Jony Ive is anxious to reveal the exterior of the Ferrari Luce, but should Ferrari fans be worried?
The spy photos of the Ferrari Luce’s exterior look absolutely hideous, the worst manifestation of a sporty hearse that you could imagine. It looks like an absolute disaster of a vehicle, but spy photos are meant to completely disguise the shape of the vehicle, so it’s anyone’s guess how radical it will look.
Jony’s vibe seems optimistic even though there are mixed signals (from Carscoops):
It’s not concern over the design itself that sparks that feeling, but instead the gravity of just how big this moment is for Ferrari. He called it “still clearly a Ferrari,” but went on to say that “It’s a different manifestation based on some of the beliefs around simplicity and the inherent beauty of something.” […]
Ive has also stressed that there is “no disconnection” between the exterior and interior, noting that both were designed simultaneously rather than by separate departments. In his view, that approach results in a complete package that feels cohesive rather than pieced together.
Still clearly a Ferrari, but also a different manifestation based on simplicity and beauty, and no disconnection between the exterior and interior. Mixed signals that manifest in anxiety if you ask me.
The full exterior reveal will be in May, but in the meantime, check out some interior design features that Apple fans would appreciate.
The spy photos of the Ferrari Luce’s exterior look absolutely hideous, the worst manifestation of a sporty hearse that you could imagine. It looks like an absolute disaster of a vehicle, but spy photos are meant to completely disguise the shape of the vehicle, so it’s anyone’s guess how radical it will look.
Jony’s vibe seems optimistic even though there are mixed signals (from Carscoops):
It’s not concern over the design itself that sparks that feeling, but instead the gravity of just how big this moment is for Ferrari. He called it “still clearly a Ferrari,” but went on to say that “It’s a different manifestation based on some of the beliefs around simplicity and the inherent beauty of something.” […]
Ive has also stressed that there is “no disconnection” between the exterior and interior, noting that both were designed simultaneously rather than by separate departments. In his view, that approach results in a complete package that feels cohesive rather than pieced together.
Still clearly a Ferrari, but also a different manifestation based on simplicity and beauty, and no disconnection between the exterior and interior. Mixed signals that manifest in anxiety if you ask me.
The full exterior reveal will be in May, but in the meantime, check out some interior design features that Apple fans would appreciate.
Nissan to be the first to introduce Qi2 wireless charging in their vehicles.
Yours truly just a couple of months ago:
One of the top worst modern car features is undoubtedly not so modern.
The ancient universal Qi wireless charging standard.
Automakers need to either get rid of it completely, or give us Qi2 with the Magnetic Power Profile (MagSafe), preferably in some sort of modular form that allows you to dock your phone similar to the Xiaomi SU7.
Looks like Nissan stepped up to the batter’s plate and is the first to introduce Qi2 magnetic wireless charging. Magnetically aligned wireless charging is a huge improvement both for efficiency and heat management, especially in a moving vehicle where a single pothole can throw your phone off the charging mat. There’s nothing worse than arriving at your destination thinking you have a topped up phone, only to see a low battery warning instead.
An absolute no-brainer, but it would be even better if it was vertically docked.
Yours truly just a couple of months ago:
One of the top worst modern car features is undoubtedly not so modern.
The ancient universal Qi wireless charging standard.
Automakers need to either get rid of it completely, or give us Qi2 with the Magnetic Power Profile (MagSafe), preferably in some sort of modular form that allows you to dock your phone similar to the Xiaomi SU7.
Looks like Nissan stepped up to the batter’s plate and is the first to introduce Qi2 magnetic wireless charging. Magnetically aligned wireless charging is a huge improvement both for efficiency and heat management, especially in a moving vehicle where a single pothole can throw your phone off the charging mat. There’s nothing worse than arriving at your destination thinking you have a topped up phone, only to see a low battery warning instead.
An absolute no-brainer, but it would be even better if it was vertically docked.
Four features from the Ferrari Luce that scream Apple Design.
Jony Ive's LoveFrom Design Studio was hired by Ferrari to work on the internal design of Ferrari's new all-electric Ferrari Luce, and there are some unmistakable Apple-like design features that are hidden throughout the design. 📓
Jony Ive's LoveFrom Design Studio was hired by Ferrari to work on the internal design of Ferrari's new all-electric Ferrari Luce, and there are some unmistakable Apple-like design features that are hidden throughout the design.
1. The Rounded Rectangle
The Rounded Rectangle has received proper noun status, being the symbol for the current day iPhone that started it all, and has trickled down from iPhone, to iPad, to Apple Watch. The most obvious place you notice the Rounded Rectangle is in the center control panel.
The angular pose is also similar to many iPhone reveals in the past.
It looks like an iPad and an Apple Watch Ultra gave birth to this design. Looks like a Mac Pro handle is supporting it all?
2. The Ferrari Key
All exotic cars have special key fobs, and this Ferrari is no exception. Apple fans will appreciate the lock and unlock logo that are very similar to Apple's privacy lock. Most standard cars' "unlock" button is kinked open, but Apple's open lock has always been turned outwards, mimicked in the Ferrari Luce.
The key's side profile even has antenna lines like an iPhone.
3. Air Conditioning vents
This is the most obvious design similarity - they are literal copies of Apple's MagSafe charging pucks. Copying might be a harsh word since many of Jony Ive's team might have been the ones who designed the MagSafe charger to begin with. The MagSafe AC vent does look good.
Four vents in the front - get a little closer and...
the resemblance is uncanny.
4. Steering wheel colors
Most Ferraris let you choose the steering wheel leather color, but on the Luce, you can choose the color of the "aluminium" steering wheel. The colors themselves mimic Apple's Silver, Starlight, and Space Gray options.
Jony Ive and his team from LoveFrom design the interior of the all-electric Ferrari Luce.
Probably the best writeup about the Ferrari Luce for Apple fans by Jordan Golson (reported by MacRumors).
Some notable quotes from Golson’s interview with Ive:
Then carmakers looked at a product that sold billions of units and said, we should put one of those in the dashboard. But they took the wrong lesson. Your car isn’t supposed to do everything. It’s supposed to be a car. You need to adjust the temperature, change the volume, turn on the heated seats and keep your eyes on the road. These are not problems that require a general-purpose interface. They are problems that have been solved for more than a century — by knobs and buttons and switches — and the industry unresolved them in a decade.
