It’s been more than a decade since Apple unveiled the original version of CarPlay. In that time, the system has become indispensable for countless drivers all over the world. But while new iterations of iOS have introduced user interface tweaks and some additional customization features, its basic functionality hasn’t advanced much since that announcement back in March 2014. This changes with the introduction of CarPlay Ultra.
First shown at WWDC 2022 and now available on any iPhone 12 or newer that’s running iOS 18.5 or later, CarPlay Ultra is designed to deliver greater integration with the vehicle itself, offering not only the ability to have CarPlay on multiple displays within the vehicle but also the option to adjust things like climate controls and drive mode settings from within the CarPlay interface. Much like the original version of CarPlay, CarPlay Ultra has had a protracted gestation period and is finally making its debut in Aston Martin’s high-performance SUV, the DBX707.
The fact that Aston Martin is the first out of the gate with support for CarPlay Ultra illustrates just how much the company’s approach to technology has evolved in recent years. Like many low-volume auto manufacturers, Aston Martin has a history of partnering with other automakers in order to gain access to technologies that are simply too expensive for the British outfit to develop by itself. That’s why models like the DBX707 and Vantage sports car are powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 that’s supplied by Mercedes-AMG and then further tuned by Aston Martin.
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That’s certainly not a bad thing, though — with 697 horsepower on tap and an exhaust note that sounds like Beelzebub gargling a mouthful of nails, the DBX707’s powertrain dishes out performance and character in equal measure. But the downside of this technical partnership, which was established in 2013, is that Mercedes-Benz refused to provide Aston Martin with the latest versions of its infotainment tech, so the vehicle’s systems were effectively outdated before they even landed in showrooms.
Recognizing that the infotainment system has become an integral part of the driving experience and is something that an owner will likely interact with every time they get into a vehicle, Aston Martin recently struck out on its own and built one from scratch. But this development also raises a question: why give Apple more control of the in-car technology if you finally have an infotainment system worth touting?
An Aston Martin representative said that while offering more choice and personalization options factored into the decision, it ultimately came down to customer requests. They also noted that familiarity is a big factor: with a luxury brand like Aston Martin, many of its customers have multiple vehicles, and CarPlay removes some of the friction involved in reacclimating to a vehicle’s operating system each time they switch from one to another. That certainly makes sense, but what does CarPlay Ultra actually offer for the other 99 percent of us? Quite a bit, as it turns out.
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