Porsche just became the first carmaker to give drivers personalized control over vehicle functions from an app within CarPlay, accessible via new digital controls on the dashboard (and on iPhone).
With the My Porsche app showing up in CarPlay to control features like audio, climate and lighting in the latest Cayenne SUV, the integration may give a sense of what CarPlay could be like soon in other cars.
My Porsche app: Easy control of vehicle functions in CarPlay
Porsche said the new functionality debuts with its latest Cayenne SUV model, available now, with other models to follow. And going forward, the carmaker said it will continuously add to the functionality through updates.
While “selectable wellness modes combine audio, climate and lighting features directly in Apple CarPlay, future updates will continuously enhance the driving experience,” the company said in a press release Monday.
Apple’s CarPlay platform, introduced in 2014, saw a major overhaul at WWDC2022, going beyond music and maps integration to potentially control cars’ whole instrument clusters. Apple cited more than a dozen carmakers that could adopt it as soon 2023 in addition to Porsche, including Ford, Honda, Mercedes, Audi, Land Rover and Volvo.
Keeping Porsche’s ‘enduring fascination’ going
Photo: Porsche
Of course, the current release is all about sports car legend Porsche. It launched the Cayenne, its first SUV, in 2002, and now it’s the first model to get the new app integration. Porsche also became the first automaker to build Apple Music directly into a car, its small Taycan SUV.
“We are excited to further improve the My Porsche App and using the capabilities of Apple CarPlay to deliver a truly enhanced customer experience,” said Mattias Ulbrich, CEO of Porsche Digital and CIO Porsche AG. “Technology and digitization are crucial factors for the enduring fascination of our brand.”
My Porsche app serves as hub
Photo: Porsche
The My Porsche app allows a fair amount of digital management and control of a Porsche vehicle, the company said. Using an iPhone, you can do things like:
- View the vehicle battery’s state of charge.
- Adjust air conditioning.
- Send destinations to the navigation system.
- Link accounts with third-party providers like Apple Music to the associated apps in the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system.
Simple activation and broad control
Photo: Porsche
And activating the new CarPlay experience is simple. You just use your iPhone to scan a QR code displayed in the PCM.
Then the updated My Porsche app’s CarPlay integration will let you access core functions from the car dashboard. For example, you can change radio stations, adjust audio settings and tweak climate control and ambient lighting.
And you can use quick actions in CarPlay to combine functions like the above with “wellness modes,” Porsche said, such as “relax,” “warm up” and “refresh.” Various vehicle functions can be controlled hands-free via Siri voice assistant.
The company said the My Porsche app will receive regular updates, keeping CarPlay up to date. Will other carmakers follow? It seems likely.
Source: Porsche
