During its WWDC 2022, Apple announced a new version of its automotive interface, CarPlay. Aiming to go further than a simple smartphone replication interface, it intends to integrate the car’s controls, such as those for ventilation, but also the instrumentation. The objective is therefore to offer a unified and customizable visual environment for manufacturers, who could offer interfaces adapted to their vehicles.
Interfaces specific to each manufacturer
Apple had already presented a generic mock-up, but we were impatiently waiting to see how manufacturers would use its new interface. This is now done, with the publication of the first two examples, one from Porsche, the other from Aston Martin, relayed by Cool Hunting And Car and Driver.
The heart of the interface changes little, with a display on the central screen similar to the current version of CarPlay. The other car screens, such as that of the instrumentation or that dedicated to the passenger at Porsche, now respect the same graphic charter. The latter does not revolutionize Porsche’s current interfaces, with its three meters behind the steering wheel, for example. The central screen, however, adopts a square format, which does not correspond to any current model from the brand.
Aston Martin has opted for more discreet interfaces, with fairly traditional instrumentation. It has two meters and a central display, used in this example to display the music being listened to. Too bad, we don’t find the famous tachometer going counterclockwise, but a more classic model, which however includes the inscription “Handbuilt in Great Britain” (assembled by hand in Great Britain). At the English brand, this new interface should arrive in 2024 on models such as the DB12. Let’s hope that the DBX SUV quickly benefits from such an improvement, in order to put an end to it. with its prehistoric non-touch interface, very disabling for a model supposed to be used on a daily basis.
Many other brands should benefit from this new interface from Apple. Land Rover, Mercedes, Lincoln, Audi, Volvo, Honda, Nissan, Ford, Jaguar, Acura, Polestar, Infiniti and Renault have already been announced. Please note, it will still be necessary to connect your iPhone to the car to use CarPlay, as with the current version or for Android Auto, but unlike Google’s Android Automotive operating system. According to Apple, the connected iPhone will not retrieve the data provided by the car to its new interface.