Apple plans to open CarPlay to third-party AI chatbots

Apple plans to allow third-party voice-controlled AI chatbots in CarPlay, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The company is working to support these apps within the next few months, marking a shift from its current policy of only allowing Siri as a voice option.

Developers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google could release versions of their AI apps with voice-control features for CarPlay.

Users would be able to query AI chatbots, although Apple will not permit replacing Siri or its wake word.

Activation of third-party voice apps will require opening the app first, with automatic voice mode possible upon app launch.

The move aims to enhance voice interaction, which currently relies on workarounds or external apps.

🔗 Source: Bloomberg

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Google’s automotive AI strategy puts Apple’s CarPlay plan into perspective

Apple is planning a change, while Google has already shipped its Gemini AI assistant to Android Auto users 1.
CarPlay mirrors apps from a phone, while Android Automotive OS (a Google-built operating system that runs directly on a car’s infotainment computer) runs on the car itself, which supports tighter links to vehicle systems 2.
Android Automotive adoption has grown, with more than a hundred production models using it, including Polestar, Volvo, Renault, Chevrolet, Honda, Ford, and BMW 3.
Gemini on Android Auto works through the “Hey Google” wake word, the mic button on the car screen, or a long press on the steering wheel voice control button 1.

This move extends Apple’s platform control to the car

Apple keeps Siri as the default voice assistant and makes people open other AI apps first, so third-party tools can run in CarPlay without taking over Siri’s button or wake word 4.
That stance raises the stakes for AI providers such as OpenAI and Google, though lighter access may limit usefulness versus in-vehicle systems. One report says Tesla offers xAI’s Grok chatbot in its vehicles 5.
The decision also adds pressure on automakers building their own voice assistants.
When drivers can use familiar AI through CarPlay, they may skip an automaker’s built-in system, which strengthens Apple’s ecosystem and weakens carmakers’ software ambitions 3.