Tesla is reportedly continuing to work on Apple CarPlay integration
According to a media report, Tesla is still working on integrating Apple CarPlay. This could be an attempt to compensate for declining sales figures.
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Tesla is reportedly still working on an integration of Apple CarPlay. After it was first revealed that tests were being conducted at Elon Musk's electric car manufacturer in November 2025, there was initially silence on the topic. Now, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who initially broke the story, has provided an update: The non-Ultra version of CarPlay is still in development at Tesla, he reported in his weekly Power On newsletter. More on this will follow shortly.
If Tesla were to actually integrate Apple's user interface for the iPhone into its vehicles, one of the most persistent holdouts against CarPlay would yield. Until now, the company has maintained that what CarPlay offers users is sufficiently covered by Tesla's own infotainment system. For example, there are also dedicated apps for Apple Music and Apple Podcasts. The Tesla navigation app is closely integrated with charging management, making it difficult for external navigation apps to provide real added value. However, users who use podcast apps like Overcast or Pocket Casts, for example, miss CarPlay in their Tesla: While podcasts can still be output via the car's speakers via Bluetooth, operation is more cumbersome than in vehicles with CarPlay integration. The same applies to other apps.
CarPlay in a window
According to information that became known in November, Tesla is said to be planning to display CarPlay in a window. This would mean that the Apple user interface would not take over the entire screen of the infotainment system as it does in many other vehicles. Given the size of Tesla's screens, the usable area would still be large enough for CarPlay's needs. Tesla also does not plan to use the next generation of CarPlay, CarPlay Ultra. This extends to instruments in the dashboard and allows control of various vehicle functions – all in Apple's design. However, only very few car manufacturers currently support this.
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According to media reports, Tesla's willingness to allow CarPlay at all is linked to the car manufacturer's declining sales figures. In the USA, a tax credit that burdens vehicle sales has also expired. CarPlay could provide a new purchase incentive here, as, according to a McKinsey study, almost a third of all car buyers consider the absence of CarPlay to be a disqualifying criterion when purchasing a vehicle. Apple has also been keen to emphasize these figures in the past.
(mki)
