Apple’s next-generation CarPlay experience may finally be moving beyond a niche audience. After first being previewed in 2022 as a system that could span every screen in a vehicle’s dashboard, the updated interface has so far appeared only in a handful of high-end models. That limited rollout now looks set to change, according to reporting from Mark Gurman.
Gurman says Apple’s next-gen CarPlay, often referred to as CarPlay Ultra, is expected to arrive in at least one new model from Hyundai or Kia in the second half of this year. If that happens, it would mark a meaningful shift from the system’s current positioning. Until now, the updated interface has been limited to ultra-luxury vehicles such as the Aston Martin DB12 and the Porsche Taycan, keeping it out of reach for most drivers.
The slow pace of adoption has raised questions about automaker interest, but Gurman suggests the bottleneck is largely technical. Unlike standard CarPlay, which mirrors select iPhone apps onto a portion of the infotainment screen, CarPlay Ultra is deeply integrated into the vehicle. It can take over the instrument cluster, climate controls, and other system displays, pulling in real-time vehicle data. That level of integration requires close collaboration between Apple’s design teams and individual automakers, turning each deployment into a custom engineering project rather than a simple software add-on.
That complexity also feeds into a broader concern among car manufacturers: control. Allowing Apple access to core dashboard functions means ceding part of the in-car experience to an external company. Some automakers remain cautious, especially given Apple’s long-rumored and ultimately shelved efforts to build its own vehicle, which may have heightened competitive sensitivities.
The report also points to a separate but related development involving Tesla. Long known for resisting Apple’s in-car software, Tesla is now said to be working on adding CarPlay support. According to Gurman, this would be the standard version of CarPlay rather than the full next-generation experience. Even so, it would represent a notable reversal for Tesla, whose vehicles have historically excluded CarPlay and Android Auto, forcing owners to rely on built-in alternatives or workarounds.
If Tesla does adopt standard CarPlay, it would give drivers more direct access to Apple services like Maps and Music, though it would stop short of Apple’s more ambitious vision for full dashboard control. The move would also underscore a growing divergence across the industry.
While Apple is expanding its footprint with brands like Hyundai and Kia, other manufacturers are moving in the opposite direction. General Motors has confirmed plans to drop CarPlay entirely from future vehicles in favor of its own infotainment software. Rivian has taken a similar stance, with CEO RJ Scaringe previously criticizing CarPlay as a workaround for weak native systems.
Together, these moves highlight a fragmented landscape for in-car software. Apple’s next-gen CarPlay is no longer confined to luxury showpieces, but its broader future will depend on how many automakers are willing to embrace deeper integration, and how many prefer to keep the dashboard firmly under their own control.
