February 3, 2026 – Over the weekend, Mark Gurman from Bloomberg confirmed that Tesla is still forging ahead with the development of Apple CarPlay and has not scrapped the project, with more details set to be unveiled soon.
When it comes to the interaction logic, Tesla has a different approach compared to some traditional automakers. Instead of allowing CarPlay to take over the entire screen, Tesla plans to deeply integrate CarPlay into its existing in – car entertainment and interaction interface. CarPlay will operate in the form of an “application window”.
According to leaked interface simulation diagrams, Tesla’s native system will retain control over approximately one – third of the left – hand side of the screen as well as the bottom navigation bar. This area will be used to display crucial driving information such as vehicle speed, battery level, air – conditioning controls, and visualizations related to Autopilot or Full Self – Driving (FSD).
The remaining two – thirds of the screen will be made available for CarPlay. Here, users can run Apple Maps, music players, and other third – party applications. This setup ensures that the display of core driving data remains uninterrupted.
In terms of connection methods, Tesla intends to support wireless CarPlay functionality. Once users get into the car, their iPhones will automatically connect to the in – car system, eliminating the need for a physical data cable connection.
