It’s been almost a yr since Apple unveiled its iOS 16 roadmap at its June 2022 Worldwide Builders Convention. Whereas a lot of the promised options have now arrived within the collection of level releases which have adopted, there’s one huge one we’re nonetheless ready on: Apple’s new “CarPlay 2.0” platform.
After all, this one isn’t solely as much as Apple; the bold and futuristic new CarPlay design requires that automakers get on board to permit even deeper integration into their in-car infotainment and electronics techniques, and that’s a a lot taller order than merely presenting a customized iPhone UI in your dashboard.
With CarPlay 2.0, Apple is giving us a glimpse of what the dashboard of a future Apple Automotive could appear to be, with the flexibility to take over the whole dashboard throughout a number of shows, rendering even gauges from a regular instrument cluster by means of the CarPlay interface. It additionally guarantees to let your iPhone monitor and management lots of your in-car techniques, from the car’s efficiency stats to the local weather management system.
This requires automakers to work with Apple to design “glass cockpits” for his or her autos appropriate for the brand new CarPlay design and supply all the required hooks to entry in-car techniques.
To be truthful, there’s no cause to imagine that CarPlay 2.0 is delayed — Apple stated from the start that we shouldn’t count on the primary supported automobiles to be introduced till late 2023 — however each the business and the rumor mill have been quiet sufficient about it to boost at the very least a number of questions.
When and The place Is CarPlay 2.0 Coming?
For one factor, Apple claimed to be working with a formidable listing of carmakers to carry this to fruition, together with Ford, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Infiniti, Honda, Acura, Jaguar, Land Rover, Audi, Nissan, Volvo, Porsche, and extra. Whereas a number of, like GM, had been conspicuous by their absence, that’s much less of a shock in hindsight.
Regardless of Apple’s announcement, many of those firms have been noncommittal at finest when requested about their plans. Solely 4 even tacitly dedicated to embracing the brand new CarPlay. BMW was most particular, saying it could “proceed the seamless integration of Apple’s ecosystem” and consider “how the most recent improvements introduced at WWDC could be built-in into our options.” Volvo and Polestar stated they plan to help the brand new CarPlay however supplied no specifics about when it could be coming to their autos. Mercedes-Benz confirmed it was having discussions with Apple as a routine a part of its coverage to guage “all probably related new applied sciences.”
As with most new car applied sciences, it appears unlikely CarPlay 2.0 shall be a widespread rollout from even Apple’s most devoted companions. For example, whereas BMW has at all times led the way in which in Apple integration, from wi-fi CarPlay to Automotive Key, the extra superior Extremely Wideband model stays restricted to the BMW X1 and new BMW iX1. That duo appears seemingly candidates for CarPlay 2.0, however the remainder of the BMW household is a query mark, at the very least within the brief time period.
In an fascinating twist, Ford might find yourself being a darkish horse on this race. The automaker had no remark final yr about plans for CarPlay 2.0, and plenty of haven’t been holding out a lot hope for an Apple partnership after it introduced two years in the past that it was cozying up with Google to have its automobile techniques working fully on Android.
Though CarPlay 2.0 might seemingly nonetheless run on an Android basis, Ford additionally meant to supply “Google apps and companies built-in to our autos, together with world-class map and voice expertise.” It appears unlikely the 2 firms would go to the trouble of constructing in Google Maps and Google Assistant simply to allow them to be pushed apart by the brand new CarPlay system. It additionally sounds precisely like what GM is doing in pushing out CarPlay fully.
Nonetheless, regardless of Ford’s guarantees to carry Android Automotive to at the very least a few of its 2023 fashions, Google’s Vehicles web page nonetheless lists the producer as “Coming Quickly.” It might be telling that Ford’s announcement of its partnership with Google additionally got here six months earlier than former Apple govt Doug Subject took the helm.
Subject spent a number of years heading up “Mission Titan” — Apple’s bold undertaking to create its personal self-driving automobile. He joined Apple in 2018 from Tesla, the place he was a Senior VP of Engineering, however he had additionally served as a VP of product design and engineering with Apple from 2008 to 2013 previous to his time with Tesla.
In 2021, Subject shocked the business when he left Apple to function “chief superior expertise and embedded techniques officer” for Ford — a place that has him reporting on to the President and CEO.
In that place, Subject is accountable for overseeing “the following technology of Ford’s related merchandise and experiences,” which might absolutely embrace integration and partnerships with Apple and Google. With almost a decade below his belt as a senior govt at Apple, he undoubtedly has some concepts about what course Ford ought to go in.
Whereas it’s seemingly pushed mainly by advertising and marketing spin within the aftermath of GM’s announcement that it could be abandoning CarPlay, Ford just lately issued a press release to 9to5Mac recommitting to the expertise, particularly inside its EVs.
After all, it’s nonetheless a stretch from “We proceed to supply Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as a result of prospects love the potential” to going all-in on CarPlay 2.0. Nonetheless, Ford is likely one of the firms on Apple’s listing of companions. If nothing else, the presence of Doug Subject as the important thing decision-maker provides Apple a longtime relationship inside Ford’s partitions.