Apple CarPlay Ultra debuts in Aston Martin models

Apple’s new, more expansive CarPlay smartphone mirroring tech is coming in time for Christmas… provided you have an Aston Martin.

Apple CarPlay Ultra sees the tech giant’s interface applied not only to the infotainment screen of a vehicle, but also to its digital instrument cluster.

Aston Martin is the first auto brand to feature the system, and it’s available as standard on all DB12, DBX, Vantage and Vanquish vehicles ordered in the US and Canada from today, but it can also be retrofitted to existing current-generation Aston vehicles in those markets from June.

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Australian buyers will be a few months behind. Here’s a breakdown:

The British company notes the system is only available in ‘core’ models that run its latest generation of infotainment, leaving Astons with the previous-generation infotainment system with only standard Apple CarPlay.

Aston Martin hasn’t specified yet how much it’ll cost existing owners to retrofit Apple CarPlay Ultra, but says model year 2024 (MY24) vehicles will require both a hardware and software update, to be completed at one of its dealers.

MY25 vehicles require only an over-the-air software update, but this must still be completed at a dealer.

The company hasn’t confirmed if or when CarPlay Ultra will become available on the Valhalla.

Not only will CarPlay Ultra users be able to access Apple apps that are traditionally available with CarPlay, they’ll be able to control vehicle functions like the radio and climate control via Apple’s interface.

To use CarPlay Ultra, you need to have an iPhone 12 or later, running iOS 18.54 or later.

Apple says it has made CarPlay Ultra highly customisable. For example, you can tailor the colour palettes and wallpapers, and add widgets to either in-car screen.

Aston Martin also says it has also worked with Apple on a bespoke theme.

It starts automatically on startup and remembers the preferences of the person who has connected their iPhone.

The instrument cluster will offer a variety of display options, including a full-screen map view.

Apple CarPlay Ultra was revealed in 2022 and was previously slated to launch in 2024, before it was delayed.

“The next generation of CarPlay builds on years of success and insights gained from CarPlay, delivering the best of Apple and the automaker in a deeply integrated and customisable experience,” the company said in January.

“We continue to work closely with several automakers, enabling them to showcase their unique brand and visual design philosophies in the next generation of CarPlay.

“Each car brand will share more details as they near the announcements of their models that will support the next generation of CarPlay.”

So while Aston Martin will be the first automaker to offer the system, it won’t be the last. Porsche was previously confirmed to be adopting it, too.

Apple has previously revealed mock-ups that show its system extending across to passenger displays, and even taking up full pillar-to-pillar displays.

New car buyers have become increasingly wedded to Apple CarPlay, which is now available in over 98 per cent of new vehicles sold in the US.

A recent consumer survey revealed around one third of consumers would refuse to buy a car that lacks Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity integration.