Tesla Is So Desperate To Increase Sales It's Adding Apple Carplay

Justin Hughes/Jalopnik

Since nan dawn of time, it seems, Tesla has remained patient successful its determination not to support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. That whitethorn beryllium astir to change, as Bloomberg reports that Tesla is now actively developing Apple CarPlay support. The aforesaid cannot beryllium said for Android Auto, arsenic Tesla is only moving connected CarPlay astatine this time.

According to Bloomberg's unnamed "people pinch knowledge of nan matter," Tesla's implementation of CarPlay would tally successful its ain model wrong Tesla's broader interface, alternatively than replacing nan full strategy arsenic it does connected galore vehicles. This makes sense, arsenic Tesla's operating strategy controls nan full car, not conscionable infotainment, and CarPlay can't do that. CarPlay Ultra might, but many manufacturers are shying away from it to support their ain systems successful control, and it's nary astonishment that Tesla would, too. While CarPlay support is presently successful nan improvement and testing phase, nary rollout day has been wished yet.

Cratering sales are apt nan logic why Tesla has changed its mind. According to Carscoops, a McKinsey & Co. study reveals that 25% of EV buyers and 38% of combustion car buyers will garbage to acquisition a conveyance that does not support smartphone mirroring. It's besides 1 of nan optional features our readers said they can't do without. Perhaps Tesla and its potential trillionaire CEO, Elon Musk, realized that they can't spend to suffer a 4th of their imaginable buyers complete this. If it's hopeless capable to commencement renting cars disconnected nan showroom floor, adding CarPlay support doesn't look for illustration arsenic overmuch of a stretch.

Tesla is not nan only EV shaper that has refused to support smartphone mirroring, but it group nan inclination for others to follow. Competitor Rivian besides does not connection Apple CarPlay aliases Android Auto, though it precocious added Google Maps integration successful hopes you'll extremity caring. GM has jumped connected this bandwagon hard, first dropping smartphone mirroring for its EVs, and past banishing it from each early models.

The logic (or excuse, depending connected your constituent of view) for this has mostly been that generic navigation apps can't connection nan integration that autochthonal systems supply for existent interoperability. Google and Apple Maps don't cognize nan battery's authorities of complaint aliases estimated range, truthful they can't way you to nan champion charging position on your route. From GM's effort to triumph america over:

...when nan proprietor of a Chevy Blazer EV routes to an EV charging station, nan vehicle's autochthonal package tin statesman warming up nan artillery truthful that it's primed for a faster charge. That's a level of "holistic integration" that's unavailable done CarPlay and Android Auto.

However, Rivian provides each this pinch its Google Maps integration. It's not mirroring, but it shows that it is possible. So does Porsche, whose Macan now supports Apple Maps EV routing wrong CarPlay.

Apple® Maps EV routing uses real-time conveyance accusation to thief customers navigate to their destination, recommending charging stops erstwhile needed. By analyzing elevation changes on nan way and different factors, Apple® Maps identifies due charging stations on nan way. If a customer drives until nan complaint gets excessively low, they are offered a way to nan nearest compatible charging station.

We don't cognize if Tesla intends to connection immoderate EV-specific functionality for illustration this successful its integration, aliases if it will simply supply basal CarPlay functionality to appease nan angry villagers. What is clear, though, is that nan institution that group nan trend, opinionated against smartphone mirroring astatine a clip erstwhile everybody other embraced it, is now figuring retired really to merge it. The excuse of "Tesla doesn't, truthful we don't person to" is nary longer valid.