Apple CarPlay update could make your car a lot more chatty – you don't even need to wait for super-powered Siri

Apple has added support for "voice-based conversational apps" in CarPlay with the iOS 26.4 beta, pointing to support for apps like ChatGPT and Gemini. While it will be down to the developer to add support, it could mean that conversational AI is available before the arrival of next-gen Siri.

AI is the talk of the town, with services like ChatGPT and Google's Gemini taking lots of headlines for their wide-ranging conversational skills. While Android Auto has already started the process of bringing Gemini to the car, Apple CarPlay has so far been limited to Siri.

Siri will remain the dominant voice controller for CarPlay, of course, with Apple outlining in its Developer Guide (PDF, via MacRumors) that "all voice interaction must be handled using SiriKit" when working on CarPlay apps. However, there is an exclusion for navigation (where in-app voice services are offered) and the new conversational apps.

Apple goes on to outline that conversational apps must be designed to primarily work with voice, responding to questions and performing actions. Apple also says that they should be optimised for voice interaction while driving, specifying that they shouldn’t show text or imagery in response.

That's to avoid a distraction for the driver. It should allow for a conversation with an AI service – and if that service is linked to other systems, it can take action on your behalf.

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However, MacRumors goes on to say voice apps won't be able to control the car and won't be able to control the iPhone, that will remain a feature of Siri. It's also said that there won't be support for hotwords, so the app would need to be opened manually to be used. Whether Siri could open the ChatGPT app, for example, remains to be seen.

There will be a voice control screen that's open when using voice-controlled apps, but given that words and images aren't permitted when driving, it's not clear exactly what can and can't be shown on this screen.

The move is likely in response to the growing popularity of chatbot-type AI apps and to help CarPlay users access those in a safe manner, rather than returning to using the phone directly when driving. It also might point to the fact that Apple's own Siri should soon offer a much more conversational experience, thanks to its partnership with Gemini.

That might result in the native Siri experience in CarPlay being smoother, more seamless and more functional than using a third-party app once iOS 27 hits.