Although Tesla stood headstrong and rejected a particular feature for 10 years, even while all other car manufacturers embraced the feature, Tesla is finally internally testing this feature. The hope is that this famous American car brand will most likely add this feature to every vehicle and transform the dashboards of its vehicles in the process of incorporating this feature. Sources from Bloomberg reveal that the company that once felt phone mirroring was unnecessary is now looking to bring that concept to its cars.
Why did Tesla not embrace CarPlay for 10 years?
Tesla felt all too confident about its very own software. Elon Musk also advocated for the brand’s unique software, stating that with the software, you could have the most fun possible. Needless to say, there were some cool features on Tesla’s own software, including streaming options. The car manufacturer had also offered everything from Spotify to Apple Music, but never focused on CarPlay.
While Tesla remained adamant not to invest in CarPlay, many other manufacturers followed suit. General Motors even chose to remove CarPlay from its EVs due to the assumption that CarPlay would reduce the quality of the interface. However, since Tesla’s sales have reduced considerably this year, the brand has decided to change its stance with regards to the inclusion of the CarPlay feature. It seems as if after 10 years, the automaker is listening to the audience and is making moves that show it is considering the drivers’ needs.
Internal testing to meet drivers’ needs has started a decade later
The automaker has been internally testing the integration of CarPlay, almost a decade after first voicing its hesitance of this system. With internal testing underway, the assumption is that the CarPlay system could reach drivers within a few months. Nevertheless, Musk’s car brand is known for tossing projects away after the testing phase. It is, however, rather significant that the brand is busy testing phone mirroring, and it could mean something rather lucrative for the brand.
At this point, it seems like Tesla will mirror CarPlay within a window and not over the dashboard. Tesla’s testing proves that investing in CarPlay would not be a way to get rid of the brand’s existing software. However, standard CarPlay will be embraced and accepted by the brand. To address customer frustration and give customers what they want, whilst still holding onto its own vehicle’s environment, Tesla is compromising on what it promised it would not consider, and at the same time, the automaker is giving all car drivers the chance to stay loyal to the brand.
The brand is yielding to the pressure from consumers
According to surveys conducted in 2023, it was found that CarPlay was not just an excellent car feature but a necessary one. Many drivers said that they would not buy a vehicle without CarPlay or Android Auto. Many of the customers surveyed also preferred phone-based systems over the integrated infotainment systems in many cars. Tesla tried to move away from the hype of this phone mirroring feature, but with 85% of customers preferring CarPlay, Tesla couldn’t remain against this feature for long.
With BYD proving to be rather competitive, Tesla has had to step up and meet the demands of car consumers. While America’s EV manufacturer is revisiting the CarPlay idea, General Motors is saying goodbye to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in favor of a new AI system to replace these systems.
A brand adopting modern automotive technology
It seems that not only is Mad Max mode returning to Tesla, but so too is the brand revisiting an idea that has for so long been brushed off. The decision to test and possibly embrace CarPlay is not an enthusiastic decision taken by the brand, but a strategic one driven by the needs of the drivers. This internal testing could very well mean a full transformation in terms of what drivers would expect from an EV infotainment system.
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