Mark Gurman and Edward Ludlow, reporting for Bloomberg (paywalled, alas, but summarized by The Verge and Ars Technica)
Tesla Inc. is developing support for Apple Inc.’s CarPlay system
in its vehicles, according to people with knowledge of the matter,
working to add one of the most highly requested features by
customers. The carmaker has started testing the capability
internally, according to the people, who asked not to be
identified because the effort is still private. […]Adding CarPlay would mark a stunning reversal for Tesla and Chief
Executive Officer Elon Musk, who long ignored pleas to implement
the popular feature. Musk has criticized Apple for years,
particularly its App Store policies, and was angered by the
company’s poaching of his engineers when it set out to build its
own car.
I wouldn’t call it a “stunning” reversal, but it would certainly be a reversal. And it would really show what a bonehead move it is for GM to be dropping CarPlay support.
Alphabet Inc.’s Google offers a CarPlay competitor called Android
Auto for devices running its operating system. But Tesla isn’t
actively developing support for it.
Like I just wrote the other day: a significant chunk of new-car buyers consider CarPlay support a dealbreaker, but, effectively no one cares about Android Auto. CarPlay support might make a difference for a company like Tesla, whose sales are in the tank. Android Auto support would not.
