Photo: Apple/autoevolution edits
CarPlay and Android Auto have already conquered the automotive space, with most new-generation cars on the road offering support for at least one of the two platforms, their new-generation iterations are the subject of a complex controversy that has divided carmakers into two sides.
CarPlay 2.0 and Android Automotive offer more advanced capabilities by getting access to more vehicle data. Carmakers no longer seem willing to give in to Google and Apple and plan to invest heavily in software. Mercedes has recently confirmed that it won't adopt the new-generation CarPlay in its cars, as its strategy is going all-in on in-house software.
Polestar has a different strategy.
The company's CEO recently explained in a podcast that adopting CarPlay 2.0 is definitely on the company's agenda if customers want it.
However, Thomas Ingenlath insisted on a subject that the entire industry got wrong. The software powering the car is not Apple's. It belongs to the carmaker, powering the drivetrain, safety systems, and everything else besides infotainment.
Allowing Apple and Google in the car doesn't mean the two companies "are taking over." Ingenlath says Polestar wants to offer a "very competitive and great original experience," but if customers want CarPlay 2.0, they'll get it.
Polestar's models are powered by Android Automotive and Google Automotive Services. However, Google's embedded system also allows Android Auto and CarPlay if the car manufacturer decides to enable them.
The new-generation CarPlay is still powered by an iPhone, compared to Android Automotive, which is preloaded at the vehicle level. CarPlay 2.0 will still get access to more data, but its main selling point is the support for all screens in the car, including the instrument cluster.
Only two carmakers confirmed support for the new-generation CarPlay experience. Aston Martin and Porsche will release the first models with CarPlay 2.0 later this year. Apple originally promised more carmakers would offer its updated system, but considering the new experience is already late to the party, it's becoming increasingly difficult for the iPhone maker to ensure en-masse adoption.
Apple has no option but to bet all-in on vehicle software. Its car project failed, with the company suspending the work on a vehicle after one decade. The automotive strategy put the car at the forefront of the automotive expansion, with software like CarPlay and Apple Maps coming in second. Now that the Apple Car has failed, Apple is rethinking its automotive strategy, and bringing CarPlay and Apple Maps to more vehicles is a priority.
Apple is expected to discuss more details about its new-generation CarPlay experience at WWDC next month. The system was originally announced in 2022, with Apple promising the first vehicles by the end of 2023. It's May 2024 and the new CarPlay is still nowhere to be seen.
Polestar has a different strategy.
The company's CEO recently explained in a podcast that adopting CarPlay 2.0 is definitely on the company's agenda if customers want it.
However, Thomas Ingenlath insisted on a subject that the entire industry got wrong. The software powering the car is not Apple's. It belongs to the carmaker, powering the drivetrain, safety systems, and everything else besides infotainment.
Allowing Apple and Google in the car doesn't mean the two companies "are taking over." Ingenlath says Polestar wants to offer a "very competitive and great original experience," but if customers want CarPlay 2.0, they'll get it.
Polestar's models are powered by Android Automotive and Google Automotive Services. However, Google's embedded system also allows Android Auto and CarPlay if the car manufacturer decides to enable them.
The new-generation CarPlay is still powered by an iPhone, compared to Android Automotive, which is preloaded at the vehicle level. CarPlay 2.0 will still get access to more data, but its main selling point is the support for all screens in the car, including the instrument cluster.
Only two carmakers confirmed support for the new-generation CarPlay experience. Aston Martin and Porsche will release the first models with CarPlay 2.0 later this year. Apple originally promised more carmakers would offer its updated system, but considering the new experience is already late to the party, it's becoming increasingly difficult for the iPhone maker to ensure en-masse adoption.
Apple has no option but to bet all-in on vehicle software. Its car project failed, with the company suspending the work on a vehicle after one decade. The automotive strategy put the car at the forefront of the automotive expansion, with software like CarPlay and Apple Maps coming in second. Now that the Apple Car has failed, Apple is rethinking its automotive strategy, and bringing CarPlay and Apple Maps to more vehicles is a priority.
Apple is expected to discuss more details about its new-generation CarPlay experience at WWDC next month. The system was originally announced in 2022, with Apple promising the first vehicles by the end of 2023. It's May 2024 and the new CarPlay is still nowhere to be seen.
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