The next generation version of Apple CarPlay is making waves in the automotive space at Apple’s WWDC 2022 event today. It’s not just a minor update to the old, regular projection screen on the infotainment screen. No, today Apple proposed a system that could take over every screen in a car, including the instrument cluster.
As shown, Apple’s software powers every last part of a car’s user interface. By contrast, today’s Apple CarPlay can take over your infotainment system display, but that’s where the experience ends. The gauge cluster (if fully digital) and any other secondary displays are powered by OEM-designed software. In Apple’s example of the next-generation system, the instrument cluster essentially becomes an instrument cluster that supports Apple CarPlay, using Apple-designed gauges, widgets, and more. The look and feel you see on the cluster is highly customizable with a variety of gauges, Apple-designed layouts, and more. However, it should be a uniform and consistent experience across all vehicles capable of running this version of Apple CarPlay. Theoretically, the set of measures of a Porsche can be made to look exactly like a Nissanif both companies decide to support this level of integration.
How does this work? Apple says that “your iPhone communicates with the vehicle’s real-time system in a privacy-friendly on-device manner.” Yes, that’s extremely vague, but there’s no additional information available as of now. At the very least, it looks like the iPhone will continue to require the same wired or wireless connection to the car for the system to run. But again, that’s not made clear here.
Jump to 40:28 in the video above to see the section on Apple CarPlay.
The integration also goes deeper into the infotainment system. Instead of having to get out of CarPlay to tune in to the radio or tweak the climate control system (in cars that don’t have physical climate control), you can do both in the Apple software. CarPlay. This will indeed be a veritable takeover by Apple of your car’s vital everyday functions. You’ll be able to customize the display with widgets like the calendar app, the music app, and more, allowing you to move them between the central infotainment screen and the gauges as you like.
So when will it arrive? And which cars will be able to run the software? Apple doesn’t have a definite answer to either of these, but it did bring some branding to the screen and say it’s “excited to bring this new vision of CarPlay to customers.” These include Land Rover, Mercedes-BenzPorsche, Nissan, Ford, Lincoln, Audi, Jaguar, Acura, Volvo, Honda’s motobike, Infiniti, Polestar and Renault.
For now, Apple says it will begin announcing specific vehicles that will support it “later next year.” Basically, don’t expect this to be on cars anytime soon, as the first cars to be announced will be in late 2023.
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