Ive knows this. “The reason we developed touch — the big idea was to develop a general-purpose interface that could be a calculator, that could be a typewriter, could be a camera, rather than having physical buttons,” he told me. “To use touch in a car is something I would never dream of doing, because it requires that you look at what you’re doing.”
He paused. “Touch was seen as almost like fashion. It was the most current technology. ‘We need a bit of touch.’ And, ‘You know what we’re going to do next year? We’re going to have an even bigger one.’ That’s just the wrong technology to be the primary interface.”
So the man who inadvertently ruined car interiors is back to fix them. And on a Ferrari, no less — the new Luce. […]
When Ive walked us through the interior, he started with the organizational logic. “This is driving,” he said, gesturing at the steering wheel and binnacle. “Every other element augments the driving experience, but the focus of the steering wheel and this binnacle is very clearly about driving.” Then the rules: “This is output. This is input. Because these controls are mechanical.”
That clarity of organization sounds obvious. It isn’t. Walk up to any modern luxury car and try to figure out, from a standing start, how to adjust the climate. You’ll be three menus deep in a touchscreen within seconds, and you still might not have found it. In the Luce, Ive said, “When you look at this, you’re not wondering — how many layers deep am I going to have to go to find something to make my bottom warm?”
I asked whether there was ever a discussion about making the physical controls flexible — a button that could be a heated seat toggle or a drive mode selector, depending on context. Ive’s answer was instant and direct: “And you would have hated that.”
Probably the best writeup about the Ferrari Luce for Apple fans by Jordan Golson (reported by MacRumors).
Some notable quotes from Golson’s interview with Ive:
Then carmakers looked at a product that sold billions of units and said, we should put one of those in the dashboard. But they took the wrong lesson. Your car isn’t supposed to do everything. It’s supposed to be a car. You need to adjust the temperature, change the volume, turn on the heated seats and keep your eyes on the road. These are not problems that require a general-purpose interface. They are problems that have been solved for more than a century — by knobs and buttons and switches — and the industry unresolved them in a decade.
Ive knows this. “The reason we developed touch — the big idea was to develop a general-purpose interface that could be a calculator, that could be a typewriter, could be a camera, rather than having physical buttons,” he told me. “To use touch in a car is something I would never dream of doing, because it requires that you look at what you’re doing.”
He paused. “Touch was seen as almost like fashion. It was the most current technology. ‘We need a bit of touch.’ And, ‘You know what we’re going to do next year? We’re going to have an even bigger one.’ That’s just the wrong technology to be the primary interface.”
So the man who inadvertently ruined car interiors is back to fix them. And on a Ferrari, no less — the new Luce. […]
When Ive walked us through the interior, he started with the organizational logic. “This is driving,” he said, gesturing at the steering wheel and binnacle. “Every other element augments the driving experience, but the focus of the steering wheel and this binnacle is very clearly about driving.” Then the rules: “This is output. This is input. Because these controls are mechanical.”
That clarity of organization sounds obvious. It isn’t. Walk up to any modern luxury car and try to figure out, from a standing start, how to adjust the climate. You’ll be three menus deep in a touchscreen within seconds, and you still might not have found it. In the Luce, Ive said, “When you look at this, you’re not wondering — how many layers deep am I going to have to go to find something to make my bottom warm?”
I asked whether there was ever a discussion about making the physical controls flexible — a button that could be a heated seat toggle or a drive mode selector, depending on context. Ive’s answer was instant and direct: “And you would have hated that.”
I would be embarrassed to put my kids in the backseat of the new Honda Prelude.
The new Honda Prelude is a luxury coupe, but with weird back seats that feel like an unfinished car. With high quality leather front seats and overly simple cloth backseats, the class differentiation is quite obvious. Let’s not forget about the barely safe, rear-seat headrests that probably won’t prevent whiplash. Granted, my 2000 Celica GTS also doesn’t have extended headrests, but that car is 26 years old and was 8 years before the “whiplash mandate.” The extended headrests are not a requirement for rear seats, but most automakers do it anyway to be consistent and increase safety.
Even worse - if you opt for the white leather seats, you really are placing solid boundaries between front and rear passengers, giving rear occupants an, “I am less than” vibe not just due to the different material, but because the rear seats are black cloth even if you pick the white leather seat option. This clip shows all.
Once again, the 26 year-old GTS has matching leather rear seats like the front and a cupholder for each rear passenger.
How many rear cupholders does the Prelude have? Zero.
The new Honda Prelude is a luxury coupe, but with weird back seats that feel like an unfinished car. With high quality leather front seats and overly simple cloth backseats, the class differentiation is quite obvious. Let’s not forget about the barely safe, rear-seat headrests that probably won’t prevent whiplash. Granted, my 2000 Celica GTS also doesn’t have extended headrests, but that car is 26 years old and was 8 years before the “whiplash mandate.” The extended headrests are not a requirement for rear seats, but most automakers do it anyway to be consistent and increase safety.
Even worse - if you opt for the white leather seats, you really are placing solid boundaries between front and rear passengers, giving rear occupants an, “I am less than” vibe not just due to the different material, but because the rear seats are black cloth even if you pick the white leather seat option. This clip shows all.
Once again, the 26 year-old GTS has matching leather rear seats like the front and a cupholder for each rear passenger.
How many rear cupholders does the Prelude have? Zero.
Honda’s futuristic new logo will be for all future vehicles and not just EVs and hybrids.
While this isn't our first time seeing Honda's new emblem, it's the first time we're hearing that it will appear on all future models, not just the electric ones. Today, the automaker's European media team announced that the new "H mark" will gradually expand across its automobile lineup, starting in 2027 with its EVs and major hybrid models. Honda also said that the new logo will appear in other parts of its vast business, from dealerships to motorsports and more.
Looks like a futuristic logo since it was originally for EV and hybrid vehicles, but it really is a throwback to their original logo (via creative bloq).
It was an obvious move to make their logo uniform everywhere, especially now that most automakers are backpedaling on EV adoption.
While this isn't our first time seeing Honda's new emblem, it's the first time we're hearing that it will appear on all future models, not just the electric ones. Today, the automaker's European media team announced that the new "H mark" will gradually expand across its automobile lineup, starting in 2027 with its EVs and major hybrid models. Honda also said that the new logo will appear in other parts of its vast business, from dealerships to motorsports and more.
Looks like a futuristic logo since it was originally for EV and hybrid vehicles, but it really is a throwback to their original logo (via creative bloq).
