Lucid x Apple = CarPlay 2

[Murcie]

I’ll start this thread with a question; is anyone at Lucid’s software team speaking with Apple’s CarPlay 2 team? Or has anyone heard/read anything about this potential collaboration?

In my opinion, it makes a lot of sense to explore this opportunity of collaboration with Apple, if it’s not already happening. I’m surprised nothing has been announced in this space yet. Also for both of them being US technology companies, born, raised and neighbors in the Silicon Valley.

It makes more sense now than ever, after Apple cancelled their EV vehicle “Project Titan”, and Lucid’s superior hardware needing better software to integrate with.

This is not about the existing CarPlay experience and how to improve it, but about a much higher level of integration between the vehicle and Apple’s CarPlay 2, to use Apple’s interface in monitoring and controlling many features of the vehicle (speedometer, battery SoC, etc), and utilizing more screen real estate than the regular existing CarPlay media experience.

These two videos from Apple’s WWDC 2024 shows it and explains it very well. And I can see Lucid’s DNA all over the sample videos they’re showing.

Say hello to the next generation of CarPlay design system - WWDC24 - Videos - Apple Developer

Explore the design system at the heart of the next generation of CarPlay that allows each automaker to express their vehicle's character...

developer.apple.com

Meet the next generation of CarPlay architecture - WWDC24 - Videos - Apple Developer

Dive into the architecture for the next generation of CarPlay. Learn how your vehicle system works with iPhone to create a single...

developer.apple.com

 

[momo3605]

I feel like the product doesn’t actually exist yet. IIRC, Porsche was supposed to be the first one to do this in the new macan and taycan gen 2, but when they finally got released, this was nowhere in sight. All they did was poorly throw some hvac controls and crude EV routing into CarPlay and called it “next gen” CarPlay.

So I don’t know if Apple is just teasing and hyping people with a taste of the future or if OEMs are not ready to implement. I am curious why it’s taking so long to get even one OEM to implement this.

 

[Murcie]

I feel like the product doesn’t actually exist yet. IIRC, Porsche was supposed to be the first one to do this in the new macan and taycan gen 2, but when they finally got released, this was nowhere in sight. So I don’t know if Apple is just teasing and hyping people with a taste of the future or if OEMs are not ready to implement. I am curious why it’s taking so long to get even one OEM to implement this.

I agree, it probably has something to do with their mess with Project Titan, and the shift of focus from developing an EV to software integration. These teasers in WWDC24 is an indication that it’s still alive and hopefully we’ll start seeing it in the wild soon. I remember Porsche and Mercedes were excited about it early on, but it makes more sense to work closely with Lucid’s SW team on this potential integration.

 

[xponents]

I feel like the product doesn’t actually exist yet. IIRC, Porsche was supposed to be the first one to do this in the new macan and taycan gen 2, but when they finally got released, this was nowhere in sight. All they did was poorly throw some hvac controls and crude EV routing into CarPlay and called it “next gen” CarPlay.

So I don’t know if Apple is just teasing and hyping people with a taste of the future or if OEMs are not ready to implement. I am curious why it’s taking so long to get even one OEM to implement this.

Also, the DB12 doesn't have it... could this possibly be a hold up from Apple?

 

[joec]

The future of CarPlay 2 is very much up in the air at this point. The fact no car company has shipped this at all is not a good sign. Chances are, companies are hoping for more data being sent in both directions between the phone and car, and Apple isn't budging. Also, from what I read briefly in the design docs, even though you can customize the look of CarPlay 2 quite a bit, there are still some limitations that would cause brand managers at many auto manufacturers to balk.

We'll have to wait and see. But I wouldn't be surprised if no car ever ships with CarPlay 2 at this point. I also wouldn't be surprised if we see some changes from Apple that make it more attractive to manufacturers.

Either way, I can't see Lucid wanting to jump in line to be first on this one, given their current state of affairs.

 

[Batteryman]

The future of CarPlay 2 is very much up in the air at this point. The fact no car company has shipped this at all is not a good sign. Chances are, companies are hoping for more data being sent in both directions between the phone and car, and Apple isn't budging. Also, from what I read briefly in the design docs, even though you can customize the look of CarPlay 2 quite a bit, there are still some limitations that would cause brand managers at many auto manufacturers to balk.

We'll have to wait and see. But I wouldn't be surprised if no car ever ships with CarPlay 2 at this point. I also wouldn't be surprised if we see some changes from Apple that make it more attractive to manufacturers.

Either way, I can't see Lucid wanting to jump in line to be first on this one, given their current state of affairs.

Carplay 2 may limit software updates, or at least it would need Apple approval. Who wants to deal with those constraints? Imagine wanting to add a new function and it takes 6 months for Apple to integrate it. It adds more complexity and delays. Better for Tesla, Lucid , Rivian to go their own way.

 

[momo3605]

Carplay 2 may limit software updates, or at least it would need Apple approval. Who wants to deal with those constraints? Imagine wanting to add a new function and it takes 6 months for Apple to integrate it. It adds more complexity and delays. Better for Tesla, Lucid , Rivian to go their own way.

Is that true or just a guess?

 

[borski]

Is that true or just a guess?

