Inside the tech behind CarPlay, Apple's new in-vehicle infotainment system
Apple's newly-announced CarPlay system seems to bear more than an onomastic resemblance to AirPlay, as evidence mounts that the celebrated media streaming technology may underpin Apple's vehicular ambitions.
CarPlay represents an ambitious leap for Apple into a fragmented landscape dominated by proprietary technologies and processes. The company must find a way to meld hundreds of different control layouts featuring multiple combinations of knobs, buttons, and touchscreens with what has traditionally been a system centered on a single pane of glass.
One way for Apple to cut through the muck may be to adapt a familiar, flexible tool that has already been adopted by dozens of third-party manufacturers for the task: AirPlay.
While Apple has been characteristically tight-lipped about CarPlay's technical details, admitting only that the feature will require a Lightning-equipped iPhone at launch, its automotive partners have been more forthcoming.
Data from the iPhone's display is sent to the vehicle's in-dash screen via an H.264 video stream, according to Volvo. Apple's long-standing "AirPlay mirroring" feature -- which allows users to mirror the display of a compatible Mac or iOS device to an Apple TV --?works the same way, encoding display output in H.264 and transmitting it over a standard TCP network connection.
CarPlay goes further, Volvo said, by providing a means to return input from the vehicle's touchscreen to the user's iPhone. Such a facility for monitoring and transmitting control events is already built in to AirPlay, allowing users to control media playback through their AirPlay-enabled speakers or Apple TV.
Though AirPlay is a wireless standard and CarPlay requires an iPhone tethered via a special Lightning cable, there are indications that Apple intends for future revisions to function wirelessly. Volvo initially said that Wi-Fi support is "coming in the near future" before removing that statement from press materials, perhaps a sign that CarPlay over Wi-Fi is simply not yet ready for a public debut.
The most overt indication that CarPlay springs from the AirPlay family tree, however, came from Mercedes-Benz. Touting CarPlay's ease-of-use during a press event in advance of this week's Geneva Auto Show, one executive from the German marque called out the streaming standard by name.
"If you know Apple's AirPlay, you know what I'm talking about," he told the assembled crowd.
CarPlay represents an ambitious leap for Apple into a fragmented landscape dominated by proprietary technologies and processes. The company must find a way to meld hundreds of different control layouts featuring multiple combinations of knobs, buttons, and touchscreens with what has traditionally been a system centered on a single pane of glass.
One way for Apple to cut through the muck may be to adapt a familiar, flexible tool that has already been adopted by dozens of third-party manufacturers for the task: AirPlay.
While Apple has been characteristically tight-lipped about CarPlay's technical details, admitting only that the feature will require a Lightning-equipped iPhone at launch, its automotive partners have been more forthcoming.
Data from the iPhone's display is sent to the vehicle's in-dash screen via an H.264 video stream, according to Volvo. Apple's long-standing "AirPlay mirroring" feature -- which allows users to mirror the display of a compatible Mac or iOS device to an Apple TV --?works the same way, encoding display output in H.264 and transmitting it over a standard TCP network connection.
CarPlay goes further, Volvo said, by providing a means to return input from the vehicle's touchscreen to the user's iPhone. Such a facility for monitoring and transmitting control events is already built in to AirPlay, allowing users to control media playback through their AirPlay-enabled speakers or Apple TV.
Though AirPlay is a wireless standard and CarPlay requires an iPhone tethered via a special Lightning cable, there are indications that Apple intends for future revisions to function wirelessly. Volvo initially said that Wi-Fi support is "coming in the near future" before removing that statement from press materials, perhaps a sign that CarPlay over Wi-Fi is simply not yet ready for a public debut.
The most overt indication that CarPlay springs from the AirPlay family tree, however, came from Mercedes-Benz. Touting CarPlay's ease-of-use during a press event in advance of this week's Geneva Auto Show, one executive from the German marque called out the streaming standard by name.
"If you know Apple's AirPlay, you know what I'm talking about," he told the assembled crowd.
Comments
I was thinking the same thing (with regards to the UI). That looks incredibly ugly. This is the factory interface:
That weird screen isn't unique to cars with CarPlay. It is part of the new Mercedes interior design language for some of their cars. The S Class doesn't have that screen....it has two giant screens. I agree though. Seems like a lazy after thought of the design, and that's coming from someone who loves and owns a Merc.
I think I read somewhere that wireless will be coming as well.
The embargo makes sense from Apple's and the auto manufacturers' perspectives. Why announce anything at CES, where there is little if any coverage by the automotive press? Better to make important announcements at the major worldwide auto shows. (But then again, why would automakers bother to go to CES in the first place, except as an excuse to go to Vegas, baby!?)
apple has only released software that hardware manufacturers can take advantage of via an api.
Dissappointed at the firewire requirement though. Having to stop every time you get in your car and fidget around to connect your iPhone doesn't strike me as very Applesque. Much cleaner to just get in your car, have it automatically connect wirelessly and off you go.
It does add a lot of potential down the road. Set your alarm with Siri for your daily wake up call and have her wake you, set the coffee pot brewing, and open your garage door and get the car warming up and the climate control set for your arrival. Car will auto unlock once it senses your phone in proximity and automatically check maps to see if theres any traffic on your normal commute route.
I wonder if this is a precursor to a new family of products that will allow for external display/control of an iOS device outside of the car application? I'm thinking of home automation systems that won't require an ipad be mounted in the wall of my home...maybe something smaller and more singularly focused (sans 1/8" jack, speaker, etc.) that would allow the device to be thinner.
Mercedes solution is ugly. It looks like someone bolted a $99 Android tablet on the dash.
Not so fast... It takes a little getting use to.
You have to at least test drive one of those vehicles to really appreciate it.
It's actually very nice & classy. The displays are unbelievably sharp with super crisp fonts.
These are the interiors of the G-Class and S-Class respectively... MSRP $114,200 and $92,900 respectively...
Not so fast... It takes a little getting use to.
You have to at least test drive one of those vehicles to really appreciate it.
It's actually very nice & classy. The displays are unbelievably sharp with super crisp fonts.
These are the interiors of the G-Class and S-Class respectively... MSRP $114,200 and $92,900 respectively...
The dash on the S is amazing. Actually...the S is an amazing car in general. I don't like the dash of the G or the new C. The screen is just placed there. I have a late model E cabriolet and at least the screen is part of the dash on my car.
Onomastic. Nice word. Learn something new every day.
Before now I would have surmised it referred to an Android user's self-abuse.
is this the first time since the days of mac clones that apple has allowed its software to run on non apple hard wear?
I think the point is that its software isn't running on the car's hardware, anymore than using AppleTV means that Apple software is "running" on your TV. The head unit is the display, and the head unit/steering wheel buttons are the controls (like an external keyboard or game controller for an iPad, for example). But the actual programs are running on the phone.
That said, it's about time. I'm planning on purchase a new car this year and sadly, I'm pretty sure I won't be getting this anytime soon.
Is wireless really necessary when you'll not want to drain your phone battery. I really don't see the point it in being wireless.
Were you too busy looking at the their 'tablet-esque' solution to notice the turbine engine sized vents right below it? They could climate control a school bus.