It was an obvious move to make their logo uniform everywhere, especially now that most automakers are backpedaling on EV adoption.
Bittersweet, gas guzzling, HEMI powered V-8 Ram SRT TRX announced just two days before Nicolás Maduro was captured.
I’m sure Stellantis wasn’t in on the plot to capture Nicolás Maduro, but announcing the return of their newest monster on New Years day, two days prior to Maduro’s capture, is just bad timing. Or is it good timing?
With impactful performance updates, the 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX cements itself as the fastest and most powerful, production, gas pick-up truck in the world, once again setting the record for the half-ton segment. TRX put the industry on notice when it debuted in 2021, and after a brief hibernation, it reclaims its spot at the top of the food chain.
I read both headlines on the same day, and it’s hard not to make a connection even though there is no connection.
I’m sure Stellantis wasn’t in on the plot to capture Nicolás Maduro, but announcing the return of their newest monster on New Years day, two days prior to Maduro’s capture, is just bad timing. Or is it good timing?
With impactful performance updates, the 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX cements itself as the fastest and most powerful, production, gas pick-up truck in the world, once again setting the record for the half-ton segment. TRX put the industry on notice when it debuted in 2021, and after a brief hibernation, it reclaims its spot at the top of the food chain.
I read both headlines on the same day, and it’s hard not to make a connection even though there is no connection.
Throttle House addresses the bane of in-car wireless chargers.
One of the top worst modern car features is undoubtedly not so modern.
The ancient universal Qi wireless charging standard.
Automakers need to either get rid of it completely, or give us Qi2 with the Magnetic Power Profile (MagSafe), preferably in some sort of modular form that allows you to dock your phone similar to the Xiaomi SU7.
One of the top worst modern car features is undoubtedly not so modern.
The ancient universal Qi wireless charging standard.
Automakers need to either get rid of it completely, or give us Qi2 with the Magnetic Power Profile (MagSafe), preferably in some sort of modular form that allows you to dock your phone similar to the Xiaomi SU7.
Porsche makes a 3.5-inch display that features Apple CarPlay.
Doug finally got his Arena Red Porsche 993 Turbo, and what’s even cooler than that is his biggest quirk and feature - a 3.5-inch Porsche-made, Apple CarPlay head unit with a touchscreen. It’s made to look period-correct for the vehicle, and a perfect solution to buying a classic car that needs a technology upgrade.
It’s not wireless CarPlay, but you can’t complain when it looks this good in a 29 year-old car.
Doug finally got his Arena Red Porsche 993 Turbo, and what’s even cooler than that is his biggest quirk and feature - a 3.5-inch Porsche-made, Apple CarPlay head unit with a touchscreen. It’s made to look period-correct for the vehicle, and a perfect solution to buying a classic car that needs a technology upgrade.
It’s not wireless CarPlay, but you can’t complain when it looks this good in a 29 year-old car.
Car makers going all in on touchscreens is a bad idea.
Kirk Kreifels does a mini rant/analysis why touchscreens and physical controls need to coexist in cars, and why voice assistants and touchscreens shouldn’t replace physical buttons.
Either way you fall on this spectrum, it’s getting to the point where the safety features in cars are almost a self-fulfilling prophecy:
Make the cars safer with more sensors and cameras, because of more distractions while driving, caused by poor driver controls.
Kirk Kreifels does a mini rant/analysis why touchscreens and physical controls need to coexist in cars, and why voice assistants and touchscreens shouldn’t replace physical buttons.
Either way you fall on this spectrum, it’s getting to the point where the safety features in cars are almost a self-fulfilling prophecy:
Make the cars safer with more sensors and cameras, because of more distractions while driving, caused by poor driver controls.
Tesla to support CarPlay in future software update.
Mark Gurman from Bloomberg:
Tesla Inc. is developing support for Apple Inc.’s CarPlay system in its vehicles, according to people with knowledge of the matter, working to add one of the most highly requested features by customers.
The carmaker has started testing the capability internally, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the effort is still private. The CarPlay platform — long supported by other automakers — shows users a version of the iPhone’s software that’s optimized for vehicle infotainment systems. It’s considered a must-have option by many drivers.
It will be the standard version of CarPlay with wireless support, not CarPlay Ultra. How will CarPlay integrate with Tesla’s infotainment system? The article continues:
Tesla plans to feature CarPlay within a window inside its broader interface, the people said. That means the Apple software won’t fully replace the Tesla operating system as it does in many other vehicles.
CarPlay also won’t tap into Tesla features like FSD, or full self-driving mode. Drivers will need to rely on Tesla’s own navigation app for that.
It would be interesting to see how this, “window inside its broader interface” pans out. I spent a decent amount of time in the latest Model Y in a buddy’s car that had all of the self-driving features, and it would be weird to have two maps side-by-side in certain situations (one for self-driving and one with Apple Maps). You can bet your bottom dollar that other car manufacturers are going to watch this integration closely, as Tesla pioneered big-screen integration and a software oriented car UI before anyone else.
This is obviously great news for Apple customers and a strategic, aka desperate move from Tesla to get those sales going since the end of the EV tax credit. It’s not their only move on the chessboard, with a rental program that starts at $60/day:
The rental duration is a minimum of three and a maximum of seven days, starting at $60 per day and increasing depending on the model.
Tesla appears to be using this to show potential buyers how convenient it is to own a Tesla vehicle, since it also includes Supercharging and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) for free with every rental.
If a rental customer decides to order a vehicle within a week of having rented one, Tesla gives them a $250 credit toward the purchase.
Mark Gurman from Bloomberg:
Tesla Inc. is developing support for Apple Inc.’s CarPlay system in its vehicles, according to people with knowledge of the matter, working to add one of the most highly requested features by customers.
The carmaker has started testing the capability internally, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the effort is still private. The CarPlay platform — long supported by other automakers — shows users a version of the iPhone’s software that’s optimized for vehicle infotainment systems. It’s considered a must-have option by many drivers.
It will be the standard version of CarPlay with wireless support, not CarPlay Ultra. How will CarPlay integrate with Tesla’s infotainment system? The article continues:
Tesla plans to feature CarPlay within a window inside its broader interface, the people said. That means the Apple software won’t fully replace the Tesla operating system as it does in many other vehicles.
