The roster of automakers skeptical about Apple’s newly expanded version of CarPlay is getting longer.
Speaking on Decoder, Ford CEO Jim Farley said he’s in no rush to greenlight Apple CarPlay Ultra for Ford vehicles, opting instead for a wait-and-see approach. Apple unveiled CarPlay Ultra earlier this year after years of teasing, debuting it in select Aston Martin models. Porsche is expected to follow, with Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis also lined up.
CarPlay Ultra promises deeper integration between iPhone and car, spanning multiple in-car screens and extending control to functions like climate settings and drive modes directly within the CarPlay interface.
But beyond its initial partners, Apple hasn’t secured additional automakers. That hesitation may stem from companies investing in their own software platforms and expressing unease at Apple’s ambition to dominate the in-car experience. Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius raised similar concerns last year on Decoder.
Now Farley is voicing caution too, admitting that he wasn’t especially impressed with CarPlay Ultra’s first iteration.