Apple CarPlay gets new interface and improved Siri support in iOS 13

iOS 13 for iPhone, which will be released later this year, includes a major update to CarPlay. Apple’s operating system for infotainment systems will receive a new Dashboard layout and improved support for voice assistant Siri.

The biggest change is that CarPlay will soon be able to display multiple applications at the same time, such as the music player, navigation directions from Apple Maps or the renewed calendar app, which according to Apple shows more relevant information. The music player is also being overhauled: The album art appears more prominently on the screen and playlists such as ‘recently played’, ‘made for you’ and the favorites are accessible more quickly.

When a user starts an app on a connected iPhone, that app will no longer open in CarPlay from iOS 13 onwards. In this way, a passenger can, for example, put on a different song, while the driver can continue to use the navigation app.

Siri not only speaks with a more natural voice from iOS 13, but also supports third-party navigation and music apps in CarPlay, such as Waze, Pandora and perhaps Spotify for the first time. Apple describes the innovations in CarPlay as the biggest update ever.