CarPlay also won’t tap into Tesla features like FSD, or full self-driving mode. Drivers will need to rely on Tesla’s own navigation app for that.
It would be interesting to see how this, “window inside its broader interface” pans out. I spent a decent amount of time in the latest Model Y in a buddy’s car that had all of the self-driving features, and it would be weird to have two maps side-by-side in certain situations (one for self-driving and one with Apple Maps). You can bet your bottom dollar that other car manufacturers are going to watch this integration closely, as Tesla pioneered big-screen integration and a software oriented car UI before anyone else.
This is obviously great news for Apple customers and a strategic, aka desperate move from Tesla to get those sales going since the end of the EV tax credit. It’s not their only move on the chessboard, with a rental program that starts at $60/day:
The rental duration is a minimum of three and a maximum of seven days, starting at $60 per day and increasing depending on the model.
Tesla appears to be using this to show potential buyers how convenient it is to own a Tesla vehicle, since it also includes Supercharging and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) for free with every rental.
If a rental customer decides to order a vehicle within a week of having rented one, Tesla gives them a $250 credit toward the purchase.
Is Apple opening up the walled garden for car manufacturers?
Patrick George from The Atlantic:
Among all of Apple’s achievements, one of the most underrated has been making driving less miserable. Before Apple CarPlay debuted, about a decade ago, drivers were stuck with whatever clunky tech features were preloaded into their car. By projecting a simplified iPhone layout onto the car’s central screen, CarPlay lets you use apps such as Apple Maps and Spotify without fumbling for your phone, make hands-free calls, and dictate text messages. It is seamless, free, and loved by millions of iPhone owners.
Now one of the world’s biggest car companies is taking it away. Last month, General Motors CEO Mary Barra announced that new cars made by the auto giant won’t support CarPlay and its counterpart, Android Auto. Ditching smartphone mirroring may seem to make as much sense as removing cup holders: Recent preliminary data from AutoPacific, a research firm, suggest that CarPlay and Android Auto are considered must-have features among many new-car shoppers. But according to GM, the company can create an even better experience for drivers by dropping Apple and making its own software. And like it or not, the move says a lot about where the auto industry is headed.
I think GM knows things we don’t know and just can’t say it in public. According to Mary Barra in a recent Decoder interview with Nilay Patel, GM has a great relationship with Apple at the most senior level:
I would say we have a good relationship with Apple. I mean at the most senior level with Apple, with Google, with all of the tech companies. We’re bringing Apple Wallet. We’ll be announcing that shortly, that we’ll have that and have the ability to do some of the vehicle functions through that. So we’re having continual conversations with Apple, and I would say we’re talking about the opportunity and looking for win-wins. We also have a very good relationship with Google and we don’t enable Android Auto either. So I would say you’re talking about a moment in time versus where the industry is heading from Dolby Atmos and the relationship that we have with Apple. I wouldn’t make some of the broad-based assumptions you’re making.
When Nilay asked about getting the Apple Music app on his Cadillac, Chief Product Officer Sterling Anderson responds:
We don’t have anything to share on that right now.
There’s obviously a lot of “hush, hush” discussions in the background between car manufacturers and the tech giants, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple decides to change the CarPlay model altogether and make it more compatible with Android Automotive.
Apple Maps has been unleashed from the walled garden allowing Android users to use it, and with their recent update to the App Store web interface, Apple is giving us teasers that maybe, just maybe, they might make their ecosystem more open to say, car manufacturers?
There’s still a few years left before GM tapers off CarPlay for their gas-engine vehicles, but I’m sure there’s a solution in the works that will satisfy Apple, car manufacturers, and consumers.
There has to be.
Patrick George from The Atlantic:
Among all of Apple’s achievements, one of the most underrated has been making driving less miserable. Before Apple CarPlay debuted, about a decade ago, drivers were stuck with whatever clunky tech features were preloaded into their car. By projecting a simplified iPhone layout onto the car’s central screen, CarPlay lets you use apps such as Apple Maps and Spotify without fumbling for your phone, make hands-free calls, and dictate text messages. It is seamless, free, and loved by millions of iPhone owners.
Now one of the world’s biggest car companies is taking it away. Last month, General Motors CEO Mary Barra announced that new cars made by the auto giant won’t support CarPlay and its counterpart, Android Auto. Ditching smartphone mirroring may seem to make as much sense as removing cup holders: Recent preliminary data from AutoPacific, a research firm, suggest that CarPlay and Android Auto are considered must-have features among many new-car shoppers. But according to GM, the company can create an even better experience for drivers by dropping Apple and making its own software. And like it or not, the move says a lot about where the auto industry is headed.
I think GM knows things we don’t know and just can’t say it in public. According to Mary Barra in a recent Decoder interview with Nilay Patel, GM has a great relationship with Apple at the most senior level:
I would say we have a good relationship with Apple. I mean at the most senior level with Apple, with Google, with all of the tech companies. We’re bringing Apple Wallet. We’ll be announcing that shortly, that we’ll have that and have the ability to do some of the vehicle functions through that. So we’re having continual conversations with Apple, and I would say we’re talking about the opportunity and looking for win-wins. We also have a very good relationship with Google and we don’t enable Android Auto either. So I would say you’re talking about a moment in time versus where the industry is heading from Dolby Atmos and the relationship that we have with Apple. I wouldn’t make some of the broad-based assumptions you’re making.
When Nilay asked about getting the Apple Music app on his Cadillac, Chief Product Officer Sterling Anderson responds:
We don’t have anything to share on that right now.
There’s obviously a lot of “hush, hush” discussions in the background between car manufacturers and the tech giants, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple decides to change the CarPlay model altogether and make it more compatible with Android Automotive.
Apple Maps has been unleashed from the walled garden allowing Android users to use it, and with their recent update to the App Store web interface, Apple is giving us teasers that maybe, just maybe, they might make their ecosystem more open to say, car manufacturers?
There’s still a few years left before GM tapers off CarPlay for their gas-engine vehicles, but I’m sure there’s a solution in the works that will satisfy Apple, car manufacturers, and consumers.
There has to be.
Mercedes-Benz is the latest to backtrack on touchscreens and focus more on physical controls in their vehicles.
Jesus Diaz from Fast Company (News+ link):
For years, Mercedes-Benz has relied on touchscreens as the command center of its vehicles. Is it too hot? Tap the screen to set the AC temperature. Want to listen to the news? Tap. Defrost the rear window? Tap, tap, tap. While the automaker has retained some physical controls in its cars, its modern user experience is effectively built around the screen.
