Mercedes-Benz, Luxury Brands Say They Won’t Support Apple CarPlay Ultra
Mercedes-Benz and a few other luxury car makers say they won’t support Apple CarPlay Ultra years after agreeing to do so.
Apple CarPlay is a fixture in the modern infotainment market, including Mercedes-Benz’s most popular models. But CarPlay has been around for a while now. Nearly 21 years, to be exact. To keep things fresh and competitive, Apple partnered with luxury automakers like Aston Martin to debut Apple CarPlay Ultra.
14 automotive brands signed on in 2022 to feature the new CarPlay system that expands across “all the driver’s screens.” Now, however, several luxury automakers, including Mercedes-Benz, have pulled back from the original agreement.
Unlike the CarPlay you may be accustomed to at this point, CarPlay Ultra dominates more of what a driver is seeing at every moment. Therein lies the problem. Mercedes-Benz took issue with Apple controlling the digital dash screens in its vehicles. Apple calls it a “unified and consistent experience across all the driver’s screens.” Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius, on the other hand, sees it as a compromise on the “experience.”
Mercedes Isn’t Alone
According to a report from the Financial Times, “Some companies have found Apple’s foray into driver screens as over-reach. One executive at Renault, which is developing a vehicle mainly controlled by software with Google and Qualcomm, said the French carmaker told Apple: ‘Don’t try to invade our own systems.’”
It’s not just Mercedes-Benz, then. Volvo, Audi, Renault, and Polestar are just some of the brands expressing reluctance to adopt Apple CarPlay Ultra. In addition to those marques, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) says it is “still evaluating” the updated software. Of course, Jaguar doesn’t currently have any production vehicles in its lineup, but rather plans to begin selling EVs in 2026.
Apple seems to be maintaining its optimism that CarPlay Ultra will be a popular option. “We’re collaborating closely with automakers to provide the best of iPhone and the best of the car, and this work takes time,” an Apple spokesperson told the Financial Times. As of now, however, Aston Martin is the only automaker to offer CarPlay Ultra in the cabins of its production cars.
Photos: Apple
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