The move may be a response to declining Tesla sales
According to Bloomberg, citing unnamed “people familiar with the matter,” Apple CarPlay will appear in Tesla vehicles as a separate window within the broader Tesla interface, rather than replacing the entire system as it does in many other cars.
This approach makes sense, given that Tesla’s operating system controls the entire vehicle—not just the infotainment system—something CarPlay alone cannot do. Support for CarPlay is currently in development and testing, with no official launch date announced yet.
The unexpected decision is likely linked to falling EV sales. A McKinsey & Co. study indicates that 25% of electric vehicle buyers and 38% of internal combustion engine buyers would skip a car that doesn’t offer smartphone screen mirroring. It’s also one of the features that, according to readers, many drivers consider essential. Tesla and CEO Elon Musk may have realized they can’t afford to lose a quarter of their potential buyers.
Previously, the company had firmly rejected the idea of integrating Apple services into its vehicles.