This week, Apple officially launched CarPlay Ultra, and honestly, I think it might be one of the most significant steps forward in vehicle tech we’ve seen in a while. As someone who spends a lot of time testing and talking about tech—especially in the automotive space—this announcement really stood out to me.
CarPlay has always been helpful, but Ultra takes things to a whole new level.
So, What Is CarPlay Ultra?
If you’re already using standard CarPlay in your car, you’ll know how useful it is for navigation, music, messaging, and more—all projected from your iPhone onto your vehicle’s screen. But CarPlay Ultra isn’t just a UI upgrade. It goes much deeper.
Instead of stopping at the infotainment screen, Ultra now takes over every digital display in your car, including your instrument cluster (the one behind your steering wheel). So things like your speed, battery range, and even fuel data all appear in Apple’s trademark style.
It’s essentially turning your car into an iPhone on wheels.
What Makes It Different?
Here’s why I think CarPlay Ultra is a genuine game-changer:
🔧 Total System Control
CarPlay Ultra doesn’t just mirror apps—it gives you access to climate control, drive modes, media, and even tyre pressure readings.
📱 Full Apple Dashboard Experience
Both your centre console and gauge cluster get a unified Apple-style makeover. That alone makes older systems feel immediately dated.
🧠 Widgets & Voice
You get glanceable widgets for things like weather, calendar, and navigation, plus improved Siri integration that can handle commands like “turn on the heated seats” or “set the temperature to 20 degrees.”
What Cars Get It First?
The rollout has started in North America, with Aston Martin vehicles leading the charge—including the DB12, Vantage, Vanquish, and DBX. These models are shipping now with CarPlay Ultra built-in, or with updates available through dealerships.
When’s It Coming to the UK?
There’s no official UK release date yet, but all signs point to late 2025 or early 2026. Aston Martin is a British brand, so UK models shouldn’t be far behind.
Other manufacturers expected to support Ultra soon include:
BMW
Jaguar Land Rover
Audi
Volvo
Mercedes-Benz
Polestar
Hyundai/Genesis
Basically, if your car has a digital dashboard and supports standard CarPlay today, there’s a strong chance it’ll support Ultra tomorrow.
What iPhone Do You Need?
To run CarPlay Ultra, you’ll need:
An iPhone 12 or later
iOS 18.4 or newer
A vehicle with CarPlay Ultra support and a full digital display setup
If you’re not quite there yet, or want to brush up on how to get started, I’d recommend this beginner’s guide from Cocoon Vehicles:
👉 Getting started with Apple CarPlay
Some Personal Thoughts
From my perspective, this is Apple at its best—simplifying and elevating an experience that had grown clunky in many modern vehicles. That said, there are a few things to think about:
What if your iPhone isn’t in the car?
Your car becomes very reliant on your phone. That’s fine most of the time, but could be a hassle in emergencies.Repair costs could rise.
More tech usually means more expensive repairs, which might eventually influence insurance premiums.
Still, I can’t deny it’s exciting. Apple has finally brought the same consistency we enjoy across iPhones and Macs into the automotive world—and that’s something car manufacturers have never quite nailed on their own.
Want to Read More?
If you’re curious to see how others are reacting to CarPlay Ultra, here are a few great reads:
📘 Apple CarPlay Ultra: What It Means for UK Drivers – Cocoon Vehicles
📘 Apple CarPlay Ultra: A Glimpse Into the Future – einsure.uk
All of these articles offer unique angles—from the insurance implications to broader gadget geekery.
My Final Thoughts
Whether you’re a CarPlay fan or just someone interested in the future of driving tech, CarPlay Ultra is a big deal. It’s sleek, functional, and for anyone deep in the Apple ecosystem, it makes driving feel like second nature.
As for me, I’m watching closely. Whether I get to test it in a Jag, a Beemer, or something entirely unexpected—I’ll definitely share my thoughts here when I do.
Until then, thanks for reading!
✍️ — rhysadams.co.uk
