Tesla appears to be on the verge of rolling out Apple CarPlay across its entire line-up. Bloomberg reports - citing an anonymous source - that the company is already testing this integration internally, suggesting a public launch could be close.
Introduced in 2014, Apple CarPlay is now found in almost every new model arriving on the market and, for a sizeable group of drivers, it is a must-have feature. A 2023 study from McKinsey & Company found that nearly half of new car buyers worldwide would not purchase a vehicle without Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
Tesla owners’ long-standing demand for Apple CarPlay
Despite CarPlay’s widespread adoption, Tesla has consistently stopped customers from mirroring their smartphones on the car’s displays, arguing it can deliver a better user experience without that capability.
However, a quick look through Tesla-focused forums and communities makes it clear that many owners have been outspoken in calling for this policy to change. Now, Tesla seems to have finally taken that feedback on board.
Why only now?
It is no secret that Elon Musk’s relationship with Apple has been difficult. On several occasions, the South African entrepreneur has criticised App Store policies, and he is reportedly frustrated that Apple lured (and in some cases hired) multiple Tesla engineers for the Apple Car project - which ultimately never materialised.
At the same time, Tesla is once again trying to boost sales volumes (including the launch of the Standard versions of the Model Y and the Model 3 in the US), and enabling Apple CarPlay could help sway additional buyers. According to Bloomberg, this move may be one option (among many others) to renew interest in the brand among new customers.
How will it work?
As you would expect, Apple CarPlay will be integrated on Tesla’s own terms. Based on Bloomberg’s information, CarPlay will appear within a window embedded inside Tesla’s software, meaning it is unlikely to take over the entire display the way it does in most manufacturers’ implementations.
That choice is easy to understand, particularly because the Model 3 and Model Y do not even have a conventional instrument cluster for essentials such as speed or energy use. Those details are shown on the central screen which, in these two models, also houses the gear selector and the car’s immobilisation function.
Bloomberg also says Tesla is only working on support for the more traditional version of Apple CarPlay, not the newer (and more immersive) CarPlay Ultra, which Diogo Teixeira has already had the chance to test in the new Aston Martin DBX S. Take a look:
Other brands that have dropped Apple CarPlay
Tesla is not the only manufacturer to step away from Apple CarPlay: Rivian and General Motors (Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac) have also chosen to stop offering it in their vehicles. It remains to be seen whether, like the brand led by Elon Musk, they will reverse that decision in the future.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
Leave a Comment