Ford CEO Speaks Out About Apple CarPlay Ultra: 'Don't Like The Execution In Round One'

Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) is one of the automotive companies committed to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and its CarPlay connected vehicle platform.

In a new interview, Ford CEO Jim Farley shares some hesitation about the latest version of CarPlay as other automakers are pulling back from integration.

What Happened: Ford has been committed to Apple CarPlay for several years, but when it comes to the newly launched Apple CarPlay Ultra, Farley has some hesitancy.

“We don’t like the execution in round one of Ultra, but we’re very committed to Apple,” Farley said during a recent episode of The Verge’s “Decoder” podcast. “I’ve talked to Tim (Cook) many times about this.”

Farley said Ford is waiting to see whether it will launch CarPlay Ultra in its vehicles.

CarPlay Ultra was launched by Apple this year and is an upgraded version of the platform that includes mirroring a user’s phone to further integrate into the vehicle’s controls, including climate controls and drive mode settings.

“How far do you want the Apple brand to go? Do you want the Apple brand to start the car? Do you want the Apple brand to limit the speed? Do you want the Apple brand to limit access?” Farley asked on the podcast.

He said Ford Pro commercial vehicles currently use the company’s own enterprise software that can track vehicle locations for fleet owners and also limit a driver’s speed. The Ford CEO said it’s essential that Apple doesn’t have control over vehicle functions like this, as it could interfere with fleet management.

“If Apple wants to do that, I think we’re going to have a tough time with that, because then the digital experience gets really messy.”

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Why It’s Important: In the interview, Farley said Ford wants to ensure its customers have the option to choose how their car is connected, which could limit access to CarPlay or Android Auto in future vehicles.

Many automotive customers have spoken in favor of digital experiences that utilize their phones, something Ford is prepared for, whether with or without CarPlay Ultra.

“We don’t want it to be a hassle. We don’t think we can design an experience that’s going to displace your phone,” Farley said, adding that Ford is working to add to the digital experience from CarPlay and Google to make things “even better.”

Apple launched CarPlay Ultra in Aston Martin models earlier this year, with integration expected to follow in models from Porsche, Hyundai, Kia and Genesis.

Outside of those vehicle brands, Apple may struggle to get automakers to commit to CarPlay Ultra, as many auto companies want to develop their own software functions and experiences for customers.

In 2023, General Motors discontinued support for CarPlay and Android Auto in its new electric vehicles, opting instead to integrate its own software services.

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