After almost two years of delays, Apple finally unveiled its first partner to take advantage of its next-gen CarPlay, now called CarPlay Ultra. Aston Martin recently announced that its SUVs (DBX) and sports cars (Vantage, DB12, and Vanquish) will feature this experience, where Apple software takes over all the key panels of the vehicle.
Here’s how Apple promotes CarPlay Ultra: “The next generation of CarPlay builds on years of success and insights gained from CarPlay, delivering the best of Apple and the automaker in a deeply integrated and customizable experience. We continue to work closely with several automakers, enabling them to showcase their unique brand and visual design philosophies in the next generation of CarPlay. Each car brand will share more details as they near the announcements of their models that will support it.”
Among the new features, CarPlay Ultra adds:
- All-screen experience: Unlike the current CarPlay setup, CarPlay Ultra offers a fully immersive experience that includes the speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, temperature gauge, and more.
- Vehicle and iPhone integration: Drivers can display information from their iPhone, like maps and media, alongside car data such as advanced driver assistance systems and tire pressure, right in the instrument cluster.
- More ways to control CarPlay: Users can manage vehicle functions using onscreen controls, physical buttons, or Siri. This includes standard functions like the radio and climate control, as well as car-specific features such as audio system configurations and performance settings.
- Siri and Apple Intelligence: CarPlay Ultra supports Apple Intelligence, allowing users to interact with the vehicle and third-party apps for parking, food ordering, and fueling based on the driver’s location and preferences.
Will your favorite carmaker support CarPlay Ultra?
With Aston Martin currently the only automaker offering this experience, when might your favorite brand adopt CarPlay Ultra? Based on Apple’s earlier announcements, Porsche and Nissan are possible contenders. These are the carmakers that previously expressed interest in supporting CarPlay Ultra:
- Acura
- Audi
- Ford
- Honda
- Infiniti
- Jaguar
- Land Rover
- Lincoln
- Mercedes-Benz
- Nissan
- Polestar
- Renault
- Volvo
Although these companies previously announced plans to support CarPlay Ultra, it’s unclear whether they’re still moving forward. Porsche is expected to be the next to unveil a model featuring Apple’s vision for an advanced in-car tech experience.
BGR will continue to bring you the latest updates as well as tips and tricks for CarPlay and this new experience.
