All the new features arriving for CarPlay in iOS 17.

      Apple spoke very little about CarPlay during its WWDC 2026 keynote, primarily highlighting Siri AI and the broader Apple Intelligence features in iOS 27. However, this doesn't imply that CarPlay is absent this year.

      The Cupertino company included most of the CarPlay updates in a video exclusive to developers, and there are indeed more enhancements than you might anticipate. As a CarPlay user, I believe some features were long overdue, while others accompany the overall redesign in iOS 27.

      Now, let's dive into all the new features arriving on your CarPlay dashboard this fall with the stable release of iOS 27.

      **Video Playback Support in CarPlay with iOS 27**

      The most significant update for CarPlay this year is the addition of video playback support. With iOS 27, developers can create video streaming applications for your car’s dashboard. CarPlay received AirPlay video casting last year, but iOS 27 enhances this by allowing you to watch videos directly from compatible apps.

      Although Apple hasn't released the list of supported apps, it may include popular services like YouTube and Netflix. The caveat is that you can only view videos on your CarPlay screen when your vehicle is stationary, and the manufacturer must specifically enable this feature, so it may not be available in all cars at launch.

      **Audio Scrubbing in Now Playing**

      This is the update that has many users wondering why it wasn’t implemented sooner. I can't recount the times I've attempted to skip to a certain point in a song using the horizontal audio bar on the CarPlay Now Playing screen, only to find it ineffective.

      With iOS 27, the Now Playing screen finally receives a genuine scrubber. The horizontal progress bar lets you drag and jump to any moment in a song or podcast. If you tend to replay the same 10 seconds of a track or skip through podcast intros, this update will definitely benefit you.

      **Persistent Audio MiniPlayer**

      Music and podcast applications will feature a permanent MiniPlayer. Located in the top-right corner of the CarPlay dashboard, it provides basic playback controls alongside the album artwork.

      You can easily check what’s playing while navigating and skip tracks without disrupting your navigation.

      **Enhanced Navigation Heading and GPS Accuracy**

      One of the more subtle yet significant updates in iOS 27 is the enhancement in how the iPhone-mirroring system tracks direction and location, improving both GPS accuracy and heading detection (indicating the car's direction).

      While it may not be a showy feature, it should resolve issues like the car icon spinning at stoplights or the navigation inaccurately rerouting you.

      **Improved Wireless CarPlay Reliability**

      Wireless CarPlay focuses on convenience, but it can encounter issues, often causing users to revert to a wired connection. For those who’ve experienced dropouts, unclear calls, or decreased audio quality during calls, iOS 27 promises to address these problems.

      Although Apple hasn’t detailed all the changes, it assures that wireless CarPlay connections will be more dependable in iOS 27.

      **New Developer Tools**

      iOS 27 introduces new app templates across various categories and includes support for Live Activities (first introduced in iOS 16.1) and widgets from any app, allowing for features like live sports score widgets on your CarPlay display without needing to open the app.

      Additionally, developers gain access to new APIs for creating conversational voice apps, including AI chatbot integrations for CarPlay.

      **Subtle Visual Refresh**

      Though the overall design language remains unchanged, CarPlay introduces 14 new wallpapers in the Celosia style, which will appear in both iOS 27 and macOS 27. Liquid Glass elements will reflect the transparency level set with the new slider in iOS 27, while app icons will feature enhanced refractive layers to add depth and clarity.

      **Siri AI Comes to CarPlay**

      Moreover, CarPlay will also incorporate Siri AI with iOS 27. For those who might not be aware, this is Apple’s long-awaited, Gemini-powered assistant capable of managing natural follow-up questions, similar to Gemini's functionality.

      As a result, you can ask for a restaurant and then inquire about its closing time without repeating your previous request. Siri AI will keep a record of every conversation in your iPhone’s Siri app, marked with a car icon to signify that it occurred while using CarPlay.

      However, Siri AI for CarPlay will require an iPhone 15 Pro or a newer model.