Apple Preparing to Allow Third-Party AI Voice Apps in CarPlay [Report]

Apple is reportedly preparing to open CarPlay to third-party artificial intelligence apps, potentially paving the way for services like ChatGPT and Google Gemini to offer voice control directly from the dashboard. The move would mark a significant shift for the platform, which has historically restricted voice-controlled assistance to Siri.



According to Bloomberg, Apple is working to support these apps in CarPlay within the coming months. Until now, drivers wanting to interact with more advanced chatbots have relied on workarounds, such as routing audio through the car's speakerphone or using Shortcut-based integrations from the iPhone. With this update, AI providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google would be able to release dedicated CarPlay apps featuring a voice-control mode. This means a driver could ask ChatGPT for nearby restaurant recommendations without taking their hands off the wheel.


There are specific limitations to how this integration would work. Apple is reportedly not planning to let users replace Siri as the system-wide assistant. You will not be able to map the steering wheel voice button or use a wake word to summon a third-party bot. Instead, users will need to launch the specific app from the CarPlay dashboard to activate it. To make this smoother, developers will be able to design their apps so that voice mode begins listening immediately upon launch.

While opening the door to competitors, Apple continues to refine its own in-house technology. The company is preparing a major update to Siri, internally dubbed "World Knowledge Answers." The upgrade is said to bring ChatGPT-style web search and summarization capabilities. Apple has also entered into a partnership with Google to power parts of its next-generation features, acknowledging the rapid pace of development in the sector.

The platform last saw major changes with the release of iOS 26, which introduced widgets and the new Liquid Glass interface. Beyond the standard version found in millions of vehicles, Apple is slowly rolling out its next-generation experience. Often referred to as CarPlay Ultra, this immersive interface, which extends Apple's software deeper into vehicle controls, is expanding beyond luxury brands like Aston Martin to include mass-market manufacturers like Hyundai and Kia later this year.

Even with pushback from manufacturers like Rivian, CarPlay remains a dealbreaker for many car buyers. Recent reports indicate that even Tesla is finally working to add support after years of resisting the feature. Bringing third-party chatbots into CarPlay would give Apple another way to expand the platform's capabilities as in-car software expectations continue to evolve.


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