But that’s about to change.
Magnus Östberg, chief software officer for Mercedes-Benz, recently announced that the company would be centering future car design around physical controls instead of screens. “The data shows us physical buttons are better,” Östberg told Autocar at the Munich motor show. He says Mercedes will begin integrating more physical controls into its digitally focused cabins starting in 2026.
Mercedes’ announcement is part of a bigger industry trend…
with carmakers like Hyundai leading the charge to bring back knobs and buttons to its cars. Earlier this year, fellow German automaker Volkswagen, also announced plans to fix its touchscreen problem, saying that it was “taking a step back to move forward.”
After more than a decade of car screens growing bigger and brighter, the auto industry finally seems to be acknowledging what drivers (and science!) has known all along: physical buttons are safer and more pleasant to use.
I hear the sound of nails hammering a coffin shut. What’s inside you ask?
CarPlay Ultra.
Jesus Diaz from Fast Company (News+ link):
For years, Mercedes-Benz has relied on touchscreens as the command center of its vehicles. Is it too hot? Tap the screen to set the AC temperature. Want to listen to the news? Tap. Defrost the rear window? Tap, tap, tap. While the automaker has retained some physical controls in its cars, its modern user experience is effectively built around the screen.
But that’s about to change.
Magnus Östberg, chief software officer for Mercedes-Benz, recently announced that the company would be centering future car design around physical controls instead of screens. “The data shows us physical buttons are better,” Östberg told Autocar at the Munich motor show. He says Mercedes will begin integrating more physical controls into its digitally focused cabins starting in 2026.
Mercedes’ announcement is part of a bigger industry trend…
with carmakers like Hyundai leading the charge to bring back knobs and buttons to its cars. Earlier this year, fellow German automaker Volkswagen, also announced plans to fix its touchscreen problem, saying that it was “taking a step back to move forward.”
After more than a decade of car screens growing bigger and brighter, the auto industry finally seems to be acknowledging what drivers (and science!) has known all along: physical buttons are safer and more pleasant to use.
I hear the sound of nails hammering a coffin shut. What’s inside you ask?
CarPlay Ultra.
Ford says no to CarPlay Ultra.
Via the Decoder Podcast (article by MacRumors):
On the latest episode of The Verge's Decoder podcast, released today, Ford CEO Jim Farley told guest host Joanna Stern that the automaker does not entirely like Apple's current implementation of its CarPlay Ultra software system for vehicles.
"We don't like the execution in round one of Ultra, but we're very committed to Apple," said Farley. "I've talked to [Apple CEO] Tim [Cook] many times about this."
Farley implied that Ford is currently passing on CarPlay Ultra because it would result in Apple having "control of the entire experience inside a vehicle."
In addition, he said it is important that Ford's entertainment system of choice integrates with its Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
"We just believe ADAS integration with your entertainment system is so critical when you're flying down the highway with your eyes off the road, you know, in three or four years at 80 miles an hour on the I-5," he said.
When it announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra in May, Apple said the system can show information from a vehicle's advanced driver assistance systems, but it sounds like certain functions provided by Ford's systems would not be supported.
Here’s some more of the conversation between Jim Farley and Joanna Stern:
Jim: “We just believe ADAS integration with your entertainment system is so critical when you're flying down the highway with your eyes off the road, you know, in three or four years at 80 miles an hour on the I-5.
Jim: And, you know, you're watching a movie or whatever we're going to be all doing or having a Chad GPT moment or having a wearable on, you know, we just don't think that a system from tech company who's not integrated the car is going to save your life.
Joanna: But it sounds to me then that you're really forced with the reality that you've got to build your own.
Jim: Yes. Yes. But the good thing is now versus five years ago, or a couple years ago when you and I talked, Android Auto is really advancing nicely. And we've learned a lot about how to build the experience on that.
What Jim probably means is Android Automotive, which is completely different from Android Auto and what many car manufacturers use to build their own custom experiences:
Android Automotive is an operating system and platform running directly on the in-vehicle hardware. It is a full-stack, open source, highly customizable platform powering the infotainment experience. Android Automotive supports apps built for Android as well as those built for Android Auto.
CarPlay Ultra is still built on a tethered system to your phone, which just sounds archaic when compared to having a built-in system that just works every single time.
Via the Decoder Podcast (article by MacRumors):
On the latest episode of The Verge's Decoder podcast, released today, Ford CEO Jim Farley told guest host Joanna Stern that the automaker does not entirely like Apple's current implementation of its CarPlay Ultra software system for vehicles.
"We don't like the execution in round one of Ultra, but we're very committed to Apple," said Farley. "I've talked to [Apple CEO] Tim [Cook] many times about this."
Farley implied that Ford is currently passing on CarPlay Ultra because it would result in Apple having "control of the entire experience inside a vehicle."
In addition, he said it is important that Ford's entertainment system of choice integrates with its Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
"We just believe ADAS integration with your entertainment system is so critical when you're flying down the highway with your eyes off the road, you know, in three or four years at 80 miles an hour on the I-5," he said.
When it announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra in May, Apple said the system can show information from a vehicle's advanced driver assistance systems, but it sounds like certain functions provided by Ford's systems would not be supported.
Here’s some more of the conversation between Jim Farley and Joanna Stern:
Jim: “We just believe ADAS integration with your entertainment system is so critical when you're flying down the highway with your eyes off the road, you know, in three or four years at 80 miles an hour on the I-5.
Jim: And, you know, you're watching a movie or whatever we're going to be all doing or having a Chad GPT moment or having a wearable on, you know, we just don't think that a system from tech company who's not integrated the car is going to save your life.
Joanna: But it sounds to me then that you're really forced with the reality that you've got to build your own.
Jim: Yes. Yes. But the good thing is now versus five years ago, or a couple years ago when you and I talked, Android Auto is really advancing nicely. And we've learned a lot about how to build the experience on that.
What Jim probably means is Android Automotive, which is completely different from Android Auto and what many car manufacturers use to build their own custom experiences:
Android Automotive is an operating system and platform running directly on the in-vehicle hardware. It is a full-stack, open source, highly customizable platform powering the infotainment experience. Android Automotive supports apps built for Android as well as those built for Android Auto.
CarPlay Ultra is still built on a tethered system to your phone, which just sounds archaic when compared to having a built-in system that just works every single time.
