Ford has reiterated its commitment to Apple CarPlay support, making announcements that will please its customers. The company’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Sherry House, stated at a conference that they are “passionate” about offering drivers options in in-car systems.
Ford’s technology roadmap: Gemini and CarPlay vision in 2026
House’s statements came during the 2025 Barclays Global Automotive and Mobility Technology Conference in response to a question about the company’s technology roadmap. House emphasized that they will continue to give customers a choice regarding Apple CarPlay.
Ford believes that CarPlay is a product truly loved by its customers. Therefore, they will continue to allow users access to this system. They also plan to integrate Gemini AI support into their vehicles as soon as it becomes available in 2026.
The company is focusing not only on outsourced systems but also on its own locally developed applications. Ford’s latest applications and features are said to have increased interaction levels by approximately 20 points compared to the previous SYNC4 version. Ford’s strategy is based on blending the best external technologies, insights into its customer base, and its own in-house developed applications.
A few years ago, an automaker announcing it would continue supporting a feature it already supported wouldn’t have been newsworthy. However, today, especially after GM’s (General Motors) decision to completely abandon its CarPlay platform, Ford’s decision to continue this support has been met with great satisfaction in the tech world and among users.
While Ford is sticking with the current CarPlay version, it remains unclear whether it will support the next-generation CarPlay Ultra. Although Apple has introduced Ford as a CarPlay Ultra partner, Ford CEO Jim Farley recently stated that he didn’t like the “way” the first version of CarPlay Ultra was implemented. However, Farley also confirmed that he had discussed this issue with Tim Cook “many times.”
Ford, Apple CarPlay, Gemini, Tesla
Another major development that could shift the balance in the CarPlay world may be on the horizon. Bloomberg reported in November that Tesla is actively working on CarPlay support and could roll out the feature in the coming months. For Tesla, the world’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer and one of the biggest opponents of CarPlay, this move represents a massive shift in strategy.
Do you consider Apple CarPlay or Android Auto support a “must-have” criterion when buying a car? Share your thoughts in the comments.
