The next generation of Apple’s CarPlay interface has been previewed in luxury cars made by Porsche and Aston Martin. The interface, which was first announced more than a year ago at Apple’s WWDC in 2022, is expected to be released next year in select models from the luxury automakers. It builds on previous versions of CarPlay, but will notably connect with all displays in a vehicle instead of just the central infotainment screen, according to Car and Driver.
With each manufacturer partnership, there will be some matching and customization options throughout the screens. For example, the background wallpapers and knobs can mimic a car brand’s style or look. Users will be able to personalize the widgets and apps that appear on the screen, mirroring the form and functions on Apple devices. The CarPlay display will show other key elements like the speed of the car, fuel and temperature on the instrument cluster.
While Porsche and Aston Martin are the first luxury carmakers to tease their collaborations with Apple for branded CarPlay systems, there are no timing specifics regarding the launch of the tool in any specific Porsche models. Aston Martin did share that it will debut CarPlay displays on the DB12 coupe and DB12 convertible in 2024 when they go on sale. Considering Porsche is owned by VW Group, we might see a trickle-down of the latest CarPlay features into VW and Audi models down the road.
