Apple’s latest automotive product, CarPlay Ultra, has yet another critic as Ford CEO Jim Farley has joined the opposition. There has been significant concern among automobile companies regarding the credibility of the tech company’s in-vehicle integration system. According to Fortune, these firms have been raising questions regarding the extent to which Apple intends to exert its influence over the automobile industry.
Apple’s CarPlay Ultra is developed to mirror the user’s iPhone device interface onto the dashboard screen. This will enable the driver to use their phone’s applications from the car itself. At the same time, CarPlay Ultra will also reflect the vehicle’s functions, such as its speed, fuel level.
The latest Apple product will also enable the user to control the air conditioning of the car, access the radio, and switch between driving modes on the same display. Currently, Aston Martin is the only brand to integrate new system into their vehicles.
One of the major questions surrounding this case has been the user database. Automakers would not want to relinquish or share data pertaining to driver behavior with the tech brand since there could be a possibility of Apple collecting the information and monetizing the same.
Another concern is the added hassle that accompanies the new product – developing the OEM. With Apple CarPlay Ultra integrated into their vehicle, drivers would want to have the same iPhone experience that they have in their mobile devices. So, to dedicate the OEM development specifically to such a dashboard system would inadvertently invite criticism from the automobile industry.
What does Ford CEO Jim Farley say about Apple CarPlay Ultra?
Although the Apple CarPlay Ultra promises to deliver seamless phone functionality and oversee other car features, the advanced degree of controls has ignited much doubt over the tech company’s access to user data.
In fact, many prominent car brands have expressed their opposition to integrating the product, and Ford is no exception. The automaker’s CEO, Jim Farley, recently spoke to The Verge about Apple’s newest launch. Although he expressed Ford’s support towards Apple, he criticized its disruptive tendencies.
Farley said, “I’ve talked to Tim [Cook] many times about this. Ford does not have the right, in our opinion, to disrupt someone’s digital life when they get in their car.” He further expressed contempt towards services that mint money from their customer base.
The Ford CEO added, “We don’t think we can design an experience that’s going to displace your phone.” In this context, Farley also said that the company prioritizes customer experience and, thus, has been considering the possibilities of integrating an AI assistant in their automobiles.
Which other companies have been against Apple’s CarPlay Ultra?
One of the automobile companies that has staunchly opposed the Apple CarPlay Ultra functionality is General Motors (GM). As per recent reports, the automaker company has decided to phase out Apple CarPlay Ultra as well as Android Auto entirely in the coming few years. In a recent interaction, GM CEO Mary Barra shared that the company will remove support for all phone projection in their vehicles, beginning with the EVs and then rolling it out for other models.
Other automobile companies such as Polestar, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Renault, and Volvo have not disclosed any plans to integrate Apple CarPlay Ultra into their vehicles. As reported by The Financial Times (behind paywall), several of these bands stepped back from their previous commitments to support Apple’s latest dashboard system.
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