CarPlay is one of the most popular Apple software features among drivers. Some people go so far as to hunt for a different car brand altogether to ensure they have CarPlay, while others try to get the most out of their favorite EV vehicle to enjoy the company’s vision of car software.
While we still wait for some (good) news on Apple’s next-gen CarPlay, there are a few underrated current features that everyone should be using right now. We’ll take a closer look at them below.
Find where you parked with Apple CarPlay
This is one of those hidden (and handy) CarPlay features you’ll eventually need. If you forget where you parked your car, don’t worry — CarPlay is your best friend. Every time you unplug your iPhone from CarPlay, it shows a marker on Apple Maps and Google Maps. That way, you can backtrack to where you parked and not worry about depending on your memory.
SharePlay is the passenger princess’ best feature
On iOS 17, Apple started letting users collaborate with someone else’s Apple Music queue using SharePlay. Once you start playing a song, someone else can tap the SharePlay icon, grab their phone, scan a QR code, and add songs to the queue. This is a handy CarPlay feature, so you don’t need to keep unlocking your iPhone. Even if the other person doesn’t have an Apple Music subscription, they can keep adding songs as long as they have the Music app downloaded.
With iOS 18, Apple expanded SharePlay capabilities, making it even more reliable, especially for those long car rides.
Let contacts track your journey
There are several ways to let someone track your journey using your iPhone, including with CarPlay. You can share your ETA at the bottom of the screen once you start a trip with Apple Maps or Google Maps in your car. Apple will suggest a few names from your contacts list, and you can share them using various messaging apps.
Another possibility is to use the Check-in feature available on iMessage. Here’s the step-by-step:
- Open the Messages app on your iPhone
- Tap to start a new conversation or select an existing one
- Tap the + icon, then More, Check In, and Edit
- Choose between finishing Check In when you arrive or after a timer
When I arrive: Specify your destination and how you’re traveling (driving, transit, or walking), and add extra time if needed. Check In monitors your journey and notifies your friend if your iPhone isn’t moving for an extended period of time or if it doesn’t reach the destination as expected. When you arrive at your destination successfully, the Check In automatically completes and notifies your friend that your iPhone has arrived.
After a timer: Specify a period of time, for example, during a date with someone you met on an app. If you don’t finish the Check In before you set, Check In notifies your friend.
CarPlay features wrap up
These are three underrated CarPlay features that everyone should be using. Below, you can learn more about iOS 19, as we expect Cupertino to add even more functions to its CarPlay software ahead of this eventual revamp.