Acura NSX office chairs up for grabs.
Put these in your office, next to your iPhone wall art.
Just beautiful.
Put these in your office, next to your iPhone wall art.
Just beautiful.
More in-depth CarPlay Ultra coverage by Ars Technica.
Finally, someone tested what would happen to the CarPlay Ultra UI when your iPhone restarts or is shut down. It’s what I expected, but a reboot still has annoying connectivity issues:
I tested Ultra with an iPhone 16 Pro, but the software requires an iPhone 12 or newer and the latest iOS 18.5 update. As a type of simple failure exercise, I turned my phone off while driving more than once. Doing so reverts both the gauge cluster and infotainment screen to Aston's native UI, the former almost instantly and the latter just a few seconds later. However, once I turned my phone back on, I struggled to reactivate either traditional CarPlay or Ultra until I forgot the device in my Bluetooth settings and started over from scratch. This held true for every attempt.
There’s more issues such as lag in the gauges…of a super car:
Call me old-fashioned, but I still enjoy seeing a tachometer, speedometer, drive modes, and fuel level versus range remaining and a digital speed—especially on an engaging performance vehicle like the DB12 Volante. Apple might be skilled at making new tech easy to use, but it's hard to beat the power of millions of minds adapting to analog gauges over the past century or so. And in this case, Ultra's tach(s) showed a bit of latency or lag while ripping that 671-hp twin-turbo V8 up through the revs, something I never noticed in the native UI.
This article claims that CarPlay Ultra is more holistic with access to more controls, but there are several instances where Michael either prefers the native Aston Martin UI or CarPlay Ultra. The gauges are laggy and the default Aston Martin ones are better, but the climate controls in CarPlay Ultra are better than the defaults. Opening the convertible top had issues, and specific audio controls required going into Aston’s control menu. It sounds like the mess that is iPadmulti-tasking.
Other things to consider:
Photos 2-6 in the first set of 12 photos showing the setup process are labelled incorrectly, and are Aston Martin’s setup terms and not Apple’s even though they’re attributed to CarPlay Ultra. I don’t think Apple is going to share your information with insurance companies.
Read the comment by UnnDunn to get more information about how CarPlay Ultra interacts with the vehicle’s in terms of safety systems.
They completely murdered Apple’s Style Guide rules by referring to CarPlay Ultra as “Ultra” the whole time, which is just confusing and sounds unprofessional.
Finally, someone tested what would happen to the CarPlay Ultra UI when your iPhone restarts or is shut down. It’s what I expected, but a reboot still has annoying connectivity issues:
I tested Ultra with an iPhone 16 Pro, but the software requires an iPhone 12 or newer and the latest iOS 18.5 update. As a type of simple failure exercise, I turned my phone off while driving more than once. Doing so reverts both the gauge cluster and infotainment screen to Aston's native UI, the former almost instantly and the latter just a few seconds later. However, once I turned my phone back on, I struggled to reactivate either traditional CarPlay or Ultra until I forgot the device in my Bluetooth settings and started over from scratch. This held true for every attempt.
There’s more issues such as lag in the gauges…of a super car:
Call me old-fashioned, but I still enjoy seeing a tachometer, speedometer, drive modes, and fuel level versus range remaining and a digital speed—especially on an engaging performance vehicle like the DB12 Volante. Apple might be skilled at making new tech easy to use, but it's hard to beat the power of millions of minds adapting to analog gauges over the past century or so. And in this case, Ultra's tach(s) showed a bit of latency or lag while ripping that 671-hp twin-turbo V8 up through the revs, something I never noticed in the native UI.
This article claims that CarPlay Ultra is more holistic with access to more controls, but there are several instances where Michael either prefers the native Aston Martin UI or CarPlay Ultra. The gauges are laggy and the default Aston Martin ones are better, but the climate controls in CarPlay Ultra are better than the defaults. Opening the convertible top had issues, and specific audio controls required going into Aston’s control menu. It sounds like the mess that is iPad multi-tasking.
Other things to consider:
Photos 2-6 in the first set of 12 photos showing the setup process are labelled incorrectly, and are Aston Martin’s setup terms and not Apple’s even though they’re attributed to CarPlay Ultra. I don’t think Apple is going to share your information with insurance companies.
Read the comment by UnnDunn to get more information about how CarPlay Ultra interacts with the vehicle’s in terms of safety systems.
They completely murdered Apple’s Style Guide rules by referring to CarPlay Ultra as “Ultra” the whole time, which is just confusing and sounds unprofessional.
CarPlay Ultra needs to be “crash tested.”
I can’t seem to find a single CarPlay Ultra hands-on where the driver tries to see what happens when you disconnect your iPhone from the vehicle. It would be interesting (and important) to see what happens to the UI of the vehicle when the phone inevitably has connection issues.
The only person to address it from what I could find: Joe Rosensteel from Six Colors:
CarPlay Ultra disconnects won’t affect the instruments and essential functions of the car because they’re rendered locally by the vehicle. I have no safety concerns about dropped connections. However, we haven’t seen how gracefully the phone-generated part of the non-essential interface degrades when there are connection issues. I don’t believe Apple wants to be the one to show people anything less than ideal function, even if we all know that’s not realistic.
I think people will find it jarring to go from an immersive Apple Maps screen with a simple digital speedometer and fuel gauge to a default instrument cluster with no maps in a split second. It’s like asking a digitally immersed, spoiled child to tell you the time after taking away his iPhone and leaving him with just a Meridian analog clock.
Lost and traumatized.
I may be exaggerating (a little), but CarPlay’s issues are multi-dimensional since it relies on Apple and the car manufacturer’s software to have good communication, which is also troublesome.
I rented a few Nissans recently, and the physical CarPlay connection was perfect. A few years ago I rented a Kia for a work trip that had wireless CarPlay, and it worked about 85% of the time. I loved the fact that it was wireless, but I hated it when it lost connection and I had to navigate to my destination while holding my phone. I’m not against CarPlay or CarPlay Ultra, but I’m happy with my current Moment MagSafe setup since it never fails.
Every car has its quirks with CarPlay, and I’m sure every car that will support CarPlay Ultra in the future will have its own quirks in terms of features, but also reliability.
There should be a POV video where the driver is driving with CarPlay Ultra fully engaged, and there should be a passenger who takes the phone and simulates a lost connection by rebooting the device just to see what elements of the interface stay functional and what features roll off a cliff.
