With iOS 27, CarPlay gets a small upgrade. The biggest innovation is the arrival of Siri AI in the car, supplemented with video apps, a handy mini player, improved navigation and a more stable wireless connection.
At the same time, Apple CarPlay is now even better integrated with the rest of iOS, thanks to new backgrounds, updated app icons and more modern audio controls. As a result, CarPlay now functions as a full-fledged extension of your iPhone, instead of just a simple projection of apps on your car screen.
Siri AI comes to CarPlay
The most striking innovation in iOS 27 is Siri AI, the completely new version of Siri that is now also accessible in CarPlay. Unfortunately, as previously mentioned, Siri AI will not be available in the EU even if you set your iPhone to English. This means that in the EU we are missing some useful features; For example, Siri AI can retain context much better, answer more complex questions and perform multiple tasks simultaneously, similar to modern chatbots, but deeply integrated into Apple apps such as Maps and Music.
In the car, for example, this means that Siri can extract an address from a message and put it directly into Apple Maps, without you having to type anything yourself. The new Siri interface appears at the bottom of the CarPlay screen as a subtle light-up animation and conversations you have in the car are synced with the Siri app on your iPhone, where you can find the history.
More accurate navigation with Apple Maps
In iOS 27, Apple improves the accuracy of GPS and the way your driving direction is displayed in CarPlay. This means that CarPlay should know better where exactly your car is and which direction you are driving, which makes a difference, especially in busy city centers and at complicated intersections.
According to Apple, this reduces the chance that the map will point in the wrong direction or that your position determination will get stuck, making you less likely to miss a turn. Especially if you often drive in unknown places or rely on Apple Maps for navigation, you will notice these improvements during daily drives.
Video apps on the CarPlay screen
Apple previously introduced in-car video via AirPlay, but with iOS 27, developers can now build real video apps for CarPlay in cars that support the feature. Instead of just mirroring the screen of your iPhone, you will soon be able to browse through the offerings of a video app directly on the CarPlay screen and start videos as long as the car is parked.
This function is only intended for moments when you are stationary, such as while charging an electric car or when you are waiting for someone in the parking lot. Car manufacturers must explicitly support the video function, so availability depends on the make and model of your car.
New mini player and audio scrubbing
In CarPlay, media applications get a new mini player, which is used in apps where audio is not the main focus. This mini player displays the album artwork and basic playback controls in a compact area of ​​the screen, so you can control audio without having to display the entire current interface.
Additionally, a larger progress bar has been added to the current screen, allowing you to easily fast forward or rewind through a song, podcast, or audiobook using a sliding switch.
Other innovations
- New wallpapers and updated Liquid Glass app symbols
- Wireless CarPlay has been improved with faster connections and higher reliability once you drive away.
- iPhone connects faster to the system in your car
Availability iOS 27
The new software can this fall be installed on all iPhone models currently running iOS 26. These are the iPhone 11 (Pro) or newer, iPhone SE 2nd generation or newer and the iPhone Air.