Apple is officially rolling out the next generation of CarPlay — and it’s called CarPlay Ultra. The update is available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the US and Canada, but it will be rolling out to existing models with supported infotainment systems in the “coming weeks.” Carmakers like Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis are also working on adding CarPlay Ultra, according to Apple.
CarPlay Ultra also lets drivers use onscreen controls, physical buttons, or Siri to manage a car’s radio and climate. It also adds widgets “powered by the iPhone that perfectly fit the car’s screen or gauge cluster to provide information at a glance.“ CarPlay Ultra works with the iPhone 12 or newer with iOS 18.5 or later.
Apple says CarPlay Ultra builds upon the previous version of CarPlay by providing “information for all of the driver’s screens.” That includes real-time content and gauges in the instrument cluster, “with dynamic and beautiful options for the speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, temperature gauge, and more.” Drivers will be able to show information from their iPhone as well, such as maps, media, advanced driver assistant systems, and tire pressure in the instrument cluster.
