Apple confirms that first U.S. vehicle models with next-generation CarPlay support will debut this year

Apple has updated its website to confirm that the first U.S. vehicle models with next-generation CarPlay support will debut this year. However, it didn’t specify exactly when.

The tech giant previewed the next generation of CarPlay at the 2022 Worldwide Developer Conference (yep, its debut is running a bit behind). It will support content for multiple screens within a vehicle. Apple says that deeper integration with the vehicle will allow users to do things like control the radio or change the climate directly through CarPlay, and using the vehicle data, CarPlay will render the speed, fuel level, temperature, and more on the instrument cluster.

Users will be able to personalize their driving experience by choosing different gauge cluster designs, and with added support for widgets, users will have at-a-glance information from Weather and Music right on their car’s dashboard.

“With the next generation of CarPlay, we partnered with automakers to design an entirely new, unified experience that enables the very best of Apple and each particular automaker,” says lan Dye, Apple’s Vice President of Human Interface Design. “It is a blend of a user’s personal experience of iPhone paired with a celebration of the strong brand identity of each automaker. The next generation of CarPlay also introduces a driving experience that leverages the advanced capabilities of the car along with the power of iPhone. We’ve designed a complete system of controls that allows for seamless interactions between vehicle functions alongside the features of iPhone.”

The first beta of iOS 17.4 released today references eight new CarPlay apps, as discovered by MacRumors contributors Aaron Perris and Steve Moser:

• Auto Settings: This app will let you manage paired iPhones and adjust vehicle settings.
• Car Camera: This app will display the vehicle’s rear-view camera feed.
• Charge: For electric vehicles, this app will display battery level, charging status, time remaining until the battery is fully charged, and more.
• Climate: This app will provide access to a vehicle’s climate controls within CarPlay, allowing you to adjust the temperature of the A/C or heating system, fan speed, heated seats, heated steering wheel, and more.
• Closures: This app will display if any of the vehicle’s doors are opened, and it might also display vehicle warning symbols.
• Media: This app will provide access to FM and AM radio station controls within CarPlay, along with other media options like SiriusXM. It is unclear if SiriusXM will offer satellite connectivity, or remain limited to internet streaming. Users will be able to select from a list of music genres, such as Top 40 and Rock.
• Tire Pressure: This app will display air pressure for each of the vehicle’s tires, and provide low pressure, high pressure, and flat tire warnings.
• Trips: This app will provide a variety of driving-related data, including the vehicle’s average speed, fuel efficiency or energy efficiency, the total time elapsed and distance traveled on a trip, and more.