Driven by Design: CarPlay Ultra Debuts with Aston Martin

By DaMarko Webster

In a bold step toward the future of luxury mobility, Aston Martin has become the first automaker to integrate CarPlay Ultra, Apple’s next-generation in-car experience, into its vehicles. Available now on new orders across the U.S. and Canada, and soon arriving via software update to existing models equipped with the brand’s advanced infotainment system, CarPlay Ultra marks a new era of deeply personalized, intelligent driving.

Designed to offer the most seamless fusion between iPhone and automobile to date, CarPlay Ultra extends across all of the driver’s screens — from the instrument cluster to the infotainment display — delivering real-time driving data, maps, media, and widgets in a layout that reflects both Apple’s interface precision and each carmaker’s unique visual identity.

“With CarPlay Ultra, together with automakers, we are reimagining the in-car experience,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s VP of Worldwide Product Marketing. “This next generation of CarPlay gives drivers a smarter, safer way to use their iPhone in the car, while deeply integrating with the car’s systems.”

CarPlay Ultra does more than just project your phone’s interface — it brings a truly immersive, vehicle-aware system that’s designed in tandem with each automaker. In Aston Martin’s case, this means custom themes and control layouts that match the marque’s heritage of handcrafted luxury and performance.

Whether it’s displaying tire pressure and advanced driver-assist features or letting drivers customize gauge clusters with live speedometers, tachometers, and temperature monitors, CarPlay Ultra provides a cohesive, driver-centric environment. Physical controls, touchscreens, and Siri all work interchangeably, allowing the driver to manage climate, media, and even performance settings with ease.

The experience is built around personalization. Drivers can fine-tune themes, colors, and wallpapers, while iPhone-powered widgets fit elegantly within the car’s displays — from main dashboards to subtle secondary clusters.

This next-gen platform highlights a major shift in how automakers like Aston Martin are embracing the tech ecosystem — not as a compromise, but as an extension of their design philosophy. “The integration of CarPlay Ultra is a clear example of our dedication to collaborate with the best companies in the world to bring unique experiences and in-vehicle capabilities to our customers,” said Adrian Hallmark, CEO of Aston Martin.

CarPlay Ultra reflects Apple’s rigorous privacy standards as well, ensuring that the elevated connectivity experience doesn’t come at the cost of user data.

With Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis also joining the list of future adopters, the road ahead is clear: CarPlay Ultra is driving the evolution of the connected car — where elegance, customization, and tech meet.