Tesla is holding back on deploying Apple CarPlay due to an issue with Apple Maps, but it should be available very shortly.
Tesla and Apple have been working together to deploy CarPlay for several months, and the plan is to allow CarPlay to run in a window within the Tesla interface.
Per insiders who spoke with Bloomberg, Tesla discovered a compatibility issue between Apple Maps and its in-house mapping software during initial testing. The issue concerns turn-by-turn guidance, as Tesla’s Maps App is unable to sync properly with Apple Maps during autonomous driving.
Tesla asked Apple to develop a fix, which was included in iOS 26. However, the patch did not come with the official iOS 26 launch and instead came in a security and patch update after the launch in September 2025. So, although 74% of iPhone users with devices activated in the last four years have iOS 26, it remains unclear how many users have the updated patch with the CarPlay fix.
So, the fix is here, but Tesla is still nervous to deploy the new app due to the possibility that a Tesla driver not having the updated patch could cause the sync issue.
We could see the official launch coming soon, but Tesla has not confirmed it. Either way, if you are a Tesla owner looking to use CarPlay, make sure to install the latest iOS update on your iPhone in preparation.
