BMW says Apple CarPlay popularity is a myth, as more manufacturers turn to built-in navigation systems

• BMW’s Senior Vice President of UI/UX reveals key details about CarPlay usage
• The German brand recently said it would not go ahead with CarPlay Ultra
• There’s a “CarPlay Myth” on the internet, BMW exec claims

Stephan Durach, BMW’s senior vice president of UI/UX development, has argued that there is a “CarPlay myth” circulating the internet, according to a recent conversation with BMW Blog^[1].

Durach claims that not as many BMW drivers are relying on the technology for navigation as the world thinks, going on to explain that the company’s own navigation systems are doing much of the heavy lifting.

According to the man in charge of user interface and user experience at the brand, BMW collects anonymized data from 10 million cars, allowing data analysts and engineers to track what features they are using on a regular basis.

“We can see what our customers are doing, what kind of controls they’re using, in what of kind of driving conditions they’re using them,” he told BMW Blog.

“People say they’re driving all around and using CarPlay for navigation. I can tell you, that’s not true,” he adds.

With this data set in mind, Durach reveals that many drivers still have their phone connected for “dedicated uses”, including messaging services, but he claims that a lot of drivers have started using BMW’s navigation system instead.

On top of this, there has been an increase in the amount of BMW’s voice command usage, as well as more reliance on head-up displays and other devices that don’t currently support CarPlay.

The rise of automaker infotainment

While Durach doesn’t delve deeper into specifics, such as the percentage of drivers that use Apple^[2] CarPlay or Android Auto, nor does he mention the age or demographic of those preferring BMW’s navigation system, his statements seem to confirm BMW’s reasons for rejecting Apple CarPlay Ultra.

After all, the German marque is about to release an all-new version of its iDrive system^[3] in the upcoming iX3, which will include the most advanced, windscreen-spanning head-up display (HUD) to date.

Right now, standard Apple CarPlay does not work with HUDs, nor can it tap into specific vehicle data in the majority of vehicles, such as an EV’s state of charge or tackle something as simple as adjusting the climate control.

Porsche^[4] and Ford are among the few automakers to attempt to build out Apple CarPlay functionality in their vehicles so users don’t continually have to leave the environment to adjust some simple car controls, but it remains clunky and looks naff.

Apple CarPlay Ultra^[5] is supposed to address many of these issues but it has been met with resistance, not just because it hands too much control (and design decisions) over to Apple, but also because it isn’t particularly slick or nice to look at.

The fact of the matter is, automotive manufacturer infotainment systems are rapidly becoming slicker, smarter and more intelligent, and with an increasing reliance on AI and LLMs to offer digital companions, a growing percentage of the interaction with future vehicles will be via voice commands or natural speech.

Plus, most of the smartphone apps we love and use on a regular basis are now housed on native infotainment systems anyway.

As the world pivots towards electrification, there will be more of an emphasis on smart route-planning that factors in the most efficient charging stops. I’m increasingly moving away from Goole Maps and Waze^[6] for this very reason.

Due to both Apple and the automakers sandboxing data, CarPlay could continue to fall behind without greater manufacturer collaboration in the future.

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