With cars becoming more and more “tech on wheels,” the question now becomes, is this a test car reviewers should do, or tech reviewers?
I can’t seem to find a single CarPlay Ultra hands-on where the driver tries to see what happens when you disconnect your iPhone from the vehicle. It would be interesting (and important) to see what happens to the UI of the vehicle when the phone inevitably has connection issues.
The only person to address it from what I could find: Joe Rosensteel from Six Colors:
CarPlay Ultra disconnects won’t affect the instruments and essential functions of the car because they’re rendered locally by the vehicle. I have no safety concerns about dropped connections. However, we haven’t seen how gracefully the phone-generated part of the non-essential interface degrades when there are connection issues. I don’t believe Apple wants to be the one to show people anything less than ideal function, even if we all know that’s not realistic.
I think people will find it jarring to go from an immersive Apple Maps screen with a simple digital speedometer and fuel gauge to a default instrument cluster with no maps in a split second. It’s like asking a digitally immersed, spoiled child to tell you the time after taking away his iPhone and leaving him with just a Meridian analog clock.
Lost and traumatized.
I may be exaggerating (a little), but CarPlay’s issues are multi-dimensional since it relies on Apple and the car manufacturer’s software to have good communication, which is also troublesome.
I rented a few Nissans recently, and the physical CarPlay connection was perfect. A few years ago I rented a Kia for a work trip that had wireless CarPlay, and it worked about 85% of the time. I loved the fact that it was wireless, but I hated it when it lost connection and I had to navigate to my destination while holding my phone. I’m not against CarPlay or CarPlay Ultra, but I’m happy with my current Moment MagSafe setup since it never fails.
Every car has its quirks with CarPlay, and I’m sure every car that will support CarPlay Ultra in the future will have its own quirks in terms of features, but also reliability.
There should be a POV video where the driver is driving with CarPlay Ultra fully engaged, and there should be a passenger who takes the phone and simulates a lost connection by rebooting the device just to see what elements of the interface stay functional and what features roll off a cliff.
With cars becoming more and more “tech on wheels,” the question now becomes, is this a test car reviewers should do, or tech reviewers?
Regarding CarPlay Ultra, car maker says, “Don't try to invade our own systems.”
Tim Hardwick from MacRumors reporting from a paywalled Financial Times report:
Apple is facing mounting resistance from automakers over CarPlay Ultra, the next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles that was announced last month.
A new (paywalled) Financial Times report claims several major brands are walking back their earlier commitments to support the upgraded dashboard software. German luxury manufacturers Mercedes-Benz and Audi have both distanced themselves from the system, along with Volvo, Polestar, and Renault.
It's a major retreat from Apple's 2022 announcement, which originally named 14 automakers as future CarPlay Ultra partners, including all of those mentioned above.
CarPlay Ultra goes far beyond traditional CarPlay by taking control of the entire dashboard experience. The system displays vehicle information like temperature, speed, and fuel levels alongside iPhone apps, creating what Apple calls "a unified and consistent experience across all the driver's screens."
Mercedes-Benz had previously expressed reluctance to cede dashboard control to Apple. Now other premium brands are following suit, citing concerns about maintaining their own software experiences and revenue streams from in-car services. From the report:
Some companies have found Apple's foray into driver screens as over-reach. One executive at Renault, which is developing a vehicle mainly controlled by software with Google and Qualcomm, said the French carmaker told Apple: "Don't try to invade our own systems."
But it begs the question for car manufacturers:
Why go through a redundant process and work with a second UI that is less reliable?
The car manufacturer already has to make a UI with all of its features for their vehicles, so why try to reproduce that same experience with CarPlay 2 that requires phone projection? Phone projection or tethering (call it what you want) will always have a less reliable connection than the car’s built-in software. It just seems like a waste of resources for automakers in an already low-margin industry, not to mention a safety concern if an entire dash filled with CarPlay 2 projection all of a sudden disconnects from your phone because of some bug. […]
With Apple’s huge stance on privacy, there has to be some friction with how deeply CarPlay 2 integrates into a manufacturer’s system, and how much of that data Apple doesn’t want to be made available for sale.
There’s a tug of war between automakers and Apple. If something goes awry, who is to blame for an accident? Likewise, if data is being sold without people knowing about it, who is to blame? Neither party wants to bear the brunt of bad news, but if accidents happen, both the automaker and Apple will be blamed. [...]
As the industry moves towards more automation, CarPlay 2 will be even less relevant since there are huge safety concerns and no manufacturer wants to rely on software that is not 100% in their control.
Most automakers will stick to regular CarPlay and treat it as a built-in app, but don’t put all your hopes in CarPlay Ultra making it into your next vehicle unless you’re buying an Aston Martin.
Tim Hardwick from MacRumors reporting from a paywalled Financial Times report:
Apple is facing mounting resistance from automakers over CarPlay Ultra, the next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles that was announced last month.
A new (paywalled) Financial Times report claims several major brands are walking back their earlier commitments to support the upgraded dashboard software. German luxury manufacturers Mercedes-Benz and Audi have both distanced themselves from the system, along with Volvo, Polestar, and Renault.
It's a major retreat from Apple's 2022 announcement, which originally named 14 automakers as future CarPlay Ultra partners, including all of those mentioned above.
CarPlay Ultra goes far beyond traditional CarPlay by taking control of the entire dashboard experience. The system displays vehicle information like temperature, speed, and fuel levels alongside iPhone apps, creating what Apple calls "a unified and consistent experience across all the driver's screens."
Mercedes-Benz had previously expressed reluctance to cede dashboard control to Apple. Now other premium brands are following suit, citing concerns about maintaining their own software experiences and revenue streams from in-car services. From the report:
Some companies have found Apple's foray into driver screens as over-reach. One executive at Renault, which is developing a vehicle mainly controlled by software with Google and Qualcomm, said the French carmaker told Apple: "Don't try to invade our own systems."
But it begs the question for car manufacturers:
Why go through a redundant process and work with a second UI that is less reliable?
The car manufacturer already has to make a UI with all of its features for their vehicles, so why try to reproduce that same experience with CarPlay 2 that requires phone projection? Phone projection or tethering (call it what you want) will always have a less reliable connection than the car’s built-in software. It just seems like a waste of resources for automakers in an already low-margin industry, not to mention a safety concern if an entire dash filled with CarPlay 2 projection all of a sudden disconnects from your phone because of some bug. […]
With Apple’s huge stance on privacy, there has to be some friction with how deeply CarPlay 2 integrates into a manufacturer’s system, and how much of that data Apple doesn’t want to be made available for sale.
