First announced back in 2022, Apple has now revealed the next generation of CarPlay, which will first make its debut in Aston Martin models – other brands such as Hyundai, Kia and Genesis are also committed to implementing this new system.
Called CarPlay Ultra, it builds on the capabilities of the CarPlay that we are already familiar with by more deeply integrating with a car’s hardware. Instead of being confined to just a car’s infotainment screen, CarPlay Ultra provides content for every screen – including the digital instrument cluster – by pulling more information from the car and showing it through Apple’s interface.
According to Apple, this provides a consistent look and feel to the entire driving experience, with things like the speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, temperature gauge and more adopting an aesthetic that is in line with Apple’s design philosophy.
It isn’t standardised though, as Apple is providing automakers with a toolkit so they can tweak the design of interface to suit their requirements. “Custom themes are crafted in close collaboration between Apple and the automaker’s design team, resulting in experiences that feel tailor-made for each vehicle,” the Cupertino-based company said in its release. Drivers will also be able to personalise the colours and wallpapers of themes to match their individual tastes.
Going a step beyond mirroring your phone and selected apps, CarPlay Ultra effectively “replaces” the original interface in cars while still providing access to all vehicle functions. This improves upon the previous version that, most often than not, required you to leave CarPlay to adjust certain things.
The higher level of integration also means drivers can use onscreen controls, physical buttons or hit up Siri to manage standard vehicle functions (radio and climate) as well as advanced, vehicle-specific features (audio system configurations or performance settings), right from CarPlay Ultra. Widgets are also available that perfectly fit the car’s screen or gauge cluster to provide information at a glance.
To use CarPlay Ultra, you’ll need an iPhone 12 or later running at least iOS 18.5. As mentioned earlier, Aston Martin is the first to debut the new experience, which is available in new DBX, Vantage, DB12 and Vanquish models sold in the United States and Canada.
This will be expanded to all global markets within the next 12 months, while existing cars with the brand’s next-generation infotainment that first appeared in the DB12 in 2023 will gain support for the feature via a software update available at local US and Canada dealers in the coming weeks.
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Proton – kitaorang belum siap current AC & AA support, korang dah shift goalpost terus. Nampaknya 2030 baru siap.
won’t be coming to proton nor perodua. normal car play pun takde.