The world of automotive infotainment is experiencing a new divide. Even as Apple pushes forward with its new CarPlay Ultra interface, several European car manufacturers are withdrawing from the project.

According to the Financial Times, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Polestar, Volvo and Renault — which had initially agreed to the integration — are now making a U-turn.

The CarPlay Ultra system goes much further than previous iterations. It integrates not only with multimedia screens but also with the driver's dashboard, and even supports climate control settings. For carmakers, that represents excessive control by a third party. A Renault executive reportedly stated anonymously, “Don't try to invade our systems.”

Part of the problem for automakers is who gains access to data in such a highly integrated system. Some believe Apple could use that access to collect crucial information useful for designing its own systems — or even for relaunching the mysterious Project Titan car it is said to be working on.

Good news for Apple fans: the rejection is only of the Ultra version. The classic wired or wireless versions of CarPlay remain available, except of course in vehicles produced by General Motors, which is still wavering between two decisions regarding CarPlay and Android Auto.

Despite the setback, Apple is continuing the deployment of CarPlay Ultra. The system is already in operation in some 2025 Aston Martin models, notably the DBX 707. Hyundai, Kia and Genesis are expected to be the next to adopt it.

Carmakers face a quandary: They want to offer a seamless user experience, but without sacrificing their brand identity or data security. Letting Apple manage the air conditioning and batteries of an electric vehicle? Not so simple. The debate is far from over, especially in a world where the multimedia interface of a vehicle is becoming as important as its powertrain.