Driving is about to get very different for owners of a vehicle equipped with Apples standard CarPlay. The software that brought iPhones and vehicle dash screens together for the past 10 years suddenly found itself in about 98 percent of the new cars on sale in the United States before Apple announced plans this week to upgrade its CarPlay experience for use in all kinds of vehicles. As the standard for modern smartphone projection, drivers became familiar with using Siri and the standard CarPlay interface for things like maps, music, texting and calls.

With that success in hand, Apple announced CarPlay Ultra, a far more elaborate version of its car software experience. Unlike conventional carplays that were only restricted to a single center display, CarPlay Ultra can, by design, be expanded to the entire display set, including the instrument cluster, showing things like speed, battery level, fuel level, and tire pressure, and letting you customize widgets, choose climate, and select different tunes. Siri gets controls for cabin and vehicle functions, while Apple Intelligence adds vehicle controls and Apple Special Features themes. Apple named a half-dozen automakers as reference partners early on, giving rise to anticipation that we’d see CarPlay Ultra throughout the industry.

1. How CarPlay Changed Driving

Apple’s regular CarPlay brought the iPhone to a new infotainment display in a simple way. For more than ten years now, the feature has been used by drivers to help bring their favorite functions to the road, including maps, streaming music, text messages, and calls. Instead of forcing drivers to learn a new interface with each car they buy, it gave them something familiar to work with, helping make smartphone projection a critical part of the driving experience and giving CarPlay a foothold across the industry.

Standard CarPlay Features:

• iPhone dashboard connection
• Maps and navigation
• Streaming music
• Text messages
• Phone calls and Siri

The popularity of standard CarPlay also influenced what many drivers expected from new vehicles. The source states that the system appeared in 98 percent of new vehicles sold in the United States, showing how widely it had been adopted. Drivers became familiar with using Siri for basic phone tasks while keeping important smartphone functions available through the vehicle’s center screen. This widespread acceptance created a strong foundation for Apple’s next step, but CarPlay Ultra would take the relationship between the phone and the vehicle much further.

2. What Makes CarPlay Ultra Different

CarPlay Ultra was introduced as a much more advanced version of Apple’s vehicle interface. Unlike standard CarPlay, which mainly focuses on the center infotainment display, Ultra can extend across all of a vehicle’s digital displays. This includes the instrument cluster, where drivers can see information such as speed, battery life, fuel levels, and tire pressure. The system can also provide access to climate controls, audio settings, widgets, and other vehicle-related functions through the same interface.

CarPlay Ultra Features:

• Multi-screen vehicle integration
• Digital instrument cluster
• Vehicle information display
• Climate and audio controls
• Customizable widgets and themes

The deeper integration also expands what Siri can do inside the vehicle. Instead of being mainly used for phone-related tasks, Siri can control physical cabin functions and vehicle settings through CarPlay Ultra. Apple Intelligence features are also incorporated into the system, while custom themes can be developed with participating automakers. These capabilities made Ultra appear much more ambitious than traditional smartphone projection and created expectations that it could become a major part of future vehicle interiors.

3. Why Automakers Want Dashboard Control

Another critic is automakers’ long-standing investment in their proprietary digital dashboards, instrument clusters, layouts, fonts and driving modes. The digital displays go beyond functionality they provide the cues to define a vehicle’s identity. CarPlay Ultra is encroaching on territory directly managed by the automaker, like the instrument cluster and other key displays in a car, raising fears from automakers who want to keep their bespoke software and design language visible throughout the vehicle.

Dashboard Control Concerns:

• Instrument cluster design
• Digital display layouts
• Vehicle interface control
• Driving mode presentation
• Software ownership

The concern becomes greater because CarPlay Ultra can display information such as speed, tire pressure, battery levels, and fuel levels while also managing other cabin functions. This gives Apple a much larger role inside the vehicle than standard CarPlay. For automakers that have invested heavily in their own digital systems, handing over such a large part of the cockpit experience can reduce their direct control over how drivers interact with the vehicle.

4. The Fight Over Brand Identity

Digital design has become an important part of automotive brand identity. Automakers carefully develop their gauge clusters, typography, screen layouts, controls, and driving modes to create a particular experience for customers. When a third-party interface becomes responsible for many of those areas, manufacturers may have less freedom to express their own design philosophy. CarPlay Ultra’s ability to reach across multiple screens therefore creates a different level of competition between Apple’s interface and the automaker’s own digital identity.

Brand Identity Factors:

• Digital gauge appearance
• Interface typography
• Driving mode displays
• Cabin control design
• Vehicle personality

The issue is especially important for brands that consider the interior experience a major part of their vehicles. One Renault executive directly pushed back against Apple’s deeper integration, telling the company not to invade its own systems. This statement reflects the broader concern that digital controls and displays are becoming part of the core vehicle experience. For these automakers, keeping control of the digital cluster is connected to protecting the way their vehicles look, feel, and communicate with drivers.

5. Why Vehicle Data Matters

The debate over CarPlay Ultra is also connected to vehicle data. Modern cars increasingly collect and use information related to driving behavior, charging habits, route preferences, and vehicle performance. When automakers operate their own software systems, they can maintain greater direct control over these digital interactions. As vehicles become more connected, this information can also support new services and features that manufacturers may want to manage themselves.

