What is Apple CarPlay and how does it work?

Plug in your phone, and a message should appear after a few seconds asking if you want to start Apple CarPlay. Simply press ‘yes’ and the service will start on the infotainment screen. 

If your car supports both wired and wireless CarPlay connections, this will also register your phone to use the service wirelessly on future drives. You’ll be prompted to start CarPlay when you start the car in close proximity to your phone.

If your car supports only a wireless connection – or you don’t want to use a cable – the connection process is slightly more complicated, and the procedure will vary from car to car. 

Some require you to plug your phone in for the first time, before connecting wirelessly every time afterwards. Others will act as a Wi-Fi hotspot which you can connect to through phone. 

What apps can I use through Apple CarPlay? 

Not all apps support Apple CarPlay, but those that do will display on your car’s infotainment screen while you’re connected. Many popular apps do support CarPlay. Here’s a list of some of our favourites:

Spotify A popular music, podcast and audiobook streaming service

Messages You can’t text while driving, of course, but Apple’s Siri software will read out your received texts and allow you to send messages back via voice control

Amazon Music A music streaming app from commercial giant Amazon

BBC Sounds The BBC’s own streaming app for podcasts and live radio

Apple Maps Apple’s in-house navigation service

Waze An indepenent navigation app with many exclusive features not seen on its Google and Apple counterparts

Google Maps Yes, Apple CarPlay is an Apple product - but you can still use Google Maps, which is arguably the most reliable navigation app out there

ZapMap, ChargePoint, Plugshare Independent apps to quickly find a public charging point for that all-important battery top-up. 

Can you play games on Apple CarPlay?

CarPlay is designed to help you drive without being distracted by your phone, so no - you can’t play games using the software. There would be a significant risk that you will become distracted by the game and become a hazard to yourself and others on the road.

Which cars have Apple CarPlay?

Fun fact: the first ever car to feature Apple CarPlay was the Ferrari FF, which was updated in 2014 to add the functionality. 

Most mainstream brands have added Apple CarPlay to their cars since, but it was often reserved for more expensive trim levels, or it was offered as an optional extra. 

Now, though, it’s usually a standard feature due to its popularity. As we mentioned above, over 600 car models on sale today are available with CarPlay, including cars from Audi, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Skoda, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, BMW and Ford.

If you’re still unsure whether your car supports CarPlay – or whether to connect using a USB cable, or wirelessly – check the owner’s manual or consult Apple’s list of available models. 

My car is old and doesn’t have Apple CarPlay - can I fit it myself?

You can fit Apple CarPlay yourself, but it would likely have to be self-installed, with a system from an aftermarket manufacturer. So long as the car has a standard-sized (single- or double-DIN) sound system, it should be compatible. 

This can be replaced by a more modern touchscreen system from aftermarket manufacturers such as Alpine, Pioneer and Sony, with prices varying from around £200 to £1500 depending on screen size and functionality.

You can do this yourself, but we’d recommend going to a car audio professional for peace of mind – even if it will cost a little extra.

Is Apple CarPlay free?

Apple CarPlay is free to use, as are most of the apps that support it. Some manufacturers might still only include it on high trim levels of their cars, or as an optional extra on entry-level models.

For example, the Dacia Sandero’s Essential trim does not come with an infotainment screen at all, so you have to upgrade to Expression to get a unit with CarPlay support.

In the future, some manufacturers may charge a monthly subscription fee to access the service. In 2019, BMW attempted to introduce an £85 annual fee to use Apple CarPlay after the first year of ownership, but it reversed the decision after a backlash from owners and the media.

You’ll also need to be wary of your mobile data charges, if your contract doesn’t cover it already. Podcasts, music streaming and other apps can use a lot of data quickly, so make sure you keep an eye on what you’re downloading to avoid any unwanted charges. 

What is the next generation of Apple CarPlay?

The next generation of Apple CarPlay, arriving in 2024, will expand the system’s reach from the infotainment across to all driver displays, including the digital instrument panels. 

This means you will be able to completely customise the layout of your car’s dashboard with widgets prioritising the most important functions. 

For example, you will be able to display the sat-nav between the dials on the instrument display, meaning you won’t have to turn your head to the side to check for directions.

Aston Martin and Porsche will be the first brands to use the next-generation Apple CarPlay, having worked with the American firm to create the new technology.

Previewing the system, the two luxury car brands have shown off distinctive uses for the technology, which now extends beyond the infotainment to control more of the vehicle.

This includes everything from the digital driver’s cluster to the climate control and even unlocking the car. Porsche has even extended the tech to be used on its new 10.3in passenger display, arriving first on the new Porsche Cayenne. 

Currently, the technology giant’s in-car software is used to mirror your phone’s apps and services onto your infotainment screen.

Vehicle functions like radio and temperature controls will also be handled directly through CarPlay.

“We’ve designed a complete system of controls that allows for seamless interactions between vehicle functions alongside the features of iPhone,” said Alan Dye, vice-president of human interface design at Apple.

The tech will also be customisable for car makers too, as Aston and Porsche have previewed. The two brands showcased distinct uses, with Aston’s more traditional infotainment and driver’s cluster set-up (shown above), and Porsche extending further to incorporate its new passenger display (shown below).

Marco Mattiacci, Aston’s global chief brand and commercial officer, said: “The integration of the latest state-of-the-art technology combined with a bespoke intuitive interface is paramount to creating the ultimate Aston Martin customer experience.”

Although further brands that will use the next-generation tech have yet to be announced, expect full functionality to be reserved for new cars with expansive screens such as the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class’s Superscreen.

Models that currently support CarPlay are likely to continue to support it but in a limited capacity, similar to the current functionality.