CarPlay Ultra rollout highlights uneven automaker support as some brands pull back

Apple’s next-generation in-car sosourcesware, CarPlay Ultra, began rolling out to Aston Martin owners in the United States and Canada in May 2025. Wider adoption across the auto industry remains uncertain, with Apple listing several automakers as future supporters while multiple brands have reportedly dropped earlier plans.

Apple previewed the next-generation CarPlay experience at WWDC 2022. In December 2023, the company said Porsche and Aston Martin would be among the first to support it starting in 2024, but that timeline slipped. So far, Aston Martin is the only automaker with confirmed availability, beginning in May 2025.

Automakers reported to have dropped planned support Several automakers previously linked to next-generation CarPlay have since stepped away. Mercedes-Benz is cited as having abandoned support in 2024. The Financial Times has also reported that Audi, Volvo, Polestar, and Renault decided against supporting CarPlay Ultra.

Brands Apple still lists as future supporters Apple continues to list a group of automakers as planning to eventually support CarPlay Ultra. As of April 2026, the list includes:

• Acura

• Aston Martin

• Ford

• Genesis

• Honda

• Hyundai

• Infiniti

• Jaguar

• Kia

• Land Rover

• Lincoln

• Nissan

• Porsche

Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis were added as prospective partners in May 2025.

Hyundai and Ford: signals on timing and execution The article points to rumors that Hyundai’s upcoming IONIQ 3 EV—expected to start at around £25,000 ($33,700)—could include CarPlay Ultra, potentially expanding availability beyond the luxury segment. Hyundai has not commented publicly on whether the vehicle will support the system.

Ford CEO Jim Farley, meanwhile, said he had reservations about the first iteration’s execution while adding that the company remains committed to Apple and is continuing discussions about future integration.

What comes next Apple has not provided a clear timeline for when CarPlay Ultra will expand beyond Aston Martin. For now, Apple’s list of expected supporters and reports of pullbacks underscore the uncertainty over how widely the system will be adopted across the auto industry.