Tesla is reportedly preparing for one of its largest software updates to date, incorporating Apple’s CarPlay into its car infotainment system. According to the reports, the company has already started internally testing the feature. This step is a dramatic shift to a brand that has been a difficult nut to crack in regard to embracing third-party software ecologies.
If successfully launched in the market, it will address one of the most frequent complaints from a potential buyer and may actually help Tesla shore up its sales.
Why CarPlay Matters More Than Ever
Since its launch in 2014, the CarPlay feature by Apple has become almost ubiquitous in the automotive sector. It also has a user-friendly, iPhone-friendly interface to communicate, Apple Music, Maps, Siri, and numerous others, including Spotify and Google Maps, among third-party applications. The ability to have smooth access to smartphones is not only a luxury for many drivers but a necessity.
This fact is highlighted in a 2024 study conducted by McKinsey and Co., which found that about a third of car buyers say not having CarPlay or Android Auto is a deal-breaker. With the competition in EVs stiffening up and Tesla sales slowing, the need to tune into consumer needs might never be as important as it is now.
What Tesla’s Version of CarPlay Will Look Like
The implementation of CarPlay in Tesla will not have the full-screen takeover multicast that has been seen on many other vehicles. Rather, the Apple interface will be implemented as a window of Tesla’s current infotainment system. This maintains the proprietary UI of Tesla, which is an element of its brand name, and yet provides access to the most popular functions of CarPlay in the hands of its users.
Notably:
CarPlay will not connect with FSD (Full Self-Driving). The Tesla drivers will continue using Tesla-owned navigation in case of autonomous driving features.
Tesla will utilize the common CarPlay, rather than CarPlay Ultra, a new luxurious model that other makers have adapted to be controlled throughout the system, like climate, seats, and instrument clusters.
It will have wireless CarPlay functionality, which will enable the phone to connect without being plugged into the car.
To put it simply, Tesla is taking on CarPlay, but on its terms.
Why Tesla’s Stance Is Changing Now
There has always been a bad relationship between Tesla and Apple. Elon Musk has publicly called out the policies of the App Store, and tension between them has existed for years early when Apple was said to have stolen Tesla engineers to work on its now-abandoned EV project, Project Titan.
But the landscape has now changed. In 2024, Apple abandoned efforts in EV, and Project Titan was canceled. Musk is progressively increasing his dependence on Apple to distribute both X (previously Twitter) and his Grok AI service. The situation on the Tesla market is more difficult, and the company has to overcome the demands of buyers, such as the absence of CarPlay support.
In this respect, the issue of adding CarPlay is now a strategically and commercially beneficial one.
Timing Remains Uncertain
Tesla has not yet determined a release date, although testing is in progress. The company has, in the past, cancelled or postponed features that it had extensively developed. Therefore, although the support of CarPlay is more probable than ever, it is not certain. Neither Tesla nor Apple has made any public remarks concerning the initiative.
