Apple is working with automakers to bring brand-specific design details to the CarPlay environment. The first brands to openly take advantage of this capability are Porsche and Aston Martin, with both high-end performance car manufacturers previewing the custom CarPlay interface that'll be featured in upcoming models.
This next generation of CarPlay builds on previous versions by integrating with all of a vehicle's displays, not just the central infotainment screen. While the familiar CarPlay experience remains, multiple template options and custom touches ensure that the interface reflects the ethos of a particular brand.
For example, the preview of Porsche's CarPlay interface shows that it features a trio of circular gauges in the cluster and a background wallpaper that mimics the brand's distinctive seat pattern.
Aston Martin, on the other hand, takes a slightly different approach. Its cluster includes a central information screen bookended by a circular speedometer and tachometer, the latter of which incorporates the wraparound text "Hand Built in Great Britain."
Although Apple's next-generation CarPlay requires an iPhone to share app-related information, the system relies on its host vehicle to provide driving-specific data. Apple is careful to note that connected iPhones do not store or track this vehicle-sourced information.
This connection to the vehicle also means that this new generation of CarPlay can cohesively display information from the vehicle's native infotainment system, such as tire pressure.
While Porsche didn't give any specifics on when this latest CarPlay will be rolled out in its models, Aston Martin shared that Apple's next-gen setup will be compatible with its latest infotainment system, which will launch in 2024 in vehicles like the DB12 coupe and Volante convertible.
Source: Car and Driver
