Carmakers have bundled Apple CarPlay and Android Auto collectively for thus lengthy that many patrons assume they are a packaged deal. In most new vehicles, each smartphone projection methods seem side-by-side on the infotainment display, however the concept that each automobile with Apple CarPlay contains Android Auto wasn’t all the time true, and it nonetheless is not for just a few exceptions in the marketplace.
Apple introduced its iPhone projector system, or “iOS within the Automobile,” in 2013, and launched it as “CarPlay” in 2014, which turned obtainable on the Kia Soul and the Ferrari FF the identical 12 months. Nevertheless, it wasn’t till 2016 that the in-car infotainment system turned broadly obtainable in fashions from Basic Motors, Hyundai, Honda, and Volkswagen. In 2017, CarPlay was additionally obtainable on Ford and BMW automobiles.
Google, however, introduced Android Auto at its I/O convention in 2014, however the system was solely obtainable to the general public in March 2015. Early adopters included Hyundai in 2015, whereas manufacturers like Chevrolet, GMC, and Honda added help in 2016. Comparatively, it was not till 2018 that Android Auto reached mass-market Toyota vehicles, and in 2020, it made its means right into a BMW’s cabin (three years after Apple CarPlay was already obtainable).
These vehicles nonetheless do not present Android Auto in 2025
Between 2017 and 2020, many fashions from prime manufacturers like Toyota and BMW lacked Android Auto, however because the iPhone and Android consumer base evened out, Google’s infotainment software program shortly turned an ordinary characteristic. In 2025, drivers count on their automobile’s display to reflect the consumer interface and apps they’re accustomed to, which is why the preferred U.S. vehicles, together with the Ford F-150, the 2026 Toyota RAV4, and the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado, embrace each methods by default.
Nevertheless, even right now, some fashions nonetheless omit Android Auto because of model choices, {hardware} limitations, or long-term software program methods. The 2025 Toyota GR Supra, for instance, nonetheless does not embrace Android Auto. It makes use of an older, BMW-sourced infotainment system that by no means acquired help for Google’s platform, though the remainder of Toyota’s 2025 lineup gives it. The electrical pickup truck, Rivian R1T, takes a unique route altogether. It skips each Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as a result of the corporate stays dedicated to offering an in-house, tightly built-in software program expertise.
Whereas Tesla has famously averted third-party cellphone projection since its inception, the firm is reportedly engaged on including Apple CarPlay sooner or later (there isn’t any phrase about Android Auto in Tesla, although). In style Porsche fashions just like the 718 Cayman and the Macan additionally require an iPhone to entry the supported infotainment system, leaving Android customers with Bluetooth and native apps as their solely choices.
Do not assume your subsequent automobile helps each methods
Whereas these are just a few examples inside a model’s lineup, Basic Motors has already introduced plans to section out each Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in its upcoming automobiles, because it develops its personal software program platform primarily based on Google’s Android Automotive OS. The outliers are far lower than they was once a few years in the past, however they do exist, they usually can simply catch you off guard in the event you’re not being attentive to the small print. That is why it’s value taking a while to confirm what the native infotainment display helps.
Whether or not you are shopping for a brand new automobile or a used one which’s a few years outdated, test the spec sheet as a substitute of assuming that each infotainment platforms are included, and make sure whether or not the producer is offering a wired or wi-fi connection. Older trims or fleet fashions would possibly nonetheless embrace help for just one platform, and it is extra prone to be Apple CarPlay than Android Auto. The identical goes for aftermarket infotainment items; the funds replacements may embrace Apple’s projection system, however they may skip Android Auto fully.
Learn the superb print and select a setup solely whenever you’re completely positive. We might additionally advise testing the automobile’s infotainment system along with your Android smartphone on the dealership or the used-car lot to make sure all the things works correctly.
