Carmakers are abandoning CarPlay in 2026: here’s why

Apple CarPlay has offered drivers a great alternative to bulky automotive infotainment systems for over a decade. Its principle is simple: connect your iPhone and use the applications you already know. Like Android Auto, CarPlay is a service that automakers have adopted in large numbers and with relative enthusiasm, at least until recently.

Some of these same manufacturers are starting to backtrack. General Motors, for example, has removed CarPlay from its electric vehicles and plans to remove it altogether. Tesla and Rivian have never offered support, although Tesla has reportedly tested CarPlay.

Removing CarPlay erases a layer of convenience for you as a driver. But for the manufacturer, it gives better control over the data and services you use. Automakers might argue that removing it allows for better integration with the car, but with CarPlay Ultra seeking to close the gap, that disagreement is likely to get worse.

Apple CarPlay’s greatest strength is consistency. You can get into any compatible car and, regardless of screen type or size, you’ll see the same interface. The apps you use on your phone, as well as your contacts, are all accessible. You don’t need to transfer anything or create new accounts to get started.

Drivers don’t have to worry about the usefulness of the built-in infotainment systems, since you can override them with CarPlay. Before the CarPlay and Android Auto era, drivers were stuck with the manufacturer-built infotainment system. It wasn’t consistent, and many didn’t last long: MyFord Touch on Ford and Lincoln cars only lasted five years. BMW, meanwhile, tried to charge $80 a year for access to CarPlay. Navigation was a common problem with older systems. Maps quickly became obsolete and sometimes required costly updates to update them.

It made sense for manufacturers to add CarPlay (and Android Auto) support to their vehicles: they could leave most of the functionality to Apple’s (or Google’s) system while focusing on other areas. Apple CarPlay now supports over 800 different models, so the arrangement has certainly taken root.

For manufacturers, however, handing over the dashboard to Apple has become a bit of a problem. Electric cars, in particular, require much deeper integration between the dashboard software and the vehicle itself. A host of features on electric vehicles aren’t a great fit for Apple CarPlay, including battery preconditioning and manufacturer-specific charging controls. Standard CarPlay sits on top of the car’s software to effectively act as a mirroring app for your phone, and you may have to leave it if you need a feature that Apple’s solution doesn’t support.

CarPlay support is important for drivers. Apple claimed at WWDC 2022 that 79% of car buyers wouldn’t choose a model without CarPlay support, while a more recent survey suggested that losing CarPlay was a “deal breaker” for 55% of its users. Consistency makes CarPlay familiar and easy to use. However, for those who make the cars, Apple controlling which parts of the on-screen experience we see and use most means that manufacturers have less control and power. Some companies decide that this compromise no longer suits them.

General Motors is the one that has made the biggest pivot with CarPlay so far. The process has already begun by removing support for CarPlay and rival Android Auto from its new electric models, including the Chevrolet Blazer EV. It’s also expected to begin removing support for gasoline cars once its own centralized computing platform launches around 2028. You won’t see support suddenly drop for existing cars, but newer models will only have GM’s alternative.

Ironically, this alternative is built around Android Automotive (not Android Auto), Google’s autonomous automotive operating system. Rather than simply mirroring your phone’s apps, Android Automotive runs the apps directly on the car itself. You won’t need to connect a smartphone at all.

General Motors says this gives its software a much deeper understanding of the vehicle underneath. Navigation is an obvious example. While running GM’s new Android Automotive system, Google Maps can factor an electric vehicle’s remaining charge and estimated range into its route planning, giving you appropriate charging stops along the way.

The idea is that you won’t need your phone to act as an intermediary, a fact mentioned by GM executive Mike Hichme in an interview in 2023. He suggested that he didn’t want GM’s infotainment system to be “dependent on someone having a cell phone,” as it is now.

Of course, keeping it all native means GM has more control over the data when using these services. It allows you to learn more about how drivers use the car, such as when planning routes or charging their electric vehicle. While built-in apps rely on the car’s own data connection (instead of your phone’s mobile plan, which adds yet another expense), some might require a subscription once the free period expires. It also has more opportunities to sell connected services later.

Better integration is GM’s public pitch, but keeping the dashboard for itself could also pay off. This control, however, comes with a trust issue. In January, the FTC banned General Motors from selling driver data for five years after it allegedly collected and sold behavioral data without informed consent.

GM might suggest that standard CarPlay is too limiting, but Apple has a response to that criticism. CarPlay Ultra goes way beyond mirroring iPhone apps to your car’s screen. This is a solution for the entire car, including the instrument cluster, where it can display your car’s speed and tire pressure as well as Apple Maps directions.

CarPlay Ultra is Apple’s biggest attempt to close this gap. It manages the systems a driver interacts with, including radio and climate controls, so you won’t need to switch between interfaces. Manufacturers will be able to create their own themes based on the aesthetics of the car.

The downside is that you’ll still need your iPhone. GM’s complaint about the iPhone’s dependency problem isn’t solved by CarPlay Ultra, because it still relies (for now) on your phone’s processing power to work. This also doesn’t solve the Apple problem itself; Manufacturers will have to share vehicle data and work closely with Apple to integrate the system. For companies like GM that want to own the entire software experience, CarPlay Ultra would arguably be a step in the wrong direction.

This may be why adoption of CarPlay Ultra has been slow, at least for now. Aston Martin is the only manufacturer currently offering it, although brands like Hyundai and Kia have suggested they will at a later date (unconfirmed). Fortunately, CarPlay remains available on hundreds of car models, allowing you to continue the iPhone experience while you drive for years to come.