'Myth:' BMW Says Apple CarPlay Isn't As Popular As You Think

Studies show that most car buyers won’t even consider a new vehicle unless it includes Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Despite this, some automakers still aren’t convinced that smartphone mirroring should be standard in every new model they produce.

General Motors has completely removed Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from its EV lineup, a move that has disappointed many. Rivian and Tesla, on the other hand, have never offered either feature. Now, BMW is questioning if CarPlay is really essential.

Stephan Durach, BMW’s Senior Vice President of UI/UX Development, cites internal data showing that Apple CarPlay’s native navigation system isn’t as widely used in BMW vehicles as commonly believed. In an interview with BMW Blog, Durach said the data does not support the “myth” that CarPlay’s navigation feature is a dominant choice among drivers:

‘People say they’re driving all around and using CarPlay for navigation. I can tell you, that’s not true. We can see what our customers are doing, what kind of controls they’re using, in what kind of driving conditions they’re using them.’

Photo by: BMW

BMW has gathered data from over 10 million vehicles, and the results suggest that drivers typically prefer the automaker’s built-in navigation system over Apple Maps via CarPlay. According to Stephan Durach, while many users keep Apple CarPlay enabled, they often switch to BMW’s iDrive system when it comes to navigation. That said, it’s unclear how many drivers prefer Google Maps or Waze via CarPlay as opposed to BMW’s built-in navigation.

With the launch of the iX3 and the brand’s new iDrive X infotainment system featuring Panoramic Drive, BMW seems to be moving away from support for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as a whole.

In July, the company confirmed it “currently has no plans” to support Apple CarPlay Ultra, aligning itself with brands like Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Polestar, and Volvo. BMW also stated that its new Panoramic Display will not support third-party navigation apps such as Google Maps or Waze.

For buyers who still want Apple integration—as many do—Apple recently released an update to CarPlay with iOS 26. The latest version includes new features like widgets, live activities, and enhanced text message response options.