Apple’s all-encompassing version of CarPlay is finally here. Starting today, Aston Martin will begin offering CarPlay Ultra, which exports the Apple experience to every screen in the vehicle, including the instrument cluster.
All new vehicle orders from today for the DBX, Vantage, DB12, and Vanquish will get CarPlay Ultra as standard equipment. Existing cars with Aston’s latest-generation infotainment system— launched on the 2024 DB12—will get it within “the coming weeks” through the company’s dealer network.
Photo by: Aston Martin
Photo by: Aston Martin
Aston said it worked closely with Apple to create a system “consistent with the brand’s unique design philosophy and remains instantly recognizable as Aston Martin,” which you can judge.
There are several design options for the speedometer and tachometer. They integrate with full-screen maps and media in the instrument cluster for an immersive experience that keeps you within Apple’s ecosystem, which is really what we all want. Drivers can also select various cluster themes, colors, and wallpapers and fully customize the screen.
Ultra allows owners to place Apple widgets on either screen and provides access to managing vehicle functions like the radio and climate. However, there are redundant physical controls and override switches for vital operations like heating and cooling, gear selection, exhaust, chassis, and more. You can use the touchscreen, the physical controls, or Siri to control the vehicle.
Apple initially announced CarPlay Ultra in 2022, followed by a teaser two years later that promised the system would arrive in 2024. That didn’t happen, with Apple going quiet about the missed deadline earlier this year. It’s possible the tech giant was busy helping to put the final touches on Aston’s “entirely bespoke” version of Ultra. Either way, it’s finally here.
Photo by: Aston Martin
Photo by: Aston Martin
Aston was one of several brands Apple mentioned by name it was working with on CarPlay Ultra. Porsche was another, but not every automaker is eager to hand over the entire in-car experience to Apple.
General Motors is famously anti-CarPlay, dropping the feature from its vehicles, while Rivian was explicit about wanting to retain control of the vehicle’s digital ecosystems. But there are workarounds if you’re stubborn. On the other end of the spectrum is Ferrari, which just gave up trying to create its own navigation system and admitted your smartphone was just better.
Photo by: Aston Martin
Aston is launching CarPlay in the United States and Canada first, rolling it out to all global markets within the year. You’ll need an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.54 or later to get CarPlay Ultra.
We’ll have to see if Porsche’s system comes to fruition and watch how other automakers react. If it’s good, and people want it, it could expand throughout the industry like the first iteration of CarPlay did, and become the preferred way people experience their cars.