Tesla is reportedly still planning to add Apple CarPlay support to its vehicles. The long-awaited feature was first reported to be coming to Tesla vehicles last year, with many expecting it to be included in the annual holiday update. However, Christmas came and went without any sign of the popular smartphone interface.
Despite this, the feature may still be in the works. That is according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who first broke the story last year. In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman reiterated that Tesla has not abandoned plans to add Apple Carplay, but he did not provide a launch timeline, only saying that he will release more details soon.
“And, yes, CarPlay (the non-Ultra version) is still in the works at Tesla Inc. More on that soon,” Gurman wrote.
If the report proves accurate, it would represent a notable shift in Tesla’s software philosophy. The company has long declined to support Apple CarPlay, arguing that its in-house infotainment system already delivers a superior, deeply integrated experience.
Tesla’s UI is widely praised for its speed, vehicle-level controls, and frequent over-the-air (OTA) improvements—advantages that have often made CarPlay feel redundant for longtime owners.
However, Tesla’s reported implementation would be deliberately limited. Gurman notes that rather than adopting the newer CarPlay Ultra platform, which can take over vehicle displays and controls, Tesla is said to be planning support for the standard wireless version. CarPlay would reportedly run inside a dedicated window within Tesla’s existing interface, ensuring that core vehicle functions—including Full Self-Driving (FSD) visuals and climate controls—remain fully native.
That approach would allow Tesla to offer the familiarity of CarPlay without surrendering control of its software ecosystem. For drivers, it would unlock access to apps Tesla does not currently support, such as Waze, along with Apple’s native Music interface and third-party audio platforms.
If this report is accurate, the next big question is timing. As we noted, many owners expected CarPlay to debut as part of Tesla’s 2025 holiday software update, but that release came and went with no mention of Apple’s platform. That miss fueled skepticism, especially given Tesla’s history of shelving features even after internal testing.
Hardware could be a limiting factor. CarPlay support, if it arrives, is expected to be restricted to newer Teslas equipped with AMD Ryzen infotainment processors, which offer significantly more performance headroom than older Intel-based systems.
