Next-gen Apple CarPlay Revealed At WWDC 2024: Master Of All Car Displays

With the latest update, Apple’s CarPlay will be fully integrated into the instrument cluster, with a range of customisations while relaying vital details from your iPhone

For us auto enthusiasts, one of the most exciting parts of Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is what new changes it brings to CarPlay. While iOS 18 and generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) were the highlights, Apple has made key improvements towards the next-generation of CarPlay as well, which are set to be rolled out with its operating systems later this year.

CarPlay’s Extensive Integration Into Driver Display

Back at WWDC 2022, Apple had revealed that it will soon be integrating CarPlay into a car’s native digital driver’s display that will work wirelessly. A key focus is on the customisation feature of the digital screens in your car, which is not only limited to the central infotainment unit but now also includes the driver’s display and the passenger-side screen (if available) to not only scale the current version of CarPlay, but offer a seamless integration that acts as an extended experience of the iPhone.

Apple has gone a step further and announced that gauges of the driver’s display can be vastly customised when CarPlay is integrated into them. For example, changing the font style and width, colours (which will be functional too), or even fully changing the way the gauge appears in the instrument cluster.

The CarPlay-integrated display will also show various information such as level of fuel or charge left, speed, engine-coolant temperature levels, and speed limits (based on information from maps or from reading road signs). The gauge can also be adapted by carmakers to make it more specific to the powertrain (ICE, hybrid or EV) on offer or a particular variant. 

Apple’s latest version of CarPlay integrated into the digital instrument cluster can control multiple vehicle systems including climate control and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). With the integration of CarPlay in the driver display, it will also be able to relay the notifications from your iPhone onto your digital cluster to help keep your eyes on the road. Of course, the level of integration is based on the approval and cooperation of carmakers in developing their systems with the American tech giant to work seamlessly with CarPlay.

Also Read: Here's How You Can Convert Your Petrol Or Diesel Car To Electric: Process, Legality, Benefits And Costs

Which Car Brands Will Introduce It?

As confirmed in 2022, Porsche and Aston Martin will be among the first few carmakers to have the new-gen CarPlay integrated into their newer models. That said, the exact names of models that will come with the new CarPlay integration from these two carmakers is yet to be disclosed. Currently, Apple CarPlay works with over 800 cars from different global carmakers, which in India includes the entry-level Maruti Alto K10 (with the 7-inch touchscreen for the SmartPlay Studio) as well as premium offerings such as the Kia EV9 and the Range Rover.

Although Apple has not yet announced when exactly it will roll out these features, we believe that some functionalities may be limited to some countries at first. Based on previous update rollouts, we expect the global iOS 18 update to be available sometime September 2024 when Apple usually introduces the new-gen iPhone.

…In Other News

Despite a decade of speculation about Apple's development of a self-driving electric car, recent articles online indicate that the tech giant has opted to shelve those plans in favour of focussing on generative AI for its various devices, including the iPhone.