Is Apple CarPlay Completely Free, And Does It Work In Your Car?

Apple's CarPlay interface connects your iPhone to your car's infotainment screen, letting you make calls and access apps hands-free. You can use CarPlay to view navigation apps like Apple Maps, Google Maps, or Waze from your car's screen. Thanks to Siri integration, you can make or answer calls, send audio messages, and share your location with a contact by using voice commands. Music apps like Apple Music, Spotify, and SiriusXM Radio are supported, as are Apple Podcasts and Audible. You can also view your calendar, the weather, and third-party apps for EV charging, parking, food ordering, and fueling. 

Apart from Siri integration, you can control your CarPlay-enabled screen using touch controls if supported or by using knobs, dials, and buttons. The next generation of CarPlay will extend to the car's instrument cluster, enabling features like temperature and radio controls inside the CarPlay interface. While CarPlay has been around since 2014, you might wonder if your car supports it and if you need to pay a monthly subscription to access it, as many Apple products require.

CarPlay, like Android Auto, does not require you to pay an upfront cost or monthly subscription and is entirely free. The only requirement for CarPlay to work, apart from a car supporting it, is a compatible iPhone and a data plan. CarPlay works with the iPhone 5 and later, so all new iPhone models support the feature. All you need to do is connect your iPhone to your car's infotainment screen to bring up the interface. 

Apple currently doesn't charge automakers for including CarPlay support in their vehicles, which is probably why there's no fee attached. While most major automakers now support CarPlay, the feature might not be available on all car models of a particular brand. However, it's worth noting that there might be a hidden cost to CarPlay, specifically from automakers that only include the feature on premium models or as an add-on infotainment upgrade for cheaper models.

At the moment, CarPlay is supported on over 800 cars. Apple says that over 98% of new vehicles support CarPlay in the U.S. Apple's website lists all the models that support CarPlay. Popular brands like Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Nissan, Toyota, and many more are included, and you'll find the feature on many 2016 models and later. The one notable exception is Tesla, which doesn't support CarPlay or Android Auto. GM has also stated that it will not support CarPlay or Android Auto on its future electric vehicles, but that doesn't apply to its current lineup of cars.

To find out if your car's infotainment screen supports CarPlay, connect your iPhone to your vehicle using a Lightning to USB cable and check if CarPlay appears as an option on the screen. Some cars have the option to connect your iPhone to the screen wirelessly. You can also check your car's user manual or search for your car brand, model number, and model year on Google to determine if CarPlay support is included.

If you've determined that your car doesn't natively support CarPlay, you can purchase an aftermarket head unit from brands like Pioneer, Alpine, and Boss. Many of these units are priced below $300, although some are more expensive. Before installing an aftermarket head unit, you'll also need to consider compatibility and installation costs.