Ford's CEO gives his honest opinion on Apple CarPlay Ultra as car brands refuse to use it

As brands have been divided by the first Apple CarPlay Ultra prototype, Ford CEO Jim Farley has given his opinion in a podcast – and he’s not holding back.

The infotainment system looks set to become the beating heart of a car.

Despite initially being a hub for music and hands-free calling, the software now has the chance to become the brain of modern cars and control every fibre.

That’s the plan for Ford, and if Apple CarPlay Ultra can’t keep up, then Jim Farley will be looking to make his own software.

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Ford CEO Jim Farley is not impressed by the Apple CarPlay Ultra prototype

Unless you have a Tesla, living without Android and Apple CarPlay seems like a step back to a dystopian world now.

Especially with the iOS 26 update upping the ante, the software is used by almost every driver on the road now.

But with Apple CarPlay Ultra on the horizon, many big carmakers are turning down the chance to have it integrated into their cars, favoring their own.

Only after some intense deliberation have some brands like Porsche and Hyundai started pledging their allegiance to Apple.

But Ford CEO Jim Farley isn’t being swayed so easily.

In fact, in a Decoded podcast with The Verge, the Ford CEO admitted that CarPlay Ultra is a long way from being accepted for its upcoming cars.

“We don’t like the execution in round one of Ultra,” he said.

So, what’s the problem?

Well, Farley believes that there is quite a difference in how Ford wants the service to control the car in comparison to what it could build for its own cars.

Features like an AI assistant and control over the car’s functions are some of the biggest differences, with Apple not being as seamless as its Chinese counterparts in this department.

He believes that if tech companies like Apple and Google cannot make it easier for their software to have full control over the cars, then Ford will have to make its own infotainment system.

Farley has often called upon tech companies to look at how the Chinese competitors are working on their systems.

Committed to the cause

Unlike the German trio of BMW, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz, which are combining forces to make their own software solution, the Ford CEO is standing by Apple in hopes that it can pull the rabbit out of the hat with CarPlay Ultra.

“We’re very committed to Apple,” he said.

“Ford does not have the right, in our opinion, to disrupt someone’s digital life when they get in their car. We don’t want it to be a hassle. We don’t think we can design an experience that’s going to displace your phone.”

Still, he definitely didn’t rule out Ford making its own software with help from different AI assistants.

Apple is putting a lot of its eggs in the CarPlay ultra basket, but maybe it’s time the tech wizards start taking more notice of Chinese competitors like Xiaomi.

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