I have not heard anything to that effect. Sounds like speculation to me.

 

[joec]

So I saw this today. Maybe there's still hope for CarPlay 2 after all.

Of note: This is just a filing, with a mockup from Apple, in the EU. It's not any sort of indication that Audi is definitely working on implementing this.

But it is an indication that Apple is still pursuing it, since this was just filed a few weeks ago.

Next generation CarPlay shown in regulator filing

Drawings of what the next version of Apple's CarPlay may look like in Audi cars have surfaced in a filing with a European Union regulator.

appleinsider.com

 

[ajroxstar]

We have not even sorted the issues with Carplay yet… forget about Carplay 2

 

[Bobby]

We have not even sorted the issues with Carplay yet… forget about Carplay 2

My CarPlay has been rock solid for a good while. iPhone 16 ProMax, iOS 18.2.

 

[Murcie]

So it’s now called CarPlay Ultra and it just resurfaced again. I still think Lucid should explore it

CarPlay Ultra, the next generation of CarPlay, begins rolling out today

Today, CarPlay Ultra is available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada, and will be available for existing models in the coming weeks.

www.apple.com

 

[FEH72]

I’ll start this thread with a question; is anyone at Lucid’s software team speaking with Apple’s CarPlay 2 team? Or has anyone heard/read anything about this potential collaboration?

In my opinion, it makes a lot of sense to explore this opportunity of collaboration with Apple, if it’s not already happening. I’m surprised nothing has been announced in this space yet. Also for both of them being US technology companies, born, raised and neighbors in the Silicon Valley.

It makes more sense now than ever, after Apple cancelled their EV vehicle “Project Titan”, and Lucid’s superior hardware needing better software to integrate with.

View attachment 24781

This is not about the existing CarPlay experience and how to improve it, but about a much higher level of integration between the vehicle and Apple’s CarPlay 2, to use Apple’s interface in monitoring and controlling many features of the vehicle (speedometer, battery SoC, etc), and utilizing more screen real estate than the regular existing CarPlay media experience.

These two videos from Apple’s WWDC 2024 shows it and explains it very well. And I can see Lucid’s DNA all over the sample videos they’re showing.

Say hello to the next generation of CarPlay design system - WWDC24 - Videos - Apple Developer

Explore the design system at the heart of the next generation of CarPlay that allows each automaker to express their vehicle's character...

developer.apple.com

Meet the next generation of CarPlay architecture - WWDC24 - Videos - Apple Developer

Dive into the architecture for the next generation of CarPlay. Learn how your vehicle system works with iPhone to create a single...

developer.apple.com

Thanks for posting these. I hadn’t seen them in the past and I keep a pretty good eye open for this kind of stuff.

 

[jered]

So it’s now called CarPlay Ultra and it just resurfaced again. I still think Lucid should explore it

CarPlay Ultra, the next generation of CarPlay, begins rolling out today

Today, CarPlay Ultra is available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada, and will be available for existing models in the coming weeks.

www.apple.com

This is interesting, and I think is pretty clearly the result of the long-rumored and canceled "Apple Car" program.

They're calling this "CarPlay Ultra" but what's being provided looks more like an adjunct to CarPlay (which is a sophisticated screencast, for the most part). For safety reasons, the instrument cluster is not being rendered on the iPhone, so there is Apple code running on the IC controller, or perhaps Apple is providing the entire platform. (This is why I say it's surely the leftovers of an Apple Car project.)

This makes a lot of sense for a low-volume manufacturer like Aston Martin, where they would otherwise be buying and skinning an offering from an existing E/E vendor. Going with Apple provides a more premium experience. This wouldn't make sense for Lucid, where a primary investment is in the driver UX.

 

[Bobby]

This is interesting, and I think is pretty clearly the result of the long-rumored and canceled "Apple Car" program.

They're calling this "CarPlay Ultra" but what's being provided looks more like an adjunct to CarPlay (which is a sophisticated screencast, for the most part). For safety reasons, the instrument cluster is not being rendered on the iPhone, so there is Apple code running on the IC controller, or perhaps Apple is providing the entire platform. (This is why I say it's surely the leftovers of an Apple Car project.)

This makes a lot of sense for a low-volume manufacturer like Aston Martin, where they would otherwise be buying and skinning an offering from an existing E/E vendor. Going with Apple provides a more premium experience. This wouldn't make sense for Lucid, where a primary investment is in the driver UX.

Can’t say I agree with you here. I wish Lucid would offer the option for CarPlay Ultra. They are also a very low volume manufacturer and the UI/UX, while pretty, is very basic. I’d particularly love a bunch more configurability for the Glass Cockpit. Lots of wasted space on there for sure. A secondary mapping display would be nice as well as some other information, such as tire pressures or efficiency monitoring.

 

[borski]

I’d particularly love a bunch more configurability for the Glass Cockpit. Lots of wasted space on there for sure. A secondary mapping display would be nice as well as some other information, such as tire pressures or efficiency monitoring.

All of this is the plan for Gravity and future Air. They want to own the customer experience; it’s just that getting there will take some time.

But configurability, for example, is very much the plan, as evidenced by the three mappable buttons in Gravity as well as the demo videos showing off future concept UX.