- Ford CEO Jim Farley is all for Apple CarPlay connectivity.
- However, when it comes to Apple CarPlay Ultra, the outspoken boss isn’t so sure.
- It all comes down to what car functions Apple can access through CarPlay Ultra, and whether or not it makes sense from a security standpoint.
Apple CarPlay is a big part of the car ownership experience–at least that’s what the internet will tell you if you browse a lot of forums and Reddit posts. Whether you love it or not, it’s a great way to integrate your smartphone into the car’s infotainment system without having to fiddle around with accounts, syncing contacts and downloading apps. The same goes for Google’s Android Auto.
But as technology progresses, so does Apple’s CarPlay system, with the next iteration of it, dubbed CarPlay Ultra, taking over all the screens inside a car and replacing what would normally be a manufacturer-made digital gauge cluster, infotainment system and climate control panel. Apple CarPlay Ultra is already up and running in a handful of Aston Martin models.
Apple CarPlay Ultra Photo by: Apple
More companies have pledged to bring the system to their upcoming vehicles, but other carmakers are apprehensive about it, including Ford. During an interview with The Verge, Ford CEO Jim Farley said that while the American automaker is considering integrating CarPlay Ultra, there are a lot of questions regarding what data is being collected and used by Apple.
“Are you going to allow OEMs to control the vehicles?” said Farley on The Verge’s Decoder podcast. “How far do you want the Apple brand to go? Do you want the Apple brand to start the car? Do you want the Apple brand to limit the speed? Do you want the Apple brand to limit access?”
In this respect, Ford has already rolled out several features to its Pro customers, such as limiting access to the vehicle on the weekend and limiting the maximum speed during a certain period. “Is Apple going to want to do that? If Apple wants to do that, I think we’re going to have a tough time because then the digital experience gets really messy,” Farley added.
All this being said, Ford won’t give up on regular CarPlay anytime soon, as opposed to General Motors, Rivian and Tesla, among others.
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“We don’t like the execution of Ultra in round one, but we’re very committed to Apple,” Ford’s CEO said for The Verge. “I’ve talked to Tim [Cook] many times about this. Ford does not have the right, in our opinion, to disrupt someone’s digital life when they get in their car. 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.”
It’s a nod to Apple’s immense experience designing handheld devices and an honest answer regarding the automaker’s ability to replicate what Apple is doing. Farley went on to say that Ford should not restrict customers from using systems like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and that–more importantly–the company should not make money off customers for allowing them to use these smartphone mirroring systems.
That’s a big win, especially in a time when some automakers are selling subscription services for enhanced infotainment systems, while others are locking more horsepower behind paywalls.