Vehicle Data Areas:

• Driving behaviour
• Charging habits
• Route preferences
• Vehicle performance
• Connected services

Sources familiar with Apple’s approach have stated that vehicle driving data is handled by the car and is not shared with the iPhone. Even with that arrangement, automakers can still be cautious about placing another technology company between themselves and their customers. Their concern is not only where data goes but also who controls the digital relationship with the vehicle owner. Maintaining native software gives manufacturers a more direct role in managing these interactions and the services connected to them.

6. The Money Behind Car Software

Software is becoming an increasingly important source of potential revenue for automakers. Modern vehicles can support connected services, navigation subscriptions, proprietary applications, and digital stores. Volkswagen Group, for example, has created its own app store as part of this broader software strategy. Industry estimates cited in the source suggest that connected vehicle services could generate up to $400 billion globally by 2030, making control of automotive software financially significant.

Software Revenue Opportunities:

• Connected vehicle services
• Navigation subscriptions
• Proprietary app stores
• Digital vehicle features
• Recurring software revenue

Allowing Apple to become the dominant interface across a vehicle could affect how manufacturers develop and manage these future revenue opportunities. Native software gives automakers more control over which services are presented to customers and how those services are connected to the vehicle. This helps explain why some companies are reluctant to hand over deeper dashboard control even when their customers already enjoy using standard CarPlay.

7. Why EVs Need Native Software

The transition to electric vehicles adds another layer to the software discussion. EVs require close coordination between software and vehicle hardware for functions such as battery preconditioning, energy consumption, and charging-station routing. Traditional smartphone projection mainly provides an interface layer, which can leave some EV-specific functions inside the vehicle’s native system. As electric vehicles become more dependent on software, automakers want their operating systems to work directly with the vehicle’s important hardware.

EV Software Functions:

• Battery preconditioning
• Energy consumption
• Charging information
• Charging station routing
• Vehicle hardware control

CarPlay Ultra attempts to bridge some of this separation by reaching deeper into the vehicle’s displays and controls. However, General Motors argues that a proprietary operating system can handle the vehicle more holistically. Its Android Automotive-based Ultifi platform is designed to reduce dependence on a driver’s cell phone. By running applications directly on the vehicle’s hardware, a native system can use real-time vehicle information, including battery charge levels, when calculating routes and managing EV functions.

8. Why Some Automakers Are Rejecting Ultra

Several major automakers have decided not to adopt CarPlay Ultra despite the popularity of standard CarPlay. Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Polestar, and Renault have confirmed that they will skip the Ultra update. Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius said on The Vergecast podcast that the company would not adopt Ultra and would instead focus on its proprietary operating system. Audi has also chosen to retain standard CarPlay while continuing with its own MMI interface.

Brands Skipping Ultra:

• Mercedes-Benz software control
• Audi MMI system
• Volvo software control
• Polestar software system
• Renault technology control

General Motors has taken an even stronger approach by beginning to phase out Apple software entirely, with the goal of completing the transition by 2028. GM is instead focusing on its Android Automotive-based Ultifi platform. These decisions show that some manufacturers want to maintain greater control over their vehicle software rather than allowing Apple to become deeply integrated into the entire digital cockpit.

9. Why Some Automakers Still Support Ultra

Not every automaker has rejected CarPlay Ultra. Aston Martin became the first manufacturer to deploy the system in production vehicles, including the 2025 Aston Martin Vantage. The Hyundai Motor Group, which includes Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis, has reaffirmed its commitment to introducing the technology in future vehicles. Porsche also plans to support the platform, while Jaguar Land Rover continues evaluating its integration.

CarPlay Ultra Supporters:

• Aston Martin deployment
• Hyundai Motor Group support
• Hyundai, Kia, Genesis
• Porsche platform support
• Jaguar Land Rover evaluation

For some manufacturers, Apple’s ready-made software experience can provide a way to offer advanced digital features without developing every part of the system independently. The source also states that 85 percent of buyers prefer Apple’s interface over stock software. This consumer preference can make support for CarPlay Ultra attractive to companies that want to provide a familiar digital experience while meeting expectations for modern connected vehicles.

10. The Future of CarPlay Ultra

The different decisions surrounding CarPlay Ultra show that the automotive industry is divided over how much control technology companies should have inside vehicles. Apple wants to move CarPlay beyond phone projection and into the wider digital cockpit, while automakers are deciding whether that deeper integration fits their long-term software strategies. Some companies see value in Apple’s established interface and consumer familiarity, while others are investing heavily in proprietary systems to maintain control over their vehicles.

Future Dashboard Priorities:

• Consumer preferences
• Software control
• Brand identity
• Vehicle data
• Long-term revenue

The debate is part of a wider shift toward software-defined vehicles, where the dashboard is becoming an important part of the ownership experience. Automakers must balance customer demand for familiar interfaces with their own goals for software revenue, data control, and vehicle identity. With some manufacturers adopting CarPlay Ultra and others rejecting it or moving away from Apple software, the competition over who controls the digital dashboard is likely to remain an important issue in the automotive industry.