[Davil]

This is so much better than the crap that manufacturers come up with. I’m looking at you BMW with your latest horror show UX too.

Interesting that the Merc boss said no way. Has he used the one in his own cars? Maybe he has a chauffeur.

Love it. As someone that makes apps for a living it is so refreshing to finally see something usable in a car. Bonus that it still works with all the analog controls too.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EQlLjVraA9g

[BWBike]

Interesting; but it isn’t a whole lot different than the current system on the 2025 X1. Maybe BMW will allow more customization of certain screens in the future to keep pace.

[Murf the Surf]

It will be interesting to see what the uptake among manufacturers is. I'm kind of old school so don't like too many distractions on the dash.

[NSXR]

So much wow. So much distraction. Vehicle are not homes. I think people should be reminded of that more.

[ShocknAwe]

I still don't understand why carplay/androidauto is even necessary in the first place.

[stbm5]

I think that looks pretty good and I would use it.

[Tejas1836]

Absolutely fantastic

[kudos]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

I still don't understand why carplay/androidauto is even necessary in the first place.

Waze integration is great.

[Vindicator3]

Yes, it's certainly not "necessary," but it's very handy for me for Waze, music/podcasts, and phone/texts, including the use of Siri.

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by Murf the Surf

It will be interesting to see what the uptake among manufacturers is. I'm kind of old school so don't like too many distractions on the dash.

Originally Posted by NSXR

So much wow. So much distraction. Vehicle are not homes. I think people should be reminded of that more.

Maybe but that would be an issue with manufacturers putting in 20 screens in the cars. Doesn't really have anything to do with what OS runs those screens.

If anything I would argue having carplay handle all the screens would be less distracting since hopefully Apple is able to design an easier to use and more intuitive interface than the car manufacturers. It also has the benefit of being familiar regardless of the vehicle you have (assuming it has this feature).

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

I still don't understand why carplay/androidauto is even necessary in the first place.

It's not. The only thing NECESSARY is a steering wheel, gas and brake pedal.

However as long as car manufacturers keep adding unnecessary things to their cars I'm happy to have a well designed universal OS to manage it.

[Tejas1836]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

Maybe but that would be an issue with manufacturers putting in 20 screens in the cars. Doesn't really have anything to do with what OS runs those screens.

If anything I would argue having carplay handle all the screens would be less distracting since hopefully Apple is able to design an easier to use and more intuitive interface than the car manufacturers. It also has the benefit of being familiar regardless of the vehicle you have (assuming it has this feature).



It's not. The only thing NECESSARY is a steering wheel, gas and brake pedal.

However as long as car manufacturers keep adding unnecessary things to their cars I'm happy to have a well designed universal OS to manage it.

Um, you missed clutch pedal and shifter

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by Tejas1836

Um, you missed clutch pedal and shifter

You don't NEED more than one gear!

[W2k]

Awful if you ask me. Even with the AM branding it's so obvious it was designed by a completely different company. And CarPlay never fails to look cheap and nasty, like a toy UI.

It would perhaps feel right at home in cheapo cars that don't have much for infotainment in the first place - and definitely a step up in functionality for those that don't have nav and streaming media built in - but for a premium vehicle? No way.

Of course, as long as it's optional everyone can choose whether to enable it or not, but Apple isn't providing it for free so you're effectively paying for two extra, worse, infotainment UIs in addition to the OEM one. I would opt out if there was a way.

[Higgs Boson]

I like apple carplay because it gives me a consistent UI in anything I drive. I listen to music in cars sometimes and once in a while I use the navigation and google maps on carplay is better than any factory nav setup, including factory systems with google maps. I don't have to deal with all the manufacturer BS, it's just the same screen in every car, I find a lot of value in that. And, in a way, it allows me to focus on what actually makes what I am driving special...how it drives, not a stupid proprietary infotainment system.

[underFlame]

I like that companies are starting to actually use the newer gen of CarPlay integration, but I'm interested to see if BMW would be willing to adopt something that throws most of iDrive out the window when you've got an iPhone.

[I800C0LLECT]

My wife's Honda prologue is run by Google just like this CarPlay Ultra. It's pretty great. It's not getting any attention but I think it's on point.

I think Apple is late...

https://built-in.google/cars/

[jkoral]

Originally Posted by I800C0LLECT

My wife's Honda prologue is run by Google just like this CarPlay Ultra. It's pretty great. It's not getting any attention but I think it's on point.

I think Apple is late...

https://built-in.google/cars/

They are two different approaches. Android Automotive is an Android-based operating system for the entire car and it doesn't use or rely on a mobile phone.

CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone and integrates deeper with the car, gauge cluster, climate controls, etc.

As a result, you could still use regular old CarPlay on a car running Android Automotive, but not CarPlay Ultra.

FWIW...

CarPlay Ultra: These brands have said ‘no’ to Apple’s new features
https://9to5mac.com/2025/05/29/carpl...-new-features/

[I800C0LLECT]

When Google built-in is running the entire car without a phone...I fail to see how CarPlay Ultra integrates deeper? I log in as if the car is a tablet. It has it's own cell phone data connection, provides Hotspot for everybody, and I can literally see the OS apps that run the car systems. After seeing the video, it is exactly like CarPlay ultra without the phone requirement.
I just have to talk to it to execute Windows down, temperature change, etc. It's just like the BMW AI except it always works and there's zero wait. 😅

I guess I'll need to experience CarPlay ultra but Google built-in runs the instrument cluster too. It's seamless. The difference I see is more customization... But then again, it's Honda... And they're signed up as a CarPlay ultra adopter too. I know my wife feels like the car has everything the BMW can do now in a much simpler package. It seems like a huge hit with everybody that wants to check it out.

https://youtube.com/shorts/UieiGd_94...Ke1o2m2tuQev3j

[Canuck335]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

I still don't understand why carplay/androidauto is even necessary in the first place.

Because prior to that automotive UX was atrocious.
Do you remember how bad the first few iterations of iDrive were?
We’d still be putting up with that shit if Apple and Google hadn’t entered the chat.

[Humdizzle]

Its useful for navigation , especially when travelling or in a new rental car.

outside of that i never really use it. when i leave work i load up a podcast off youtube. sometimes i'll even load up a car review like from smoking tire or chris harris, i wont watch it but at least i can listen to it. I dont think its possible to listen to these sort of things on carplay/AA... just podcasts and music.

imo using your phone or idrive/touchscreens is equally distracting.

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by Canuck335

Because prior to that automotive UX was atrocious.
Do you remember how bad the first few iterations of iDrive were?
We’d still be putting up with that shit if Apple and Google hadn’t entered the chat.

Only car I have anything like that in is our X5D and I coded the screen to have a nearly one press off. I vastly prefer it to be all out of sight and out of mind. Hugely distracting while driving.