CarPlay Ultra, the next generation of CarPlay, begins rolling out today

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Perceived Benefits of CarPlay / CarPlay Ultra

  • Many commenters treat CarPlay as essential; some refuse to buy or rent cars without it.
  • Users like having “their phone” as the main interface: consistent navigation, media, and contacts across rentals and owned cars.
  • Some already rely on CarPlay for core driving info (e.g., GPS speed in Waze) and welcome deeper integration if OEMs don’t ruin the UX.

Reliability and Technical Issues

  • Experiences are polarized: some report CarPlay (especially wireless) as buggy with frequent disconnects across multiple brands; others say it’s “rock solid.”
  • Factors blamed include: weak or cheap infotainment SoCs/Bluetooth chips, phone tethering/Wi‑Fi conflicts, specific automaker bugs, and even dirty/loose phone ports.
  • Wired CarPlay is often described as more reliable and less laggy than wireless.

Competition with Android Automotive & OEM Strategies

  • Some think Apple is late, with many manufacturers moving to Android Automotive. Others note automakers can still layer CarPlay on top of Android Automotive, and buyer demand (“no CarPlay, no buy”) constrains OEMs.
  • CarPlay Ultra is seen by some as a defensive move to keep CarPlay relevant as automakers try to own the full stack and even sell subscriptions.

Control, Standards, and Antitrust Concerns

  • One camp worries about Apple/Google extending smartphone dominance into cars, arguing this deepens a powerful duopoly and calling for antitrust action and structural breakup.
  • Others counter that automakers already abuse data and push ads/subscriptions, and that CarPlay/Android Auto are currently the best escape from terrible OEM UIs.
  • A few advocate for open, standardized interfaces (like HDMI/USB‑C for cars) so any device or future platform could integrate, but skeptics say only Apple/Google have meaningful market share.

Physical Controls vs Screens and UI Design

  • Strong preference from some for real knobs and buttons; giant touchscreens are “deal breakers” even if they support CarPlay.
  • Others separate displays (good) from touch-only controls (bad), and like setups where physical buttons coexist with CarPlay.
  • There’s interest in designs that retain physical basics and treat the phone as the “smart” part, versus full dash takeover by CarPlay Ultra.

Safety, Liability, and Openness

  • Deep integration raises liability concerns: open protocols that let arbitrary apps control gauges or play video while driving are seen as legally risky for OEMs.
  • This is used to justify certification and tight control, even as people complain CarPlay’s current “safety simplifications” (e.g., lack of pinch‑to‑zoom) can be more distracting than they help.

Compatibility, Rollout, and Meta

  • Owners of existing CarPlay cars don’t expect upgrades; CarPlay Ultra appears reserved for new vehicles.
  • The multi‑year delay from announcement to rollout is shrugged off as typical of the auto industry’s timelines.
  • Some criticize the Apple press release as “just an ad,” while others argue big platform launches from major tech firms are exactly the kind of thing HN readers want to discuss.