Hidden among Apple's major announcements during its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 10 were exciting new details about the iPhone-based CarPlay in-car solution.
The upcoming CarPlay takes advantage of the fact that modern car interiors are increasingly dominated by screens. Until now, that's been a problem because CarPlay has been mostly limited to one screen, usually in the middle of the dashboard.
Soon that will change.
The new version of CarPlay, shown off during one of Apple's developer coding sessions during the WWDC event, is a flexible and customizable solution that seamlessly blends what's on a driver's phone with their car.
Importantly, the new version of CarPlay is displayed anywhere there is a screen. CarPlay can be used in the gauge cluster and even the passenger-side screen (if the car has one). In short, CarPlay integration is only limited to the screen space available in the vehicle.
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A personal command center (powered by your iPhone):
Apple human interface designer Ben Crick says the key feature of the new version of CarPlay is customization. It can be adjusted to meet the technological needs, limitations and aesthetic standards of each automaker.
“(Carplay is) designed to fit any drivetrain, feature set and configuration in a vehicle. One screen or many, large screens or small screens, and any screen in between,” Crick said in the video. “The result will not only look like Apple, nor will it be a copy of the integrated system. It is designed to be a unique celebration of both brands.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet”>
Next-gen Apple CarPlay looks great pic.twitter.com/supx5UVgSU
-Joe Rossignol (@rsgnl) twitter.com/rsgnl/status/1737564726505218189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>December 20, 2023
The new version of CarPlay was first introduced in December 2023 with mockups showing interiors from sports car manufacturers Aston Martin and Porsche.
Apple hopes automakers will play around with the finer details.
Focusing on the gauge cluster, the designer demonstrated how developers can customize the font of the numbers, the style of the tachometer or speedometer needle, and even the dash markings between each numbered increment on a speedometer or tachometer.
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Apple also demonstrated how CarPlay will integrate into a particular car's various built-in technologies.
For example, cars with cruise control and adaptive cruise control may be equipped with visual markers on the speedometer to indicate how fast the car should go, while those equipped with manual transmissions may have visual indicators of recommended gear changes and the current gear position. .
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Dynamic content, such as calendars and moving navigation maps, can also become a fixture in the gauge cluster alongside traditional gauges.
You can even add wallpapers to the gauges to give them a touch of personality.
Overall, the new version of CarPlay is intended to be visually different from one automaker to another, from model to model, and even between trim levels. If a driver doesn't like a particular layout, he can change it as easily as widgets on an iPhone.
Apple's website says the first models to feature the new version of CarPlay will be available in 2024, but it hasn't mentioned any specific manufacturers yet. Due to the flexible nature of CarPlay software, the degree to which the aforementioned features will be integrated will likely vary widely.
CarPlay is currently available on more than 800 models from major automakers, including Honda, Ford and Ferrari.
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