While GM is fumbling the bag after getting rid of CarPlay and Android Auto in its EVs, Apple is taking CarPlay to the next level.
Apple announced back at WWDC 2022 that the next generation of CarPlay would be upon us later that year. Well, its about a year late, but we now have an idea of what it may look like and what cars will have it.
Thanks to Cool Hunting, we now know that Porsche and Aston Martin will be the two manufacturers to feature the new hotness in 2024. Aston Martin wasn’t a part of the original line-up of vehicles, but things change.
Aston Martin
Aston Martin has meticulously customized CarPlay to complement its brand ethos and driving experience. They have opted for a minimalist dual gauge layout that highlights their driver-centric cockpit using precise tick marks on the gauges, paying homage to the brand’s analog history. The text “Handbuilt in Great Britain” hugs the tachometer and the interface is accented with British racing green as a reminder of their heritage. The next generation of CarPlay is expected to be integrated into the Aston Martin lineup in 2024. We do not yet know if it will be available as an update in any existing models or if it’s limited to new cars.”
Josh Rubin, Cool Hunting
The Aston Martin does have a very understated look. It doesn’t look like it’s taking over the car too much. If anything, it seems like the CarPlay experience here will be similar to what we already have. It’s just extending more to the driver’s screen. Also, it looks to have integrated some of the climate controls, too.
Porsche
Utilizing the CarPlay design system provided by Apple, Porsche has adapted its interface to feature a distinctive three-dial layout, including a central power meter and a left-positioned speedometer, paying tribute to Porsche’s rich motorsports history. The customization extends to the use of circular graphics, inspired by the gauge borders in earlier Porsche vehicles. The circular drive mode indicator in the UI is specifically designed to match the driver mode knob, ensuring that the interface is both intuitive and functional. While we didn’t get to see screens of the different modes, it seems apparent that the colors, graphics and layouts for each drive mode can be designed to convey the emotion of that setting as they are in many auto manufacturer’s interfaces today.”
Josh Rubin, Cool Hunting
Now this is more in line with what Apple was showing off back in 2022. With Porsche, we’re getting three screens here. It doesn’t look like CarPlay is extending to the driver screen like Aston Martin did. They are using the bigger center console screen that I have seen in some current vehicles. But the huge difference here is the passenger-side screen. There are some features that may be out of reach for the driver like music control. I imagine it is configurable and this might be the setup for an actual passenger to let the driver focus.
More coming
Before I forget, there are other car manufacturers that pledged support for this next generation CarPlay:
- Land Rover
- Mercedes Benz
- Lincoln
- Audi
- Volvo
- Honda
- Porsche
- Nissan
- Ford
- Jaguar
- Acura
- Polestar
- Infiniti
- Renault
Concerns
After seeing these designs, while I think they’re cool, it brings me to a similar issue I had with GM’s Lyriq system. While I don’t think this will necessarily take over the car, I’m hoping that some of the displays operate independently of CarPlay. I’m specifically worried about the driving gauges and climate control.
What about Android Auto?
Also, I know owning cars like these may not be the best for Android Auto. I’m not sure what a basic Android Auto experience would look like on these cars. I don’t even know if Android Auto will even work. But, if it does, would Google take the opportunity to up its Android Auto game to work in these cars.
Only time will tell.
Source: 9to5Mac
