Apple is facing resistance from the automotive industry over its CarPlay Ultra software system, which the tech group launched in an attempt to take over a vehicle’s dashboard for the first time.
German luxury brands Mercedes-Benz and Audi as well as Volvo Cars, Polestar, and Renault said they had no plans to bring the upgraded software to their vehicles, despite earlier indications from Apple that they would.
While few have followed General Motors, which announced in 2023 it would stop installing CarPlay or Android Auto on some of its EV models in North America, there is increasing debate as to how much carmakers should allow tech groups to take over the inside of a vehicle.
Some companies have found Apple’s foray into driver screens to be over-reach. One executive at Renault, which is developing a vehicle mainly controlled by software with Google and Qualcomm, said the French carmaker told Apple: “Don’t try to invade our own systems.”
CarPlay Ultra connects the vehicle not only to iPhone’s music and maps, but other vehicle information on the dashboard such as temperature, speed, and fuel use.
Aston Martin recently became the first carmaker to introduce the Apple system in its cars, but many other carmakers are developing their own infotainment system in the hope of generating more revenue from in-car services and vehicle data.
Credit: FT
A high percentage of new cars come with CarPlay, with the share reaching 98 percent in the US, according to Apple, and drivers in America using the system more than 600 million times per day.
Carmakers developing their own platforms are now facing a dilemma as the tech group looks to entrench its vast iPhone user base with CarPlay’s long-anticipated upgrade, offered for free.