Connecting your Apple iPhone to your car or van can be a crucial factor when buying or upgrading your current vehicle for a new one.
Being able to operate your phone’s apps through the vehicle’s in-car infotainment system has many benefits. Not only can you access satellite navigation apps, such as Apple Maps and Google Maps, but also make hands-free phone calls too. You can also control the music and podcasts you’re listening to via Spotify, Apple Music, and Apple Podcasts while on the move.
New to Apple CarPlay? Our guide looks at what it is, what cars offer it and how you can set it up in your vehicle.
What is Apple CarPlay?
CarPlay is a smartphone mirroring system, developed by Apple, allowing you to use your iPhone through your car or van’s in-car infotainment screen.
First released in March 2014, it was not until between 2017 and 2018 that CarPlay became commonplace in new cars and vans. Most, if not all new vehicles come with this piece of tech as standard, such as the Ford Focus and Toyota Corolla to name but a few.
As it’s against the law to use your phone as you drive, smartphone mirroring systems, such as CarPlay can allow you to stay connected while on the move. However, it’s important that your attention is not diverted from the road as you use it.
What features come with Apple CarPlay?
Apple CarPlay’s main features are dependent on the model that you’ve chosen. The main features of this smartphone mirroring system include:
- Answering and making calls while driving
- Sending and receiving messages and having Siri read them to you.
- Use Apple Maps as the in-car satellite navigation system.
- Play your favourite podcasts or music on the move.
- Lock, unlock or start your car through your iPhone (this is for some selected models from 2021 to present)
With Apple CarPlay, you’ll receive regular updates via iOS, allowing you to get up-to-date information around navigation routes, podcasts, and music.
What Cars Have Apple CarPlay?
There are more than 600 models, from 40 manufacturers that offer Apple CarPlay compatibility in their cars and vans.
Some of the models that we have in our collection that have CarPlay as standard, include the Ford Transit, Nissan Qashqai, and Hyundai Tucson. If CarPlay is an important factor in upgrading your current vehicle, you can ask one of our sales members and they’ll be able to confirm if that model has it.
Is Apple CarPlay free?
Yes, most manufacturers offer Apple CarPlay as standard when you upgrade or buy a new car or van. Only a select few carmakers, such as Tesla do not have this smartphone mirroring system on their models.
How to Set Up Apple CarPlay
Bought your new van or car? Setting up Apple CarPlay in your new vehicle is straightforward.
You have the option to set up CarPlay via a wired or wireless connection. If you decide to connect to CarPlay via a wired connection, simply plug one end of the phone cable into a USB port in your vehicle and the other end into your iPhone.
Alternatively, there is the option to set it up wirelessly, without a phone cable. It’s only in a select number of cars and vans. Within those models, they also have a wireless charging pad, allowing you to charge your iPhone as you use CarPlay.
Does Apple CarPlay Work with Bluetooth?
Yes, many new cars and vans can allow you to connect to CarPlay via Bluetooth.
You should make sure that your car is in wireless or Bluetooth pairing mode first. When you are on your iPhone, go to Settings and then General. Tap onto CarPlay and Available Cars and select the car or van you want to connect to. Once your car or van is connected to CarPlay, you can begin accessing the apps via the infotainment system.
Is Apple CarPlay Compatible with any iPhone?
No, you need to make sure you have an iPhone 5 or a more recent iPhone model with at least iOS 7.1 installed to access Apple’s smartphone mirroring system.
How Do I Turn Off Apple CarPlay?
If you are looking to upgrade your Apple CarPlay-compatible van or car for a new one, turning it off is relatively straightforward. Go to Settings on your iPhone, select General and go to CarPlay. Once you are in CarPlay, select the car you’d like to remove from the list, and it’ll deactivate it from the vehicle.
How to Use Siri with Apple CarPlay
There are a couple of ways that you can use Siri to control CarPlay. You can either use the voice command button on the steering wheel, touch and hold the dashboard or simply say “Hey Siri” to activate it in your car or van.
Once Siri is set up in your vehicle, you can ask them questions or tell them to do something, such as play your favourite podcast or get directions to the nearest petrol station. It means that you won’t have to physically touch the infotainment screen to access your entertainment or navigation apps while on the road.
Get an Apple CarPlay Compatible Vehicle with Nationwide Cars
At Nationwide Cars, we offer a wide range of Apple CarPlay-compatible cars and vans, which are compliant with London’s ULEZ and Clean Air Zones across the UK. Our friendly sales team can answer any questions you may have when upgrading your current vehicle. You can contact our team today and we’ll make sure you have the perfect car or van with CarPlay compatibility.
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