Apple has rolled out the latest generation of its smartphone operating system, and that means upgrades to its CarPlay automotive mirroring software.
iOS 18 has brought greater customisation, further accessibility features, and Apple Intelligence AI software to the brand’s iPhones for the first time – the latter of which will be launched locally in December with iOS 18.1, following beta releases next month.
With the latest generation of Apple’s iOS comes updates to CarPlay, and while they’re relatively minor they should make the system easier to operate and interact with.
Here’s everything new in Apple CarPlay with iOS 18, as reported by Digital Trends.
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Smarter Siri
Apple Intelligence is expected to bring improvements to the way Siri operates with CarPlay.
Part of that will be visual improvements, including the addition of colourful edges around the screen to indicate when Siri is listening in CarPlay.
Siri will reportedly be able to access personalised information to help find details from emails and texts, making it easier to find important information while on the move, but only after iOS 18.1 is released.
More details are expected to be revealed when Apple Intelligence launches, though Apple expects Siri will become much more helpful as a result.
Voice control
A major drawcard for CarPlay with iOS 18 is the use of voice control, which will allow users to better navigate the system without touching their car’s screen.
It reportedly does exactly what it says on the box, allowing users to use CarPlay completely hands-free.
You’ll be able to activate it by pressing the voice control button found on the steering wheels of most cars, with many more features now controllable by voice like launching and controlling apps.
Greater accessibility
There are a few accessibility features making their way to CarPlay systems, which include tech designed to make it easier for people with hearing or visual impairments to live with.
One is colour filters, which will be selectable by users depending on their individual needs. Colour filters work to tint the entire display to better suit people with different types of colour blindness, with a greyscale option included.
Users will also reportedly have the option to choose from three levels of intensity for the filters.
Another feature is sound recognition, which works to relay external sounds into the cabin for people with impaired hearing.
It reportedly shows notifications on the screen for different driving-related sounds, like a car honking or an approaching siren, allowing relevant drivers to be more aware of their surroundings.
Visual improvements
Apple has tweaked various visual interfaces in the latest version of CarPlay to help minimise distractions while on the road.
The messages app will now feature contact profile pictures instead of just names or phone numbers, making it easier to identify who is messaging at a glance.
Siri is reportedly gaining additional visual interface elements too, which are intended to assist with answers to certain queries.
The screen will now be able to display specific cars for things like sports scores and weather, and while they’ll in theory call for more time looking at the screen, Digital Trends expects they could be useful while stopped.
They may also come in handy for those with impaired hearing who may have difficulties hearing the answers to their questions.
Silent mode
Users will now be able to set default silent mode settings on their CarPlay system, which means they won’t have to manually toggle the setting every time they get in their car.
Found in the settings app, users can choose whether they want their iPhone to automatically turn silent mode on or off when they get in their car.
They can also set CarPlay to retain whatever setting is already enabled on their phone when it connects to their car.
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MORE: The latest on Apple CarPlay from WWDC