Revolutionary CarPlay Ultra Unveiled: Redefining the In-Car Experience with Aston Martin and Beyond

CarPlay Ultra Rolls Out with Aston Martin Vehicles in the US and Canada

Next-generation CarPlay, now called 'CarPlay Ultra,' has officially launched as of today. The new system is available for ordering on new Aston Martin vehicles in the United States and Canada. It will also be rolled out to existing vehicles via a software update from local dealers.

Key Features:

• Integrated Vehicle Controls: CarPlay Ultra takes over the display of instrument clusters and gauges, providing advanced controls for air conditioning, driver assistance systems, and media.
• Multi-Screen Support: The system supports all screens in the vehicle, not just the primary infotainment display. This includes digital renderings of the speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, and more.
• Onscreen Controls and Siri: Users can control car features like the radio and climate through onscreen controls or Siri voice commands. Car-specific features such as performance driving modes are also supported.
• Custom Themes: Apple is working with automakers to create themed interfaces that match the car brand. For example, Aston Martin has its own custom UI for CarPlay Ultra.
• Widget Integration: iPhone widgets can be projected on the infotainment display, showing glanceable information like calendar and weather updates.

Availability:

• Current Launch: Available as a standard option with new Aston Martin models in the US and Canada, including the DBX, Vantage, DB12, and Vanquish. Support will expand to all global vehicles over the next 12 months.
• Future Expansions: Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis are working on adding CarPlay Ultra to their vehicles, but no specific timeline has been provided yet.

Apple has also shown renders of CarPlay Ultra in Porsche vehicles, though there is no announced release date for these models.