Another major carmaker will be skipping Apple CarPlay Ultra

When Apple announced its CarPlay Ultra infotainment system, it created a divide among carmakers - some immediately announced they would adopt Apple's software. In contrast, others said they had no plans to do so. BMW just confirmed once again that it won't be using Apple's CarPlay Ultra and will double down on its iDrive infotainment system.

After a substantial delay, Apple officially launched CarPlay Ultra in May this year and Aston Martin is piloting the rollout. Other companies, including Kia, Hyundai, Porsche, Genesis, Ford, Nissan, Infiniti, Jaguar, and Honda, among others, have confirmed that they are working closely with Apple to bring Apple CarPlay Ultra to their users.

However, manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Polestar, Renault, and General Motors are reluctant to give away their software independence to Apple, especially with GM removing the standard CarPlay from some of its newer EVs.

BMW took the opportunity to remind us that the company is working on its iDrive operating system, which will debut on the BMW iX3 and eventually spread across the rest of the Neue Klasse models. That doesn't mean standard CarPlay and Android Auto will be scrapped, it just means they will remain limited to the main infotainment screen without the ability to control car functions.

Via