Tesla appears to be reconsidering its stance on smartphone integration, as the electric vehicle giant is reportedly testing Apple CarPlay within its vehicles. According to sources cited by Bloomberg, this major automaker has begun internal testing for the feature, which could potentially roll out in the coming months.
This shift marks a significant departure from Tesla's long-standing commitment to its proprietary infotainment solution, which doesn't require users to connect their smartphones. In the past, Tesla CEO Elon Musk had expressed his disdain for Apple, even offering to sell the company to Tim Cook during a tumultuous period in 2017. Additionally, Apple was accused of poaching key Tesla employees who were working on its failed "Apple Car" project.
The new development would see CarPlay integrated into a separate window within Tesla's existing software interface, ensuring it wouldn't completely replace the existing system. What's more, Tesla will be using the standard version of CarPlay, rather than the newer "CarPlay Ultra" that integrates with the vehicle's instrument cluster.
It's worth noting that Apple CarPlay may be experiencing its peak popularity at this time, as General Motors recently announced it would be phasing out support for both CarPlay and Android Auto in favor of a system built around Gemini. Ford's CEO has also expressed disappointment with Apple's latest version of the tool. With Tesla's decision to test CarPlay, the company may be trying to stay relevant in an increasingly fragmented automotive tech landscape.
However, it remains unclear whether this development will actually come to fruition, as no official comment from Tesla has been made on the matter, and Elon Musk has not spoken publicly about the report either.
This shift marks a significant departure from Tesla's long-standing commitment to its proprietary infotainment solution, which doesn't require users to connect their smartphones. In the past, Tesla CEO Elon Musk had expressed his disdain for Apple, even offering to sell the company to Tim Cook during a tumultuous period in 2017. Additionally, Apple was accused of poaching key Tesla employees who were working on its failed "Apple Car" project.
The new development would see CarPlay integrated into a separate window within Tesla's existing software interface, ensuring it wouldn't completely replace the existing system. What's more, Tesla will be using the standard version of CarPlay, rather than the newer "CarPlay Ultra" that integrates with the vehicle's instrument cluster.
It's worth noting that Apple CarPlay may be experiencing its peak popularity at this time, as General Motors recently announced it would be phasing out support for both CarPlay and Android Auto in favor of a system built around Gemini. Ford's CEO has also expressed disappointment with Apple's latest version of the tool. With Tesla's decision to test CarPlay, the company may be trying to stay relevant in an increasingly fragmented automotive tech landscape.
However, it remains unclear whether this development will actually come to fruition, as no official comment from Tesla has been made on the matter, and Elon Musk has not spoken publicly about the report either.
! I mean, Tesla's been super loyal to their own tech for years, so it's a big shift. Maybe they're just trying to stay ahead of the game with Apple CarPlay? 
It would make sense, considering how popular it is right now. But at the same time, Elon Musk has always been a bit of a contrarian, so I wouldn't count on this being a permanent change anytime soon 
. Still, if it happens, it could be a major boost to Tesla's overall tech game...and user experience 
. i'm surprised they wouldn't go all in on their own system after all that drama with apple. seems like they're just trying to keep up with the cool kids who have carplay 
. also, doesn't this mean they'll be losing some of that exclusive "tesla thing" appeal? not sure if i'd want to get in a car where you can just plug your phone into the stereo system... what's next, having spotify play on the dashboard too? 
It's like they're finally realizing that CarPlay can't be beat 
. I mean, who needs their own infotainment system when you can just use your phone, right? Plus, it's about time they updated their software - I was starting to think I'd have to sell my Tesla back in the 90s 
. It'll be interesting to see if this is a permanent change or just a temporary experiment. Fingers crossed that Elon Musk will finally calm down and make some smart decisions for once 
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. but at the same time, wouldn't it be weird to have another apple icon in our faces while driving 
? anyway, can't say much till they make an official announcement 
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. But one thing's for sure: Tesla needs to stay ahead of the curve in the automotive tech world, especially with General Motors and Ford making some big changes 
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. And what's with Elon Musk's past beefs with Tim Cook? Did he really offer to buy the company or was that just a clever PR stunt? 
I'm also wondering why Tesla would wanna integrate CarPlay into their system in the first place - is it just a desperate attempt to stay relevant? 
The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced there's some sort of corporate espionage at play here 
. Maybe Apple had something on Tesla and they're trying to make nice... but we'll never know for sure, right? 
. It's interesting to see how this might affect their existing infotainment system - do they think people will still want that? And what about the potential impact on their software updates? 
! i was all about those proprietary screens they had, but now they're testing apple carplay 
. it'd be cool if they made it work seamlessly tho 
. but for now, we'll just have to wait and see what happens 
. But let's be real, this move could also be a huge loss for Tesla's reputation as a tech innovator 
? Only time will tell, but one thing's for sure - it's gonna be interesting to see how this plays out 