CarPlay didn’t get a lot of attention during the WWDC keynote, but the platform did get some new features with iOS 17, like SharePlay support in the Music app and the availability of real-time EV charging stations.
The SharePlay support in the Music app allows all passengers in a car to control the music played from their own iPhone, even if they don’t subscribe to Apple Music. The primary user can start a SharePlay session from CarPlay.
Apple Maps now offers drivers of electric vehicles real-time information on the charging availability of your preferred charging network, and this feature extends to the CarPlay Maps app, making it easy to find an available charging point while driving.
New CarPlay features are automatically available after updating an iPhone to iOS 17. The software update will be released to the public later this year for iPhone XS and later, and is currently available in developer beta.
The next generation of CarPlay
The wait continues for the next generation of CarPlay that Apple announced at WWDC 2022. Apple said the first vehicles with next-generation CarPlay support would be announced in late 2023, so more details should be provided in the coming months.
New features introduced last year include integration with the vehicle’s instrument cluster and climate controls, multi-display support, an integrated FM radio application, widgets and much more.
