Key Takeaways
- Many car models support Apple CarPlay.
- Activated via USB-C, Apple CarPlay is a secure platform for using apps in your car.
- Apple CarPlay offers seamless integration with a wide range of apps, making your driving safer.
The way we navigate to our destinations while driving has changed over the years. Talk to any Baby Boomer and they’ll quickly tell you they used to use printed maps to get to and from their destinations. This isn’t the easiest thing to do when driving yourself. As technology has gotten smarter, we’ve seen items like: GPS devices Hands-free navigation has become easy. Of course, it started with what now seems like retro technology: the original GPS units that mounted on your car’s dashboard or windshield and displayed maps on a small screen.
As automotive technology improves and cars start to have screens in their center consoles, Infotainment System These are not just programs you can listen to on TV, wireless, It also lets you know what you can stream, where you’re going, and what’s nearby. Using the infotainment system brings us Apple CarPlay, Apple’s way of safely utilizing your car while driving.
If your car has CarPlay, you can connect your iPhone to your car’s infotainment system using a USB-C cord or Bluetooth connection and use a variety of apps from your car’s screen. Apple Maps , Waz , Google Maps and other GPS apps Spotify Pandora, Netflix, iMessages, Phone, etc. Whether your car supports Apple CarPlay is strictly up to your car. Here’s how to check if your car supports Apple CarPlay:
Apple CarPlay
Apple CarPlay is a platform that makes driving safer for users by connecting to the car’s infotainment system and providing easy control of commonly used apps in the car. It gives you a place to use and function in the car with navigation apps, entertainment apps and more.
Does my car support Apple CarPlay?
Take a look
Adam Kenton / Unsplash / Pocket-lint
The easiest way to find out if your car model supports Apple CarPlay is to check your owner’s manual. If for some reason you don’t have access to your owner’s manual, you can look up your car’s make and model in this handy list from Apple. There are over 800 car models that support CarPlay, so there’s a good chance your car supports it.
The oldest car model that supports Apple CarPlay is the 2014 Kia Soul.
Naturally, this technology tends to work in “newer” vehicles, say those from the last decade or so. The oldest model that supports Apple CarPlay is the 2014 Kia Soul. More and more manufacturers are incorporating the technology into their infotainment systems. Manufacturers that support CarPlay include:
- Abarth
- Alfa Romeo
- Acura
- Aston Martin
- Audi
- BMW
- Buick
- Cadillac
- Chevrolet
- Datsun
- Dodge
- Ferrari
- Fiat
- Honda
- Hyundai
- Infinity
- Jaguar
- Jeep
- Lexus
- Maserati
- Mazda
- Mercedes-Benz
- Nissan
- Porsche
- Polestar
- Subaru
- Toyota
- Volvo
It doesn’t matter if your car is electric, hybrid, or gasoline-powered, most modern cars are likely to come with CarPlay.
Also note that Rivian and Tesla are not on this list. This is because these electric car companies have their own software and infotainment systems that you want to use while driving. They are not expected to be Apple CarPlay compatible anytime soon.
What does Apple CarPlay offer?
It has a suite of Apple-based apps that make navigation and communication easier and safer
Apple CarPlay is a platform that provides the ability to run apps through your car’s infotainment system. Android Auto perfect for using navigation, music, and other entertainment apps more seamlessly while driving. If your car has CarPlay capability, you can connect your iPhone to your car with a USB-C cord, and Apple CarPlay will launch when your car’s system automatically recognizes it and allows you to use your iPhone. Some cars also support wireless CarPlay, allowing you to connect via Bluetooth.
From there, you can access a wide suite of apps. The obvious ones are all Apple-based, like Apple Music, Apple Maps, and the Phone and iMessages apps. These apps mean users don’t have to look down at their phone when navigating directions or road trip playlists. What’s more, you can even dictate texts to reply in the car, with Apple’s voice assistant, Siri, relaying your words through the car’s microphone.
Some cars also let you stream entertainment apps like Netflix and Hulu on the infotainment screen. Many of these only work when your car is parked because manufacturers have built in fail-safes to prevent you from watching shows and movies while driving. With the latest update to CarPlay, you can now also control the radio and interior temperature with CarPlay, helping you stay focused on the road and not have to look down to fiddle with buttons inside the car. In newer cars, all of this is laid out on the screen.
Other apps you can use include:
- News+
- Podcasts
- Amazon Music
- audible
- CBS Radio
- Charge Point
- Depressed
- Dunkin’
- iHeartRadio
- line
- LiveXLive
- Major League Baseball
- NPR One
- cloudy
- Panera Bread
- Plug Share
- SiriusXM Radio
- Tides
- Vox
- YouTube Music
- Domino
