If you are an iPhone user you will have heard about CarPlay, the tool that Apple makes available to us to Accessing the main functions of the iPhone from the carThanks to CarPlay we can easily connect our mobile phone to the car and get directions to our destination, listen to our favorite music or answer calls, to name a few examples.
It’s been 10 years since its official presentation and CarPlay is very popular. In June 2022, the company announced that it was working on A completely new version of CarPlay with a much more ambitious goal: replace all vehicle displays and controlsThe problem is that the reception does not seem to be as good as expected.
The new generation of CarPlay is much more ambitious than the current one
Until now, CarPlay allowed us to use our iPhone from the screen of compatible vehicles. The new generation of CarPlay wants to go much further and promises to be the “final integration of the iPhone in the car”. It’s not just focused on the main screen: it also wants to replace the instrument panel interface of compatible vehicles.
Apple has shown on several occasions how the new CarPlay works, which promises to offer great customization possibilities so that each manufacturer can adapt the interface to each vehicle and properly convey the brand’s character. That is, even if two manufacturers use the new CarPlay in their vehicles, the experience will be completely different.
The new generation of CarPlay is expected to reach the first vehicles later this year, although everything seems to indicate that the new CarPlay It will take a while to make a place for itself among most vehicles on the market. For now, only Aston Martin and Porsche have shown how they are using the new CarPlay in their new vehicles.
Companies such as General Motors, Tesla and Mercedes have previously expressed opposition to using the new generation of CarPlay to replace the dashboard of their vehicles. The latest company to join this refusal has been Rivianthe electric vehicle manufacturer.
Speaking to The Verge, Rivian’s CEO has expressed interest in control the ecosystem of your vehiclessomething they think would not be possible using CarPlay. RJ Scaringe has made a very particular simile to argue his decision, stating that if Rivian were to bet on the integration of the new CarPlay in its vehicles It would be as if Apple had decided to use Windows on its computers.
Rivian’s CEO also explains that CarPlay is not capable of taking advantage of all the functions of the vehicle. In particular, he gives as an example the opening the front trunk of the vehiclesomething that couldn’t be done using CarPlay. Scaringe says they will work to integrate popular CarPlay features natively into their vehicles, even if that takes a lot longer than using Apple’s alternative.
Despite the popularity of the current version of CarPlay, everything points to the fact that the new generation will have a more difficult time making a place for itself among the main vehicle manufacturers. Manufacturers seem to be clear about this: they do not want to leave the development of the car in the hands of Apple. user experience control in their vehicles.
Via | Xataka
Cover image | Wes Hicks (Unsplash)