Apple mulls third-party CarPlay chatbots

Apple is preparing a major CarPlay update that would let drivers use voice-controlled AI apps from other companies on the in-car screen, Bloomberg reported. Until now, CarPlay has only supported Apple’s own Siri for voice commands.

The third-party assistants would not replace Siri or use the Siri button or wake word. Instead, drivers would open the relevant app in CarPlay and turn on its voice mode, according to the report. Bloomberg noted Apple last refreshed CarPlay with iOS 26 in September 2025, adding new widgets and its Liquid Glass interface. The move follows Apple’s recent deal with Google to bring Gemini AI models to its devices and a planned Siri upgrade that is expected to add more powerful web search and summarisation features.