Aston Martin and Porsche Preview Next-Gen CarPlay Interfaces

Greg S. Fink, reporting for Car and Driver:

This next-generation CarPlay builds upon previous versions by integrating into all of the displays of a given vehicle and not just the central infotainment screen. Though the familiar CarPlay experience remains, multiple template options and special details ensure the interface reflects the ethos of a given brand.

For instance, the preview of Porsche’s CarPlay interface shows that it features a trio of circular gauges in the cluster and a background wallpaper that mimics the brand’s distinct houndstooth (or Pepita in Porsche-speak) seat pattern.

Aston Martin, on the other hand, goes a slightly different route. Its cluster includes a central information screen bookended by a circular speedometer and tachometer, the latter of which integrates “Handbuilt in Great Britain” wraparound text. [...]

This connection to the vehicle also means this new generation of CarPlay can cohesively display information from the vehicle’s native infotainment system (think tire-pressure information and the like), as well.

Not a false alarm like back in August — these really are the first announcements of support for the next-generation CarPlay that Apple announced at WWDC 2022, just under the wire for the promised “before the end of 2023”. Next-gen CarPlay was beginning to take on just the faintest aroma of vaporware.

Interesting to note that Porsche and Aston Martin are two companies that deeply value the branding of their dashboards and instrument displays, and are the first two to announce next-gen CarPlay support. The biggest knock against CarPlay — particularly the next-gen version — is that it takes branding out of the hands of the carmaker. Nilay Patel and I discussed just this issue on the last episode of The Talk Show (starts around 23m:10s).

★ Wednesday, 20 December 2023