There’s a tug of war between automakers and Apple. If something goes awry, who is to blame for an accident? Likewise, if data is being sold without people knowing about it, who is to blame? Neither party wants to bear the brunt of bad news, but if accidents happen, both the automaker and Apple will be blamed. [...]
As the industry moves towards more automation, CarPlay 2 will be even less relevant since there are huge safety concerns and no manufacturer wants to rely on software that is not 100% in their control.
Most automakers will stick to regular CarPlay and treat it as a built-in app, but don’t put all your hopes in CarPlay Ultra making it into your next vehicle unless you’re buying an Aston Martin.
The new 2026 Toyota RAV4, America’s best-selling car, debuts with the new Arene software platform that could indicate CarPlay Ultra compatibility in the future.
Arene is built to enable the safe, secure, and scalable development of software. By applying Toyota’s manufacturing expertise to modern software engineering, it empowers developers with a more unified, human-centric approach to building and deploying high-quality software. In doing so, Arene moves Toyota and WbyT closer to their shared vision of a software-defined future with zero accidents.
Other key points about their software:
Traditionally, software and hardware in vehicles have been tightly coupled, requiring custom development for each application and vehicle model. Arene’s SDK helps decouple these dependencies by enabling developers to build modular software components that can be reused across multiple applications and vehicle models.
Arene Tools consist of a suite of enterprise-grade tools that allow software to be visualized, tested, validated and managed within virtual environments, reducing the need to rely on physical prototypes. This virtualization accelerates development cycles across vehicle models and shortens time-to-market for new features.
The Arene SDK and Arene Tools help shorten development times, and together with Arene Data, they accelerate the delivery of new and improved features even after the vehicle leaves the factory floor. This results in a driving experience that becomes more personalized, more adaptive, and continuously refined over time.
Some of their other highlights from their infographic include:
Faster, seamless upgrades from a single update
More seamless, consistent and stable experiences
Greater personalization and customization
Quicker access to the latest technologies
This sounds like a tease for CarPlay Ultra if you’re really optimistic, but I think Toyota is heading in the direction of GM and Mercedes and wants to provide customers with an experience that doesn’t rely on embedding a 3rd party platform deep into their driving experience.
Toyota is not one of the brands that has committed to offering CarPlay Ultra, but if they ever do decide to change their minds, this new software platform should make it feasible to port it to the 2026 RAV4 and onward.
The new RAV4 still offers wireless Apple CarPlay (and Android Auto) as standard.
Arene is built to enable the safe, secure, and scalable development of software. By applying Toyota’s manufacturing expertise to modern software engineering, it empowers developers with a more unified, human-centric approach to building and deploying high-quality software. In doing so, Arene moves Toyota and WbyT closer to their shared vision of a software-defined future with zero accidents.
Other key points about their software:
Traditionally, software and hardware in vehicles have been tightly coupled, requiring custom development for each application and vehicle model. Arene’s SDK helps decouple these dependencies by enabling developers to build modular software components that can be reused across multiple applications and vehicle models.
Arene Tools consist of a suite of enterprise-grade tools that allow software to be visualized, tested, validated and managed within virtual environments, reducing the need to rely on physical prototypes. This virtualization accelerates development cycles across vehicle models and shortens time-to-market for new features.
The Arene SDK and Arene Tools help shorten development times, and together with Arene Data, they accelerate the delivery of new and improved features even after the vehicle leaves the factory floor. This results in a driving experience that becomes more personalized, more adaptive, and continuously refined over time.
Some of their other highlights from their infographic include:
Faster, seamless upgrades from a single update
More seamless, consistent and stable experiences
Greater personalization and customization
Quicker access to the latest technologies
This sounds like a tease for CarPlay Ultra if you’re really optimistic, but I think Toyota is heading in the direction of GM and Mercedes and wants to provide customers with an experience that doesn’t rely on embedding a 3rd party platform deep into their driving experience.
Toyota is not one of the brands that has committed to offering CarPlay Ultra, but if they ever do decide to change their minds, this new software platform should make it feasible to port it to the 2026 RAV4 and onward.
The new RAV4 still offers wireless Apple CarPlay (and Android Auto) as standard.
Apple CarPlay 2 is now CarPlay Ultra, currently exclusive for the elite car buyer.
Apple Newsroom:
Starting today, CarPlay Ultra, the next generation of CarPlay, is available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada, and will be available for existing models that feature the brand’s next-generation infotainment system through a software update in the coming weeks. CarPlay Ultra builds on the capabilities of CarPlay and provides the ultimate in-car experience by deeply integrating with the vehicle to deliver the best of iPhone and the best of the car. It provides information for all of the driver’s screens, including real-time content and gauges in the instrument cluster, while reflecting the automaker’s look and feel and offering drivers a customizable experience. Many other automakers around the world are working to bring CarPlay Ultra to drivers, including newly committed brands Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.
The Top Gear video showing off CarPlay Ultra is a nice refresher showing all the new features. Now all I need is a minimum of $200,000 to experience it.
Personally, I think Aston Martin had nothing to lose to go all-in on CarPlay Ultra because they are already bleeding cash, and CarPlay Ultra will sell more cars. Now they just have to import them to the US.
Apple Newsroom:
Starting today, CarPlay Ultra, the next generation of CarPlay, is available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada, and will be available for existing models that feature the brand’s next-generation infotainment system through a software update in the coming weeks. CarPlay Ultra builds on the capabilities of CarPlay and provides the ultimate in-car experience by deeply integrating with the vehicle to deliver the best of iPhone and the best of the car. It provides information for all of the driver’s screens, including real-time content and gauges in the instrument cluster, while reflecting the automaker’s look and feel and offering drivers a customizable experience. Many other automakers around the world are working to bring CarPlay Ultra to drivers, including newly committed brands Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.
The Top Gear video showing off CarPlay Ultra is a nice refresher showing all the new features. Now all I need is a minimum of $200,000 to experience it.
Personally, I think Aston Martin had nothing to lose to go all-in on CarPlay Ultra because they are already bleeding cash, and CarPlay Ultra will sell more cars. Now they just have to import them to the US.