THE BREAKDOWN
- Ford will continue supporting Apple CarPlay in its vehicles.
- The company says it prioritizes customers 'choice.'
- Other automakers, like GM, are moving away from CarPlay.
General Motors took a lot of heat when the company announced it was dropping Apple CarPlay from its electric vehicles. Some owners were so determined to keep smartphone mirroring, in fact, that they found a few short-lived workarounds to bring it back. Ford, thankfully, says it won’t make the same mistake.
Speaking at the recent Barclays Global Auto and Mobility Tech Conference, Ford reassured customers that CarPlay isn’t going anywhere. CFO Sherry House confirmed the company’s stance, saying:
'We’re going to continue to give customers choice when it comes to Apple CarPlay. It’s a product our customers really enjoy, so we’re going to keep allowing them access to it.'
The CarPlay Conundrum
Apple CarPlay—and, to a lesser extent, Android Auto—was a major talking point in 2025. GM removed CarPlay from its EV lineup in 2024 and has since doubled down on its removal, saying it has no plans to bring it back. That said, the company did recently add Apple Music to its native infotainment system. So, there’s still some Apple in your vehicle.
Rivian has also reiterated its decision not to support CarPlay. CEO RJ Scaringe said the company is "very confident" in its in-house software and doesn’t see a need to offer Apple or Android integrations.
Interestingly, reports suggest Tesla may actually be reconsidering its position. The automaker is said to have begun testing smartphone mirroring in some vehicles earlier this year, potentially opening the door to CarPlay support down the line.
For Ford fans—and Apple aficionados—this latest news can only be seen as a good thing. Despite Jim Farley’s lukewarm feelings about the latest CarPlay Ultra updates, Ford’s CEO has made it clear that the company remains "very committed to Apple."
Is CarPlay Ultra Any Good?
That said, Farley’s hesitation around CarPlay Ultra isn’t unfounded. Unlike previous versions, CarPlay Ultra goes beyond the central touchscreen and extends into the digital instrument cluster, integrating more deeply with a vehicle’s native systems.
When we tested CarPlay Ultra earlier this year, we were mostly impressed. The interface was sharp, performance was smooth, and everything worked exactly as expected. It was like a giant iPhone on wheels. Our main issue was that it requires a wireless connection with no wired option—but that felt like a relatively minor complaint.
Whatever the case, Ford’s decision to stick with CarPlay is great news. Whether or not CarPlay Ultra becomes a core part of Ford’s lineup remains to be seen, but keeping that option on the table is exactly what customers want.
Source: via Ford Authority
