Mercedes, Audi, Volvo Reject Apple's New CarPlay Ultra [Report]

Apple's ambitious new CarPlay Ultra is running into some serious resistance from the very automakers it needs to succeed. Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Volvo are among the major car brands that say they have no plans to adopt the deeply integrated system, according to a recent report from the Financial Times. The pushback highlights a growing turf war over who controls the dashboard and the valuable data that comes with it.



The report notes that German luxury brands Mercedes-Benz and Audi, along with Volvo, Polestar, and Renault, have no plans to bring the upgraded software to their vehicles. One executive from Renault, which is developing its own software with Google and Qualcomm, told Apple: "Don't try to invade our own systems." This sentiment reflects a broader trend of carmakers hoping to generate more revenue from their own in-car services and vehicle data.


CarPlay Ultra, first unveiled by Apple in 2022, is designed to integrate more deeply with a vehicle's systems than the standard version of CarPlay. It can take over multiple screens, including the instrument cluster, to display information like speed and fuel levels, and allows users to control features like climate and radio without leaving the CarPlay interface.

The pushback comes just as the new system is beginning to roll out. Aston Martin recently became the first automaker to introduce CarPlay Ultra in its vehicles. Apple has also stated that Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, and Porsche plan to add support for the new software in future models.

Carmakers are in a tough spot, as consumer demand for systems like CarPlay remains high. A 2023 McKinsey survey found that nearly half of car buyers would not purchase a vehicle if it lacked CarPlay or Android Auto, and 85% of those who use such systems prefer them to the car's native interface.

Data privacy is a key consideration in these integrations. People close to Aston Martin told the Financial Times that clear lines were drawn on data sharing, with vehicle data stored within Aston Martin's own system. Apple has also said that vehicle data is not shared with the iPhone.


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