It turns out not every shiny new Apple product is a guaranteed hit, especially when it threatens to upstage the egos running your local car company.
Apple’s latest automotive push, CarPlay Ultra, was announced with typical Cupertino confidence. It’s not just a software update. It’s a total takeover.
With CarPlay Ultra, Apple wants to control every screen inside your car from the entertainment display to the instrument cluster, climate controls, and even the reversing cameras. Your BMW dashboard? Now an iPhone home screen with gear paddles.
And that’s exactly why most car brands are saying, “Thanks, but no thanks, Tim.”
While Apple fans might be salivating at the idea of a seamless, all-screen iOS experience behind the wheel, carmakers aren’t thrilled.
Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Volvo and Polestar have all declined to adopt the system.
Only Aston Martin, a niche player in the luxury market, has signed on so far likely to score some Silicon Valley relevance. A brand that’s up 30% in sales in the local Australian market.
The resistance is less about the technology and more about the politics.
Carmakers have spent the last decade trying to build their own digital ecosystems. They’ve hired software engineers, UX teams, and AI consultants to catch up with Tesla, Google and Apple. The idea of handing over the entire user experience to a third party even a polished one feels like admitting defeat.
Maybe the Chinese brands will? Unlikely as the data beef continues.
Then there’s the issue of data. Apple claims its systems prioritise privacy, but let’s be real. Whoever controls the screen controls the user behaviour.
That means data on navigation, vehicle performance, habits, and preferences all invaluable to a car brand’s bottom line could soon live in Apple’s walled garden instead.
Ironically, standard CarPlay (and Android Auto) is still wildly popular. Most drivers love it. But CarPlay Ultra changes the balance. It doesn’t just enhance the car’s system it replaces it entirely.
For Apple, this is about future-proofing the brand against whatever EV dashboard wars lie ahead. For carmakers, it feels more like an existential threat. Who owns the customer relationship? Who defines the driving experience?
Until those questions are resolved, CarPlay Ultra looks less like a revolution and more like an overreach. And for now, it’s staying parked.
