Overview
- BMW Senior Vice President Stephan Durach said the brand’s iDrive setup is “much more capable” than Apple’s latest in-car system.
- The company confirmed there are no plans to offer CarPlay Ultra in upcoming Neue Klasse vehicles.
- BMW cited internal analytics showing many owners begin with CarPlay active but then switch to the built-in navigation and media controls.
- Executives argued that giving Apple full control of the vehicle interface is not aligned with BMW’s approach to cockpit design.
- CarPlay Ultra’s deployment remains narrow, currently seen in Aston Martin models, even as some rivals like Porsche signal interest.