Apple CarPlay finally coming to Tesla, according to inside information

Tesla is reportedly working to add Apple CarPlay to its cars, in an effort to boost the sales of its vehicles. Up until now, Elon Musk's electric car company has chosen to offer its own approach to in-car software instead.

Many drivers look for the convenience of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto when buying a new car, meaning they can use a familiar interface, mirrored from a smartphone.

Tesla has been resistant to this over the years, offering its own infotainment system and allowing it to have a more integrated experience for drivers, designed by Tesla to surface Tesla features. And while the brand has offered its own thing, Tesla drivers weren't left wanting: it still offered a comprehensive connected experience, including access to Apple Music, for example.

But according to a report from Bloomberg, that might be about to change. It claims Tesla is looking to add the Apple in-car software "in the coming months".

That's a complete change of position, but also something that runs counter to the position of many other car brands.

While offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto has often been seen as an essential feature, an increasing number of brands are now eschewing the technology giants in favour of offering their own system. That's something GM has recently discussed, for example, and explains the lukewarm reception to Apple CarPlay Ultra, the in-car system designed to take over all the screens in your car.

What has seemingly changed is that Tesla's performance has hit a bump recently. Electrek reports a significant decline in sales in the UK, Tesla's biggest European market, while that picture has been reflected in US sales too.

It looks like the addition of Apple CarPlay is an attempt to bolster the offering, removing one of the barriers that drivers might cite when it comes to buying a car.

In truth, car sales are driven by many factors, including prevalence of new or exciting models, state of the economy, activity of rival brands, as well as, in Tesla's case, the perception of Elon Musk.

There's no firm timeline for the integration of Apple CarPlay and it's expected to run as a window within the Tesla system. The potential downside of using Apple CarPlay will be generic navigation rather than a version that factors in charging points – so features like battery pre-conditioning might not work if the car's own navigation doesn't know where you're going.

Whether Apple CarPlay will come to Tesla remains to be seen, but it certainly feels like something of a U-turn after so many years of resistance from the pioneering EV brand.