Which top Chatbot apps work with CarPlay?

If you like using AI chatbots like ChatGPT on your phone, you’ll be happy to know that it’s also easy to access in your car, if you have a car with Apple CarPlay. This is thanks to an API that arrived with iOS 26.4 allowing developers to integrate AI chatbots into CarPlay, with a few already available. You just need to make sure you have the latest versions of their apps installed.

For added safety while driving, CarPlay-compatible AI tools work only via voice commands. Most of them let you return to an existing conversation from another device, at least. Before continuing, make sure your iPhone is running iOS 26.4 or later by visiting Settings > General > Software update. If an update is available, follow the steps to install it.

After that, open the App Store, tap your profile icon on the top right, choose App updatesswipe down to refresh, then choose Update all to ensure you have the latest versions of AI applications installed.

As the most popular AI robot, it’s no surprise that ChatGPT is CarPlay ready. If you already have it on your iPhone, you’ll find it on your CarPlay home screen. If you don’t have it yet, download ChatGPT for free from the App Store (the same goes for the other apps mentioned). With your iPhone connected to your car, tap the ChatGPT icon on CarPlay and select New voice chat. Then speak naturally when the app indicates it’s listening.

If you’re not a fan of ChatGPT, there are several other options available. The puzzlement is one, with xAI’s Meta AI and Grok also supported. More recently, Claude from Anthropic also joined the list of chatbots available on CarPlay. Additionally, if you’ve updated your iPhone to iOS 27, Siri AI is also available, although this requires an iPhone 15 Pro or later for Apple Intelligence.

When you open one of the apps in CarPlay, start a new conversation or pick up where you left off before (all with your voice). For Siri AI, try using the “Hey Siri” command if it is available in your car. You can ask questions about anything, like suggestions on what to do at your destination. If you drive alone, these chatbots can be a fun way to entertain yourself. Of course, remember that the AI ​​isn’t perfect and the answers aren’t always correct, so it’s always a good idea to double-check. Additionally, some conversations can be distracting and are best kept to when you are at home.

By default, newly supported CarPlay apps are added to the end of your Home screen. So it’s worth customizing your CarPlay display to make it easier to access your most used AI tools. On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > CarPlay. Select your car, then choose Applications. Here you can drag them to rearrange them and use red less icon to delete those you are not using.

AI chatbots in CarPlay have some annoying limitations. For one thing, you can’t access it with a wake word like you can with Siri; you will need to open their apps to start talking with them. Bots also can’t control anything in your car or other apps.

Additionally, their understanding of voice commands depends on the quality of your car’s microphones. If there is too much noise and/or poor microphones, chatbots may not understand what you are saying. Try closing windows to reduce outside noise or use apps when parked. If you continue to experience issues, try using the chatbot in another vehicle to see if the issue is specific to a car.

These chatbots should not be used for navigation, as they do not have access to your real-time location or a mapping service. You can ask for suggestions on places to visit, but they won’t be able to guide you there. The only chatbot that can do this is Siri AI, as it integrates with Apple Maps. You also need an internet connection to use these apps. A weak signal, or lack thereof, is the main reason they will stop working while you are driving.