What is Apple CarPlay?

These days, mobile phones are an extension of your everyday life. And since people spend a significant portion of their lives driving, the need for in-car mobile phone accessibility has become a focal point of the vehicle ownership experience. 

To that end, Apple CarPlay is the smart, safe, and intuitive way to use an iPhone while driving. This system lets you get directions, make calls, send and receive messages, and enjoy your favorite music, all on the car’s built-in dashboard display (infotainment system). 

Essentially, CarPlay makes it possible for drivers to seamlessly and organically interact with all of their iPhone’s primary functions from behind the wheel without the distraction of the phone itself.

How does Apple CarPlay Work?

Depending on what type of infotainment system your vehicle has, to start using CarPlay, you will do one of two things:

• Plug the iPhone into a USB port, generally located in the dashboard or center console. 
• Pair the iPhone with Bluetooth and run Apple CarPlay wirelessly by accepting a prompt on the screen or choosing an app from the display.

In both cases, the iPhone will automatically connect and project a simplified version of iOS, Apple’s mobile operating system, on the vehicle’s infotainment screen. 

The main benefit of CarPlay may be the simplicity of the user interface. The icons are large, and the text is easy to read. All featured apps look very similar to their iOS counterparts, making them familiar to the eyes and easy to navigate.

There are two primary screens on the CarPlay system: the main Home screen and the Dashboard. You can easily switch between the two. 

CarPlay Home shows all your CarPlay apps organized into pages. At the same time, CarPlay Dashboard gives quick access to critical items such as driving directions, audio playback, and app suggestions from Siri, Apple’s voice-driven virtual assistant for iOS. 

The Eight Primary Apps

On CarPlay Home, there are eight primary apps for the user to select. Each relates to a specific iPhone function. They are as follows:

• Phone App – Allows the driver to place calls. It has all the traditional controls, such as selecting a contact, mute, end call, and number pad.
• Apple Music App – Gives Apple Music subscribers direct access to their library of songs and albums. Like the iPhone app, it features Listen Now, Browse for Music, Apple Music Radio, and the user’s downloaded Favorites.
• Apple Maps App – Has all the traditional navigation functions plus some extra features, such as allowing the driver to share their ETA with anyone on their contacts list. Apple Maps can also send turn-by-turn directions to an Apple Watch, although this may be an unnecessarily redundant feature.
• Messages App – Allows the user to see which contacts have sent messages but will not display the text for safety reasons. Instead, Siri will read them out loud and give the option to repeat, reply, or exit.
• Now Playing App – Displays what is playing on the vehicle’s audio system in real-time. Whether it’s a podcast, an audiobook, or a favorite song, this app controls the currently playing media. However, this app does not give the user access to visual content, such as a video or a movie, which could cause driver distraction.
• Podcast App – Allows the user to find saved podcasts, browse new podcasts, or continue listening to whichever podcast was last playing. 
• Audio Books App – Functions are like the Podcast app with similar playback and play-forward controls.
• Car Manufacturer App – Will be labeled on the screen as the vehicle brand of the car. This app will take the user to the native operating system of the built-in display. Use this when you wish to exit Apple CarPlay.

The Role of Siri

Siri is vital to CarPlay, keeping you focused on the road ahead. The voice assistant answers questions about CarPlay functionality, takes commands, provides information found online, and sends dictated texts. Siri operates in CarPlay just like it does on the iPhone. To get assistance, say, “Hey, Siri.” Alternatively, press and hold the Talk button on the steering wheel.

Settings

The Settings option gives users selections across various features and functions. For example, switching on “Do Not Disturb” eliminates driver distraction by blocking calls or messages while driving. However, you can make exceptions by creating a list of favorites from your contacts list. Calls and messages from those people will still come through.

In addition, you can choose between Automatic Light and Dark mode or Always Dark mode for the background aesthetic. There are numerous other ways to customize CarPlay, from wallpaper displays for the CarPlay Home screen to the organization and presentation of information on the CarPlay Dashboard.

Third-party Apps

In addition to Apple’s apps, CarPlay allows the use of third-party apps. For instance, with navigation, the user can switch to Google Maps or Waze instead of Apple Maps. Similarly, Apple Music users can use Spotify as their preference. Most major media apps have a corresponding CarPlay app, making the experience flexible for users. 

To turn on or off CarPlay apps or third-party apps, you must go to the CarPlay settings in your iPhone and select which apps you would like to have appear on the CarPlay Dashboard.

Compatibility

At this point, virtually every major auto manufacturer supports Apple CarPlay on some level. 

Curiously, General Motors recently announced that it will phase out Apple CarPlay (and the similar Android Auto technology for Android devices), starting with its new electric vehicles. Automakers see subscription services as a significant future profit center, so this might be the first step toward eliminating typically free services like CarPlay.

If you own an older vehicle, several aftermarket systems can add CarPlay to a model that doesn’t offer the system. That may be something to consider for anyone who wants everyday access to their iPhone while driving.

Summary

For many, Apple CarPlay has become essential to the in-car experience. It allows drivers to safely and efficiently use their iPhones with minimal distraction while driving. With its intuitive control options and high level of convenience, CarPlay can be a genuine quality-of-life improvement. 

To learn more about new vehicle technologies, go to the Shopping Guides section of the JD Power website.

Jessica Shea Choksey is an experienced writer in the automotive field. In addition to JDPower.com, she was a correspondent for PBS’s MotorWeek. Her work has also appeared in AutoTrader.

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