Apple’s in-car ecosystem promised to reach affordable mass market cars when it launched, and over 12 months later, Kia or Hyundai may be the first to adopt the system.
Apple released its next-generation of in-car infotainment in May 2025, with a system called CarPlay Ultra.
Unlike earlier iterations of CarPlay, which mirrored key phone functions like music, maps, or podcasts on a vehicle’s infotainment system, CarPlay Ultra promised to extend to all of a car’s controls, including climate controls, instrumentation, and more.
As it was announced, Apple promised a commitment to the system from numerous brands, including Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, Polestar, Renault, Volvo and others.
But, almost nine months after launching, only Aston Martin has adopted the system.
No mainstream manufacturers have delivered the tech in an affordable car.
A number of brands that initially expressed interest, including Audi and Mercedes-Benz, Polestar, Renault, and Volvo, have since said they have no plans to move toward the new system.
A recent report from Bloomberg now suggests that a major new model from Kia or Hyundai could be the first mainstream model to adopt the format.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says he received information that indicates one of the Korean brands would introduce CarPlay Ultra on a new model "in the second half of this year," making it more than 12 months since the system was first released.
In a report from mid-2025, Top Gear suggested that the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 3 electric hatch could be the first model to make the system available.
When Apple first introduced the system, it went to great lengths to show how customisable CarPlay Ultra’s graphic layouts are, meaning car brands could tailor the appearance of the system to keep a familiar branded look to each car’s digital real estate.
At the same time, Apple’s design controls layouts, graphical formats, typefaces, switches and sliders, leaning towards a more unified interface for systems that would normally operate differently from car to car.
The use of CarPlay Ultra is an opt-in system for owners, meaning they can use their vehicle’s integrated systems, run CarPlay in its traditional infotainment-only format, or go deeper with the CarPlay Ultra overlay for infotainment and instruments.
With CarPlay Ultra active, the need to exit basic CarPlay to adjust drive settings, radio, or climate controls is removed.
Voice commands are available via Siri for some adjustments, aimed at reducing the time a driver spends with their eyes off the road.
At the same time, General Motors has spoken out against the tech and has announced that its future electric vehicles would go without screen mirroring tech, preferring to develop its own in-house systems for mobile phone integration.
Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
