59 PM IST