► Apple CarPlay Ultra is finally here
► Debuts in Aston Martin cars
► A supercharged version of the CarPlay we know
This is Apple CarPlay Ultra, the endgame when it comes to smartphone and infotainment integration. Debuting in Aston Martin cars first, it’ll see Apple’s software spread throughout the car and not just a portion of the touch screen – from the infotainment’s main UI to the cockpit dials.
Aston Martin says it’ll come as standard on all new orders in the USA and Canada from today, and will be available as an update for cars that use Gaydon’s next-gen infotainment system. It’ll expand to other markets in the next 12 months.
Unlike Google’s HMI as seen in the Polestar 4 for instance, which runs natively at all times, Apple CarPlay Ultra will require an Apple smartphone to work and is best thought of a supercharged version of the existing CarPlay system. To that end, you’ll need a iPhone 12 or newer, running at least iOS 18.54. If you don’t have an iPhone, you’ll continue to be able to use Aston’s baked-in next-gen infotainment software.
‘Aston Martin is delighted to have collaborated with Apple, and to be first to launch CarPlay Ultra,’ said Aston CEO Adrian Hallmark. ‘The integration of CarPlay Ultra is a clear example of the dedication to collaborate with the best companies in the world to bring unique experiences and in-vehicle capabilities to our customers.
‘Building on our in-house state-of-the-art infotainment system, CarPlay Ultra will provide additional functionality and personalisation opportunities which place Aston Martin at the forefront of infotainment in the sector.’
Until now Apple CarPlay has been contained within the main infotainment screen, and only data – such as navigation and music – has often spilled over to the instrument cluster. It also hasn’t controlled anything outside of smartphone-related functions such as navigation, music or podcasts. In contrast, the new software sees Apple CarPlay’s look and feel extend well beyond the touchscreen to every area of the car. It’s essentially an iOS takeover.
With that in mind, drivers will be able to customise the look and layout of speedometer and tachometer dials, and display apps and media how they wish. Again, think of the set up on an iPhone but in a car, and you’re pretty much there.
CarPlay Ultra will be connected to every area of the car, so it’ll also be operated via any switchgear in the car – or via voice. The linked-up nature of the system means it’ll have greater access to the car’s ‘brain’ allowing you to do things like change the climate controls with Siri voice assistance, for example.
Back in 2022 when Apple first announced this next-gen CarPlay, the examples used came from both Porsche and Aston Martin – and it seems Gaydon has beaten Stuttgart to the punch. At the time Apple said this software would launch in 2024, by the way.
More interesting is the context of this software, and the volatile relationship car brands have with big tech. Over the last few years, lines have been quietly drawn while partnerships have been publicly signed. With the onset of EVs and their rather analogous powertrains, many car brands have looked to preserve as many touchpoints with the consumer as they can – including an infotainment OS.
It’s particularly key for premium brands – who need to justify their price more so than cheaper brands, to whom CarPlay and Android Auto are a great one-stop-shop for a base level of technology and UX. Has Aston Martin played a blinder, or is this the new norm?
We’ll update this article when we go hands on.
Curtis Moldrich is CAR magazine’s Digital Editor and has worked for the brand for the past five years. He’s responsible for online strategy, including CAR’s website, social media channels such as X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, and helps on wider platform strategy as CAR magazine branches out on to Apple News+ and more.
CAR's Digital Editor, F1 and sim-racing enthusiast. Partial to clever tech and sports bikes