State of the art Apple CarPlay Ultra makes debut in Aston Martin DBX

Aston Martin will be the first manufacturer to feature the brand new and much more comprehensive Apple CarPlay Ultra system that will roll out on new DBX orders in the USA and Canada from today. Unlike the CarPlay system that millions of users already make use of in their cars today, CarPlay Ultra turns things up a notch by integrating into not just the infotainment screen, but the driver’s digital dial pack, too. 

The system will be able to be downloaded and fitted on most of Aston Martin’s other models – including the Vantage, Vanquish and DB12 – over the following few months, with other manufacturers also following suit over the course of the next year.  

There are two main points of change for CarPlay Ultra, starting with the fact it’ll be able to occupy the driver’s display as well as the standard infotainment screen. This will bring with it Apple’s own graphics for critical information such as speed, trip information and active safety displays. 

As an element that typically speaks of a car’s individuality, Aston Martin has worked closely with Apple to ensure that CarPlay Ultra screens remain consistent with its unique design philosophy, and remains recognisably ‘Aston Martin’. 

So while these digital interfaces will be customisable, with different colours and layouts, there is an Aston Martin-specific mode that includes unique elements, such as a small ‘Made In England’ insignia on the roundels, plus a few combinations of colour and font not otherwise available. Beyond this, other layouts and wallpaper options will be available, along with the ability to fully integrate CarPlay apps right into the dial pack, such as Apple Maps, the Music app or Spotify. 

The second big change is a collection of upgrades to the touchscreen interface, with Apple now integrating new functions such as basic climate controls, which will vary depending on the car type and its ultimate functionality. This new level of integration will mean drivers no longer need to switch between CarPlay and the car’s embedded user interface to do a simple temperature or fan change if there are no physical controls to hand. 

Aston Martin is only the first manufacturer to integrate the new system, with other brands such as Porsche, JLR, Ford, Mercedes, Polestar, Renault and Volvo all working with Apple to offer this extended functionality to its models. 

Apple CarPlay has been a contentious feature over the years, but is wholeheartedly adopted by a large proportion of Apple iPhone users. The CarPlay Ultra system requires an iPhone 12 running iOS 18.54 or later, but will only roll out for now in the USA and Canada. Global markets will be put online over the next 12 months, with other partnered manufacturers revealing their own collaborative systems in the same time period. 

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