While automakers like General Motors have begun to fret over Apple CarPlay, Tesla is reportedly working on integrating the system into the software stack of its vehicles.
According to Bloomberg, the feature is in development reportWhich said the effort could be canceled before being released to the public.
The move would mark a dramatic turnaround for the automaker. Tesla has fielded requests from current and potential customers to add CarPlay capability to its infotainment system. Apple CarPlay, as well as rival Android Auto, allows drivers to project their smartphone and its many apps onto the car’s infotainment display. Tesla’s focus is on standard CarPlay, not Apple’s next-generation, more capable version carplay ultra,
In lieu of CarPlay or Android Auto, Tesla has added native apps for streaming music services, including Apple Music, Spotify, and Tidal. Based on user reports, the quality of those apps has been uneven. Those apps also require customers to subscribe to Tesla’s Premium Connectivity package, which costs $9.99 monthly or $99 annually.
The addition of CarPlay may prompt some drivers who have dismissed Tesla to reconsider their decisions. Half of the drivers surveyed by McKinsey a few years ago said they will not buy Neither vehicle lacks CarPlay or Android Auto.
