Apple Launches CarPlay Ultra Service for Aston Martin

What Happened?

This week Apple launched its CarPlay Ultra service for Aston Martin, along with an announcement that the new service will become available globally during the next year. Bob Borcher’s, Apple’s Vice-President of Worldwide Product Marketing, said, ‘With CarPlay Ultra, together with automakers, we are reimagining the in-car experience, making it even more unified and consistent.’

Apple also said the new CarPlay Ultra will allow drivers to choose to display information from the iPhone, such as maps and media. Alongside information from the vehicle, such as advanced driver assistance systems and tire pressure.

Why it Matters

As driving technology continues to evolve, so does the driving experience. The way information on the car and the surrounding environment is conveyed to the driver or occupants of vehicles has for a long time been moving away from analog dashboard instruments to digital displays.  

What makes CarPlay Ultra stand out is the way users can customize their driving experience.  Where before each driver or rider adapted to the make of certain cars, the new technology enables them to personalize many aspects of the driving experience regardless of vehicle. For now, the new Apple technology is only available for Aston Martin, but over half a dozen other major car makers have already signaled their intention to follow suit, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.

Regarding personalization, a spokesman for Aston Martin said, ‘CarPlay Ultra will provide additional functionality and personalization opportunities, which place Aston Martin at the forefront of infotainment in the sector.’ The term ‘infotainment’ refers to a digital blend of information and entertainment, where recipients can receive both from the same device at the same time. 

Self-driving and autonomous vehicles open up new possibilities for human occupants. Without the need to focus their attention on operating the car and the surrounding environment, human passengers will most likely look for different ways to spend their time while riding. Some car makers have already designed prototypes of holographic windshields which can be used by riders for entertainment or work purposes.   

The merging of handheld devices like smartphones into the driving experience anticipates the potential changes self-driving cars could usher in. Even for conventional human driven cars, the ability to receive information remotely could create new ways to improve safety. For example, parents of teens who are new drivers could use technology like CarPlay Ultra to keep tabs on how fast their kids are driving when they’re out by themselves.  

How it Affects You

Drivers and riders can expect the driving experience to undergo significant changes in the next several years. As automation takes on more of the actual driving tasks, humans will be able to use that time for work, leisure, or both. Apple’s CarPlay Ultra is proof of how the driving experience is already changing.