Ford’s CEO Isn’t Sold on Apple CarPlay Ultra: ‘Don’t Like the Execution’

Ford was one of several automakers initially committed to integrating Apple CarPlay Ultra in its vehicles. It’s been over two years, and the technology hasn’t taken off as expected. Aston Martin was the first to officially adopt CarPlay Ultra earlier this year, but you likely won’t see it in a Ford Motor Company vehicle anytime soon until Apple makes some changes.  

FoMoCo CEO Jim Farley revealed on The Verge‘s Decoder podcast that the automaker is not impressed with Apple’s first iteration of CarPlay Ultra. He said:   

‘We don’t like the execution of Ultra in round one, but we’re very committed to Apple.’

Farley said the automaker isn’t interested in mucking up the in-car experience with proprietary software just to disrupt someone’s digital life for profit. The company is committed to giving customers a choice when it comes to connectivity, and that includes offering standard CarPlay.   

Photo by: Aston Martin

“We don’t think we should restrict that to make money off the customers. We don’t want it to be a hassle. We don’t think we can design an experience that’s going to displace your phone,” Farley said.   

The issue with integrating CarPlay Ultra lies with Apple, according to the executive. It’s unclear what Apple’s goal is with the technology and how much of the vehicle it wants to control, such as starting the car or limiting the speed, which services and technologies Ford already offers for its Pro customers.   

He said:  

‘I think Apple has to decide if it wants control of the entire experience inside a vehicle. If it does and it wants to follow Ultra with the Ultra 2 or whatever is next, then Ford will have to make a big decision.’

Fairly added that any future software solutions would have to go beyond just infotainment and integrate the vehicle’s advanced driver-assist systems.   

CarPlay Conundrum

Ford isn’t the first automaker to show apprehension with CarPlay Ultra. Earlier this year, reports revealed that several other early collaborators, including Mercedes-Benz and Volvo, decided against adding the upgrade. At the time, even Ford was coy about its plans, and recently, BMW went as far as to say that using Maps in CarPlay isn’t as popular as everyone thinks

Despite reservations from some, other automakers are eager to add the tech, such as Porsche. It still plans to offer CarPlay Ultra in future vehicles, although it didn’t say when. We will also see CarPlay Ultra in future Kia, Hyundai, and Genesis models.