If you have an iPhone, chances are you use Apple CarPlay in your car. The software mirrors your iPhone, select apps and notifications to your in-car display. But do you know who cannot use it right now? Tesla owners.
Tesla runs its own software in its electric cars, with no support for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. It does offer apps for Apple Music and Apple Podcasts, and pairing your phone via Bluetooth lets you receive calls and texts.
But there is good news: Tesla is working on adding CarPlay to its cars in the “coming months,” according to a Bloomberg report last week. It would not be the CarPlay you’re used to, which takes over the full display of your car, Bloomberg said. Nor would it be the newer CarPlay Ultra, which takes over your entire car. Rather, it would be a custom implementation for Tesla.
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How CarPlay on a Tesla might work
This is what the current Tesla software looks like with no third-party integrations in sight.
Tesla reportedly plans to use standard CarPlay, updated for iOS 26, as a starting point. Where it differs is it will likely operate within a window on the existing Tesla interface. That means it will not completely take over the display like it does in some other cars. It also will not control things like seats or climate. Users will still need the Tesla navigation app to use features like Full Self-Driving.
The upcoming CarPlay integration will reportedly be wireless only, in line with newer implementations found in premium vehicles. While Apple CarPlay is getting the green light, Tesla does not appear to be extending the same courtesy to Android Auto, with no support reportedly in the works.
The decision to integrate CarPlay internally on Tesla cars is still under wraps, and the automaker has not confirmed anything publicly. But testing has reportedly already begun, suggesting that Tesla is finally bending to one of its most persistent customer demands.
Many drivers see CarPlay as a non-negotiable feature. The platform delivers access to Apple Maps, Messages, Music and Siri, as well as third-party apps like Spotify and Google Maps, all formatted for a safer, driver-friendly interface. In fact, a McKinsey study from 2024 noted that about one in three car buyers consider the absence of CarPlay or Android Auto a dealbreaker.
Tesla software, historically closed off, has long relied on a proprietary system which includes built-in web browsing and its own navigation tools. As a Tesla and iPhone owner, I have never felt a longing for CarPlay, since the Tesla software is robust. But the added convenience of notifications through the display is something I would enjoy.
Tesla chief Elon Musk’s aversion to CarPlay was not just philosophical. It was also competitive. The ill-fated attempt from Apple to build its own EV and its talent raids on Tesla engineering staff did not help relations. But after Apple canned its car project last year, the situation appears to have thawed.
With Tesla so focused on Full Self-Driving, the decision to add CarPlay is peculiar. The goal of CarPlay is to safely deliver notifications without you having to look at your phone while behind the wheel. But Musk believes you will be able to text and drive when using the Unsupervised Full Self-Driving feature in Tesla cars in the near future.
