Five major car brands set to announce they'll be integrating Apple CarPlay Ultra into new vehicles
Published on Sep 05, 2025 at 6:42 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Sep 05, 2025 at 7:50 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
After some initial resistance, Apple CarPlay Ultra is finally picking up some steam.
Five major car brands are likely going to adopt CarPlay Ultra soon.
Even though, to be fair, most of these brands had already said as much when Ultra was first announced a few months ago.
But there’s a reason why so many are hesitating.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
These five brands will adopt Apple CarPlay Ultra
Apple CarPlay Ultra was announced in partnership with Aston Martin, so this technically made the British luxury automaker the first adopter.
Porsche followed suit shortly after, and then Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis said they’d also be on board.
The fifth brand to join the bandwagon is Ford.
The list is still relatively short, and a lot of car makers are saying ‘thanks, but no thanks’, but that’s probably because the new Ultra system is a little disruptive.
With CarPlay Ultra, Apple once again – like it often does – took a my-way-or-the-highway approach.
This is the reason why so many brands are sort of buying time and trying to use other brands as ‘guinea pigs’.
They’re not sold yet, and they’re trying to wait and see what happens before they can join in.
This is how Ultra works
The vast majority of manufacturers in the world support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but these systems aren’t invasive.
They’re just designed to make your phone work with your car.
With Ultra, Apple took this to the next level because Ultra takes full digital control of your car screens.
Everything – from the digital instrument cluster to the infotainment system – becomes ‘Apple-ized’.
Some automakers fear that might be a bit too much, and that’s why they’re either saying ‘no’, or ‘not yet’.
Some went even further.
Mercedes, BMW, and VW Group are apparently working together to develop an alternative to CarPlay.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
