Apple’s Next-Gen CarPlay: Everything We Know So Far

Apple first previewed the next generation of CarPlay at WWDC 2022, alongside the iOS 16 update. It’s been more than two years now, but the CarPlay 2 is yet to be available on any vehicle. That said, several rumors and leaks give us an idea of how the new Apple car software will look and work. With the next-gen CarPlay, Apple plans to completely take over every screen in your vehicle by deeply integrating the new software with your car’s hardware. Here’s everything we know about Apple’s next-gen CarPlay in 2024.

Integration with Instrument Cluster

Apple’s CarPlay 2024 will seamlessly integrate with the car’s instrument cluster, including speedometer, odometer, fuel gauge, tachometer, oil pressure gauge, engine temperature gauge, and more. The vehicle interior designers will have the freedom to include bespoke graphics, logos, and instrument cluster layouts that seamlessly fit in and express the overall feel and character of a brand. So, drivers can enjoy a personalized experience by selecting curated gauge cluster designs and layouts, including classic brand‑specific designs.

Multi-Display Support

With the new CarPlay, Apple plans to take over complete dashboards, even the ones with multiple displays. It means, the next-gen CarPlay will have multi-display support, so it will appear across all displays of your vehicle for a more cohesive experience across the car’s infotainment system, instrument cluster, and any other screens on the dashboard. Apple also mentioned that the new CarPlay will be customized so it accommodates unique screen shapes and layouts for each vehicle model. The automakers will have complete freedom over the look and layout of their dash, and there will be signature looks for different car brands as well.

Last year, Apple also shared what its bespoke designs will look like. For instance, Apple showed an Aston Martin with an infotainment system and instrument cluster that features classy silver gauges and racing green outlines. Another render shows Porsche screens with Apple fonts and design against a signature Porsche houndstooth background.

Climate Controls & Additional Vehicle Settings

The CarPlay interface, which currently shows a handful of apps will be expanded to include buttons for climate control and shortcuts to control temperature right from the home screen. So, you will be able to adjust the temperature of your AC or heating system and control fan speed, heated steering wheel, heated seats, and other options. Also, there will be additional vehicle settings available from an easy-to-use app within the ecosystem, so the driver can change the drive mode or assistance features, without any hassle. That’s not all. The new CarPlay 2 will display pop-up notifications for electric vehicles, so the driver knows the charge status and remaining charge time. Furthermore, there will be deep integration with rear-facing cameras and functionality for park assistance.

Widgets

Widgets will be the core of the new CarPlay arriving in 2024. This will take the driving experience to a whole new level by offering at-glance information like the weather, trip duration, distance traveled, fuel economy, calendar events, phone calls, and more. Also, you can view the status of your HomeKit-compatible devices like the Front Door, Garage Lock, and more. As a part of the new CarPlay experience, Apple will also its users to view and scroll through the widgets within the instrument cluster. You can browse through the available options and add the best widgets that suit your requirements. All in all, the next-gen of CarPlay will make the best use of your vehicle’s screens.

A Fully Wireless CarPlay

While the new CarPlay looks exciting, it looks like not everyone can take advantage of the next-gen features. According to The Verge, the next generation of CarPlay is going fully wireless. So, if your car doesn’t support wireless CarPlay, you’ll be out of luck, sadly. Given the rumors and leaks, we know that the new version of CarPlay won’t be just about mirroring your iPhone. Apple wants to handle everything from music and navigation to speedometers and climate control. To do this, it needs real-time data from your car. For instance, Apple wants CarPlay to start and show you the instrument cluster when you turn your car on. It shouldn’t be delayed until you plug in an iPhone, and that could be one of the biggest reasons for the new CarPlay 2024 to go fully wireless.

However, we also know that wireless connections are less stable and reliable than wired ones. With the slightest of hiccups, you could lose track of your car’s vital functions. Of course, Apple would have made some changes to make the wireless connection more stable. It will be interesting to see how Apple plans its technology and software to fit everything into the right place.

New CarPlay Apps

Apart from a new design and impressive features, we’ll get to see an array of new CarPlay apps that will deliver greater vehicle control. The iOS 17.4 version includes references to 8 new apps that we’ll get to see in CarPlay 2024. Let’s have a quick look at them:

• Auto Settings to manage paired iPhones and adjust vehicle settings.
• Charge to display charging status, battery level, and more.
• Car Camera will display your car’s rear-view camera feed.
• Closures will display vehicle warning symbols and also indicate if any doors are opened.
• Climate to adjust the temperature of your AC or heating system and control fan speed, heated steering wheel, heated seats, and other options.
• Media will provide access to FM and AM radio station controls.
• Trips to provide driving-related data like car’s average speed, energy/fuel efficiency, and more.
• Tyre Pressure will show you the air pressure for each tire. It will also display low-pressure, high-pressure, and flat tire warnings.

Also, Apple will introduce an all-new Media app that will let you control the FM radio in your vehicle, such as changing the station.

What Cars Will Get the Next Gen CarPlay

Apple’s CarPlay 2 will only be available on high-end models, with very few manufacturers having committed to its launch. Here’s a list of committed automakers:

• Audi
• Acura
• Ford
• Honda
• Infiniti
• Jaguar
• Lincoln
• Land Rover
• Nissan
• Mercedes Benz
• Porsche
• Renault
• Volvo

There’s no information about whether the existing vehicles with CarPlay support will get the new CarPlay features and apps.

Next-Gen CarPlay Launch Date

In December 2023, automakers Aston Martin and Porsche previewed their dashboards with Apple’s next-generation CarPlay experience, but we haven’t seen any vehicles with such support yet. The official Apple website only says that the first models with next-gen CarPlay will arrive in 2024. At the moment, there’s no exact timeframe for when Apple will update its CarPlay, but we shouldn’t have to wait for a very long time as we’re already in Q3 now.

That’s everything we know so far about Apple’s next generation of CarPlay. We’ll update this piece as soon as new suggestions and leaks pile up in the coming weeks. So, stay tuned!