CarPlay Features to Try in iOS 27 Public Beta

The iOS 27 public beta is now available, and it includes several CarPlay changes worth checking out. Apple has focused on making the in-car experience more intelligent, reliable, and visually appealing. Here’s a detailed look at what you should try after updating.

Siri AI: A Smarter Driving Companion

Siri AI is the flagship feature of iOS 27, and it extends to CarPlay with impressive capabilities. In previous versions, Siri on CarPlay was limited to basic commands like calling contacts or playing music. With iOS 27, Siri can now answer complex questions involving your personal context and world knowledge, all while keeping your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

For instance, you can ask Siri to find a specific address or location mentioned in your email or text messages. The assistant will scan your messages, retrieve the relevant information, and begin routing to that destination—all without you touching your iPhone. This level of integration is a game-changer for productivity on the go. You no longer need to pull over to check directions or manually enter an address. Siri also understands follow-up questions and can handle multi-step requests, such as “Find the nearest coffee shop and send a message to my wife that I’m stopping there.”

Robust, hands-free control is critical for safety, and iOS 27 finally gives Siri the power that it deserves in CarPlay. Apple has also improved Siri’s ability to read notifications aloud and respond to commands in noisy environments, thanks to better noise isolation algorithms. Over-the-air updates may further refine these capabilities as the beta progresses.

Now Playing Changes: A Persistent MiniPlayer and Audio Scrubber

CarPlay in iOS 27 introduces a persistent “Now Playing” MiniPlayer that appears in the upper-right corner of the interface. This small, unobtrusive window shows playback controls and album artwork, allowing you to quickly see what’s playing without leaving the current app. Whether you’re using Apple Maps, a third-party navigation app, or a podcast player, the MiniPlayer stays accessible, making it easier to pause, skip, or adjust volume at a glance.

More importantly, the Now Playing interface in CarPlay has been updated to include an audio scrubber. This long-awaited feature lets you drag the scrubber to easily skip to different parts of a song or podcast without using steering wheel controls or reaching for your iPhone. The scrubber appears when you tap the MiniPlayer, expanding it into a full playback screen. This is especially useful for podcasts and audiobooks where you want to jump back a few seconds or skip forward through ads.

Apple has also refined the animation and responsiveness of the playback controls. The new design aligns with the overall iOS 27 aesthetic, which emphasizes clarity and consistency. Third-party apps like Spotify and Overcast can adopt these controls via updated APIs, providing a unified experience across your favorite audio services.

New Wallpapers: A Fresh Look for Your Car’s Display

CarPlay isn’t known for its robust collection of wallpapers, and Apple doesn’t let you use your own photos for some reason. In iOS 27, Apple has at least added a collection of new wallpapers that you can choose from. They are similar to the stock iOS 27 wallpapers available on iPhone, featuring vibrant colors, abstract shapes, and dynamic gradients. Some wallpapers even respond to the time of day, shifting from bright tones during the day to darker, more muted shades at night.

To change your CarPlay wallpaper, go to Settings > Wallpaper on your iPhone while connected to CarPlay. The new options include a set of eight presets, each optimized for different screen sizes and resolutions found in modern vehicles. While this is a minor update, it adds a touch of personalization that many users have requested for years. It’s possible that future versions of iOS will allow custom photos—but for now, the new wallpapers offer a refreshing change from the static blue and gray backgrounds of previous iOS versions.

Stability Improvements: Better GPS and Wireless Reliability

iOS 27 focuses a lot on platform improvements to performance and reliability, and that applies to CarPlay too. Apple says iOS 27 addresses two key issues in CarPlay: improved navigation heading and GPS accuracy, and improved wireless CarPlay reliability.

Many users have experienced occasional GPS drift or incorrect heading information while using CarPlay, especially in dense urban areas or near tall buildings. iOS 27 refines the integration between the iPhone’s GPS sensors and the vehicle’s antenna system, resulting in more precise positioning. This is particularly beneficial for navigation apps like Apple Maps, Google Maps, and Waze, which rely on accurate data for turn-by-turn directions.

Wireless CarPlay, while convenient, has historically suffered from connection drops, lag, and audio stuttering. iOS 27 introduces improved handshake protocols and better bandwidth management, ensuring a more stable connection. Apple also optimized the way CarPlay handles multiple data streams—for example, when you’re streaming music while simultaneously running navigation and receiving a phone call, the system prioritizes voice traffic to prevent glitches.

If you’ve ever had problems with those two things in CarPlay, it’s possible that iOS 27 makes the experience much better. Early beta testers report fewer disconnections and faster reconnection times when entering the vehicle. However, performance may vary depending on your car’s hardware and the wireless chipset used. Overall, these stability improvements lay the groundwork for more feature-rich CarPlay updates in the future.

Coming Soon(ish): Video App Support

Finally, Apple says that developers can now make dedicated video apps for CarPlay in iOS 27. The feature, however, requires support from automakers. This means it might be a while before you can actually use any video apps with CarPlay in your vehicle.

Video app support opens up possibilities for streaming services like Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu to create CarPlay-friendly interfaces. In theory, you could watch videos while parked, or have a passenger view content on the car’s main display. Apple has implemented strict guidelines: video playback will only be allowed when the vehicle is stationary, and the feature must be enabled by the car manufacturer. This is a safety-first approach, preventing distracted driving.

Some automakers have already expressed interest in enabling video apps, and we may see the first compatible vehicles by late 2026 or early 2027. In the meantime, developers can start building apps using the CarPlay framework in iOS 27, ensuring a smooth rollout once hardware support is available. This could be the beginning of a new era for in-car entertainment, especially for electric vehicles with large central displays.

Additional Improvements and Future Outlook

While these are the headline features, iOS 27 also includes under-the-hood changes that improve CarPlay’s overall responsiveness. Apple has updated the CarPlay UI to better handle split-screen layouts, allowing you to view navigation alongside music or calendar appointments without overlapping. Third-party developers can now create widgets that appear on the CarPlay dashboard, similar to iOS’s widget system.

Battery management has also been optimized for iPhones that users connect via wired CarPlay. The phone charges more efficiently, and the system reduces heat generation during long drives. Wireless CarPlay users will benefit from improved power negotiation, though battery drain remains a consideration for older iPhone models.

Looking ahead, many enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting “CarPlay Ultra,” a rumored next-generation system that would fully take over a vehicle’s instrument cluster, climate controls, and more. While that may still be years away, the iOS 27 updates demonstrate Apple’s commitment to refining the current CarPlay platform. For the millions of cars on the road today that support CarPlay, these improvements make a tangible difference in daily driving.

Are you running the iOS 27 public beta? What CarPlay changes have you noticed? Let us know in the comments.

Source:9to5Mac News