The fight for control of the modern car’s digital cockpit is heating up. Apple’s latest CarPlay Ultra is pushing boundaries and buttons across the auto industry, as carmakers wrestle with just how much power they’re willing to hand over to Silicon Valley.
Apple’s Big Leap Into the Driver’s Seat
Announced earlier this year, CarPlay Ultra takes Apple’s in-car system far beyond simple screen mirroring. The new version lets drivers monitor fuel levels, check speed, and even control the air conditioning, radio, and drive modes all through an iPhone-style interface. For Apple, it’s a natural evolution: a seamless digital environment that follows users everywhere, from their pocket to the dashboard.
But this time, not everyone’s signing up. Aston Martin remains the lone automaker to fully integrate CarPlay Ultra into its lineup. The rest of the industry is watching and hesitating.
Ford Pushes Back
Ford CEO Jim Farley has been one of the most vocal critics of Apple’s deeper integration. Speaking to The Verge, Farley praised Apple’s ecosystem but warned against letting the tech giant control essential vehicle functions.
“Ford does not have the right, in our opinion, to disrupt someone’s digital life when they get in their car,” Farley said.
He added that Apple must decide “how far it wants its brand to go” inside vehicles. His questions cut to the core of the debate: Should Apple be able to start your car? Limit your speed? Manage your access?
Farley’s concerns reflect a broader unease among automakers about surrendering too much control to tech platforms that already dominate users’ phones, homes, and wallets.
Automakers Draw the Line
The unease isn’t limited to Ford. General Motors, under CEO Mary Barra, began phasing out both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in its EVs back in 2023. Barra made it clear earlier this year: future GM vehicles won’t support either system.
Other major brands are following suit. Despite being named by Apple in its 2022 WWDC announcement, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Polestar, Volvo, and Renault have reportedly decided not to adopt CarPlay Ultra for now, according to the Financial Times.
For these carmakers, the issue is control not just of the user interface, but of valuable customer data and future software revenue.
Drivers Want Apple, Carmakers Want Independence
Consumers, however, tell a different story. A 2023 McKinsey report found that 85% of drivers with CarPlay or Android Auto preferred it over a carmaker’s native system. Early research from AutoPacific suggests that these integrations have become “must-haves” for new car buyers.
Despite the demand, automakers are betting big on self-sufficiency. Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its proprietary MB.OS, combining infotainment and vehicle functions under one ecosystem. Toyota and Volvo are developing their own software platforms, hoping to keep users loyal to their in-house experiences rather than to Apple or Google.
The Digital Experience Becomes the New Horsepower
Farley summed up the industry’s shift with blunt honesty. “The difference between car companies where you have a software-defined vehicle is not going to be what your sheet metal looks like,” he said. “It’s going to be this digital experience that says why someone buys this or that.”
As Big Tech and Big Auto collide, the next frontier of the car industry won’t be fought over engines or aerodynamics it’ll be fought over the screen in the middle of the dash.
