What you need to know
- Carmakers aren't in any rush to add support for CarPlay's new dual-screen feature.
- The feature allows CarPlay to be displayed on the infotainment display and a secondary digital instrument cluster or heads-up display.
- The Verge reached out to confirm if carmakers would incorporate the new feature and none provided a set date.
iOS 13 added a complete redesign of CarPlay that offers, among other new features, dual-screen functionality. It lets car manufacturers add support to have CarPlay within the infotainment system and through a digital instrument cluster display or a heads-up display. Turns out, they aren't in any rush to adopt support.
According to The Verge, it reached out to 11 differentiations automakers that offer support for CarPlay and asked if they would add support for the dual-screen functionality. Of the eight that replied including Volkswagen, GM, Honda and Toyota, most acknowledged the new feature but none could give a concrete answer that they would roll out support.
Here are a few of their lackluster responses.
GM: "All GM vehicles that are CarPlay capable will support the iOS13 update." Will it work on multiple screens though? "We don't have any more details to share beyond what I already sent. Stay tuned..."Volkswagen: "Basically, iOS 13 updates to CarPlay will be shown on the OCU, even on an older gen vehicle that has App Connect." No response to our multiple screens follow-up.BMW: "BMW vehicles with Apple CarPlay compatibility will support the new version of Apple CarPlay in iOS13 when it is released. No vehicle update will be required." No response to our multiple screens follow-up.
As The Verge points out, a major issue in the way of carmakers is their lack of over-the-air software updates. Only Tesla is the major automaker to offer an OTA system that matches smartphones. The rest require car owners to go into a dealer and get the update installed. GM and others have since rolled out some version of it, but it's not nearly as seamless or offered free for the duration of the car's lifespan as Tesla does.
Even so, carmakers aren't necessarily racing to offer support for the new CarPlay feature. Most were nonchalant at first about adding CarPlay support while some dragged their feet as much as possible.
It shouldn't be surprising now that CarPlay has a new feature they can take advantage of, automakers aren't in any rush to add it.
